Camping Capers

• Hollie Hughes, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2011

The damp ground is gooey beneath my feet as I walk. The sound of birds chirping and frogs croaking makes me feel safe as I make my way through the overgrown vines. The scent of pollen and plant life startles me as I continue trudging through the dark and damp forest on my journey.
Here I am without a clue of where I am going!
Thinking back, I can only just remember when I became lost. But I’m almost sure it all began on Friday afternoon after my family and I went on our camping trip to Nearview Caravan Park for the weekend. Close by was the Nearview Bush Walk through the famous Red Lake Forest. My Dad was very eager to go so of course we dropped everything and started packing essentials straight away.
That’s when things started going wrong. I was beginning to get restless on our trek when I was suddenly distracted by a glimmering light in the middle of the dark, damp forest. I walked slowly towards it, and further away from the group.
When I got to where I thought the glimmer was I was sadly disappointed. It was just a piece of stupid garbage shining in the sun! I can’t believe I let myself think this trash was actually something shiny and beautiful!
Just then I turned back hoping to see my family but I was sadly disappointed again.
‘They’re gone!’ I cried. I was separated from my family and I was all alone. ‘I have to find them’.
So that’s about how far I’m up to in my story wandering through the cruel Red Lake Forest. At this point I am desperately hoping to see my family or even a small sign that they are somewhere nearby; but I am completely lost.
Then a brilliant idea popped into my head. ‘I can’t just stand around here all day hoping to stumble across a clue of my family’s whereabouts; I would have to go looking for them’. So I began to scan the forest floor with my eyes searching for clues. After a while of looking, I began to get tired but just then I heard a faint voice.
‘Mum, Dad - is that you?’ I paused.
‘Mum, Dad- is that you?’ I called again into the distance. Imminently I started heading towards where I thought the voice was coming from, chanting loudly. I was pretty desperate by now.
I began to get closer and closer to the voice. I stopped just when I could make out the body shape of the person standing in front of me. It was Dad! I couldn’t believe my eyes.
‘I was lost Dad and I have been looking everywhere for you’. ‘What do you mean darling? The camp’s just over here; let’s get you home’.
That camping trip was the most spine tingling, mindboggling experience I have ever been through. Now, when I look back, I can’t believe I was so silly.