Camp Horror

• Amelia Stokes, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2012

CAMP HORROR


The day started much like any other, I heard my Dad mumble goodbye and then heard the front door close, I could hear my Mum yelling from the kitchen to hurry up and get up, but it was so warm and cosy in my bed, I didn’t want to get up.

Then suddenly I remembered today we were going on school camp, so I quickly jumped out of bed, rushed out to the kitchen said hi to Mum, grabbed my cereal bowl and quickly scoffed down my cereal. Then I ran and jumped into the shower, got dressed and brushed my teeth.

We had already packed all my stuff for camp the night before, so I went to my room and got my bag, sleeping bag and pillow. “I’m ready” I told Mum as I ran back into the kitchen. “ Well Amelia, for the first time in history you are actually ready early, we still have half an hour before it’s time to leave”. “Really?” I said. It was quite a shock to be told I was ready early as this never happens. I put my stuff down near the door and went back to my room.

Next thing we were on the bus and on our way to Palm springs Resort, I was so excited I was chatting away to my friend Alicia the whole way, about all the fun things we would do when we got there, we couldn’t wait to go for a swim.

The bus stopped but all we could see was a run down old building, which looked like a haunted house that was about to fall down. A really old lady and man came out to meet the bus, their skin looked so thin, it felt like you could see their bones through it, the old lady was leaning on a really crooked walking stick.

We got off the bus, Alicia and I looked at each other and wondered what was going on, this was not Palm Springs and I could not understand why we were getting of the bus. Then the bus drove away and took all the teachers.

The old couple said that they were Mr. and Mrs. Skeltor and we were there to work for them to fix up their house, Alicia and I started to cry, along with most of the other kids from our school. Mrs. Skeltor yelled “silence” and she raised her large stick and banged it on the ground. We all went silent.

Mr. and Mrs. Skeltor pushed us all into the house. I could see heaps of cobwebs all around the house, and I thought I saw a skull in one corner. I started shaking and I could feel my teeth chattering. I looked at Alicia and she had the same look of horror on her face.

Mrs. Skeltor then gave us all uniforms to wear they were horrible brown raggy clothes, that looked like they had never been washed and they smelt awful. She gave us mops and buckets and ordered us to start cleaning. I was feeling really sick from the smell and all the dirt. But I got to work scrubbing, I thought the quicker we get this done, the quicker we can have some fun.

The next thing I knew I slipped and fell backwards down some stairs, I heard Alicia running after me, calling out “Are you ok?” I must have fainted from the shock, suddenly, I could feel someone shaking me.

Amelia, Amelia I heard the voice say. Then all of a sudden, I opened my eyes, my Mum was shaking me really hard saying get up right now or else you’ll miss the bus to camp. With no time to waste I quickly jumped off my bed, where I had been sitting and obviously fell asleep, grabbed my stuff and ran out to catch the bus.

When I got on the bus, I told Alicia about the awful dream I had, I still felt a little nervous, for the whole drive, until I saw a big sign that said Palm Springs, I could see waterslides and the beach. “This is more like it”. I said to Alicia.