Comp. of Couriette writing

The wind howled, causing the trees to shiver and shake. Their leaves of gold and dulling greens flew throughout the air, but that didn't dissuade Komi from turning around and traveling back down the path she walked. She wasn't yet at her destination, but yet, she couldn't help but feel this feeling of fear. Was it that she felt afraid to camp out in the forest alone? Or... Maybe it was that she didn't find the idea of being in a tent for a night all too amusing. Nonetheless, she took on a dare, and she intended to finish it. She wasn't a scaredy-cat. She was a brave, small canine!

Komi continued her walk down the path, until finally, she approached her campsite. It was quite far from the main office for the park, and was quite secluded by trees and other flora. Stars, if Komi didn't have a map, she may not have found her way there! She wished that she had rented one of the cheaper campsites, as those were closer to the road, but alas! The main office was closed and she had already rented this spot.

After she pitched her tent, she slipped out her phone, hoping for some sort of connection. Unfortunately, she did not have not even one bar. Komi let a defeated sigh escape her lips, instead laying back in the grass. She wasn't feeling tired yet, and not even scared anymore! Just bored! And without the internet to entertain her, she felt maybe, a little lost? Not knowing what to do, she let out an exasperated sigh and rose back up to her feet.

May as well hurry it up and get the show on the road! After building and then starting a campfire not too far away from her tent, she sat down in front of the fire. For a while, she allowed the flames to engulf her thoughts and take her mind away. It was pitch black out by now, with only the fire to light the secluded area around her. Everything was silent - not even the crickets could be chirping. No locusts could be heard singing.. No owls could be heard woo-wooing. It was peaceful, but almost in an unsettling way.

It was peaceful, anyway, up until the loud snap of a fallen branch was heard. Having the silence that she had grown accustomed to suddenly being broken, Komi jumped and shot her face in the direction she heard the snap in. Her heart began to race; that twig- it didn't sound light!.. Then, the canine hear a pair of footsteps. They weren't light footsteps, so she knew it wasn't a small animal, like a rabbit or fox.

Not wanting to stick around to find out what it was, Komi jumped to all four of her paws and rushed back to her tent. She was swift to unzip the front flap, zoom inside the tent, then rezip it, safely securing herself inside of the tent. For a while, she didn't hear anything. It was all quiet and peaceful again, up until another sudden noise broke the silence. But this time? The noise was *so* much closer.

Komi's heart jumped into her chest as she heard a loud slashing sound at the side of her tent. She looked in that direction, and was instantly paralysed with fear. Large monster claws.. Piercing through her tent. Tears welled in her eyes as she watched the wall of her tent be carelessly torn to shreds. Not wanting to see what would happen next, the canine closed her eyes and attempted to pretend it wasn't going on.

Even when the shredding stopped, the terrified canine refused to look out at the monster and open her eyes to see. Even when- there was a white flash... then laughter?? Komi opened her eyes, ears immediately flattened out of frustration when she saw her best friend, Mango, standing there, huge, but fake, monster claws taped to both of his front paws.

"What are you doing here?!" Komi angrily snapped at Mango, eyes filled with rage. Was that him this whole time?! He was there, giving her the most horrific experience of her life, all for his own entertainment?! Some friend he was being!

"Proving you wrong! See? You are afraid!" Mango mocked in return. Ever since Komi had taken up the dare that he challenged her to, he had been determined to prove her wrong; that she would be afraid of camping.

"That doesn't count! You scared me, not the wilderness. Nice try, though, I guess," Komi scoffed and rolled her eyes. She rose up into a standing position.

After a bit of arguing - they came to one, simple conclusion. If Mango could stay the night alone in Komi's shredded tent, then Komi would owe him money. But if Mango couldn't do it? Komi would be owed money, instead! And what's scarier than owing money to a friend?

As Mango nestled down into his sleeping bag, he heard the crunch of a small branch not too far off from the tent. Eyes wide, and remembering how he had done the same thing to Komi recently, he was beginning to see how it may not be so amusing. But oh, would the night ever end?!