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Cold sea smoke blanketed the grounds of Camp Drummond Island on a cool summer morning, giving the camp an aura of mystique.
Inside the counselor cabin Max had just woken up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
Next to her Chloe was still fast asleep despite the alarm clock having been incredibly loud.
“Come on Chloe, time to wake up,” Max whispered and lightly shook Chloe.
Chloe responded with a grumble and pulled the blanket over her head.
“Chloe, wakey wakey, eggs and bakey,” Max said.
“Five more minutes,” Chloe mumbled.
“Only if you don’t want a good morning kiss,” Max replied with a smirk.
That got Chloe to remove the blanket from over her head.
“That is the most vile blackmail, Caulfield,” she complained and glared at Max. But she couldn’t contain her smile.
“It got you full of energy,” Max said and pecked Chloe on the lips. “Now come, camp and breakfast won’t wait for us.”
“Fine, I’m coming,” Chloe gave up on her resistance and pushed the blanket away.
Together with the other counselors they walked through the fog that curled around their legs, knocking on the cabins to wake the campers that were still asleep.
In the shadows of the pine trees the camp looked eerie and uncanny, with the thick mist limiting their sight to just a few feet ahead of them.
“Strange weather,” Max commented as she and Chloe made their way to the mess hall. “If this keeps up we might need to daisy chain the campers together to make sure none of them get lost in this soup.”
As if on cue, the path lamps suddenly turned on, casting faint glowing orbs throughout the fog.
“Well that solves that problem,” Chloe said. “We just tell the campers to stay near the lights.”
“We just need to hope they will actually do that,” Max replied. “But something tells me they will stay near the camp today.”
After dinner the two of them took a brief break at the old wooden docks.
The fog still hadn’t receded all day and still covered the ocean from view.
Max sat on the dock, her legs dangling over the water while in the distance a lonely lighthouse cut through the fog with its beacon.
“I just checked the weather,” Chloe said and plopped next to Max. “It’s supposed to stay like this until tomorrow.”
A huge grin spread on her face.
“And it’s Friday the 13th, perfect for a spooky camp fire story. I’m going to tell them the Rachel Amber legend.”
“Just don’t scare them too much, will you?” Max pleaded with her girlfriend.
“And where would be the fun in that?” Chloe replied with a laugh.
“Have you ever heard of the Legend of Rachel Amber?” Chloe asked the campers that were gathered around a fire pit.
“They say she was once a camper here in this very camp a long time ago in 1975, until she disappeared one fateful night in June. On the night of June 13th. This very night exactly 50 years ago.”
Max knew the story was made up and just the camp legend the counselors liked to tell the campers for an easy scare, but the way Chloe told it still made the hairs on her neck stand tall.
“Nobody knows where she went or what has happened to her,” Chloe continued. “The police never found any evidence and after a few years the case was archived.”
She looked around at the spooked campers.
“But legend has it that she comes back every June 13th. From the foggy woods to pay a visit. And that she takes anyone with her who she comes across. So you better lock the doors to your cabins tonight or the ghost of Rachel Amber might snatch you otherwise.”
She took a dramatic pause.
“Before she appears the temperature drops so much that the air freezes and you see your breath. And then she stalks the camp grounds, going around the cabins, tapping on the windows and doors. Tap-tap-tap. When you hear that, don’t listen, don’t open the door or the window and don’t look. Stay in bed, hug your blanket and pray she just leaves again.”
She waited again for a second, enjoying the fright on the campers’ faces.
“The counselors who worked here before us swore they saw a ghostly doe at the edge of the woods on nights like this. When you see it don’t look it in the eyes or you will become part of the legend because that doe is the ghost of Rachel Amber in disguise. When you look that doe in the eyes, you will simply disappear during the night, a single feather of a blue jay the only trace left of you on your pillow.”
Even with the knowledge of it being just a story, Max still felt herself shaking a little.
The hairs on her arms were all raised and she suddenly felt a cold shiver running down her spine.
Chloe could successfully write horror-fiction in her eyes if she wanted to.
Together with the other counselors Max sat on the old couch while Chloe set up the TV.
“Since it is a Friday the 13th, there is only one movie to watch tonight,” she said. “Friday the 13th. The 1980 original.”
Max hated the movie, it was far too scary for her liking and whenever a character was murdered she flinched and curled up against Chloe.
“I hate you for making me watch and hear this,” she whispered against Chloe’s shoulder and peeked at the screen.
“I’m here for you, Super Max,” Chloe replied, planting a soft kiss on her girlfriend’s head.
“You’re going to make up for this,” Max demanded.
“I will,” Chloe promised and held Max closer. “I will.”
“I say we go around and scare some of the campers a little more by tapping on their windows,” proposed one of the other counselors, after the movie had ended.
“Sounds like fun,” another agreed.
“You do that,” Chloe yawned. “But Maxi and I are going to bed.”
“See you tomorrow,” the other counselor said and left together with two others.
Max laid curled up in Chloe’s arms.
“I can’t sleep because of that stupid movie,” she complained and pouted.
“I have you, my Queen of the World. You’re safe with me,” Chloe comforted her and stroked Max’s head.
There was a quiet tapping on the window.
“Chloe, that’s not funny,” Max said angrily and pushed herself away.
“I’m not doing that,” Chloe defended herself. “I’m holding you with both hands.”
There was more tapping on the window.
“Hey, cut the bullshit,” Chloe demanded. “It wasn’t funny the first time around.”
They heard snickering and footsteps moving away, rustling in the foliage.
“Stupid assholes,” she mumbled. “Sorry I put that idea in their heads.”
“Just hold me for the night,” Max replied, snuggling up with Chloe once more. “Let’s just try and get some sleep.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Max,” Chloe promised.