Outside the Tent

Life couldn’t be better than this. I yawned, stretching my arms with fresh hope and joy. I lay still and smiled, remembering what an awesome night we’d had at the campfire. Dad hadn’t lost his skill on the guitar, and Mum’s ridiculous, funny stories about when she was younger made memories in my heart that would never change, together with the s’mores we made. The sweet memories still lingered.

I turned my head to Jake, still asleep. His young, sweet face was sleeping soundly. I felt thirsty, so I checked the time. It was already 9:40 am. Mum should already be cooking breakfast, bacon and eggs for the second day of our camping trip. But I couldn’t hear any noises from their tent behind ours, or smell any breakfast.

I got up and unzipped the tent, hoping the strange silence didn’t mean something was wrong with Mum and Dad.

It was at that very moment that my heart nearly stopped. I froze, half my body bent forward, my head poking out of the tent, one hand still holding the zipper, paralysed by what lay spread out before my eyes.

…what happens next? You decide!