The Forest Cottage

2

Clara decided on it. To go on a, camping. " It would be good to take iny some fresh air and forget that nights incident. Father was keen on moving in a, forest cottage so lets make some use of it " Clara thought. She called up Greta and Joy and told, them about her plans. Both of them were interested. Her parents too said that it was a good idea. ' Nice thing go ahead but take the pepper spray with you and a strong flashlight with you " her mother said. " I am also coming with you " Tony said. " No you are too small grow big a little more then you can come " Clara, said to him. 

She ran upstairs and started packing her camp bag. " Its quite sunny so it wont rain " Clara, said. Joy and Greta were coming to pick her up in the evening. " And dont go too deep in the forests " Claras, father said.  Evening came soon and, Joy arrived with Greta and Clara left. " I have packed those sandwiches for you eat them " Mrs Nancy said. " Sure we will " Joy replied. 

On the way as they were driving. It was all green lush forests on the sides. " Its getting darker shouldn't we drive faster and reach that camp sit. Have to put up the tents too " Clara said. " I should have brought my sweater it's getting colder here " Greta said. " You know a killer escaped from the prison and es, supposed to roan here " Joy said. " Don't try to scare us. Do you think we wilk believe in your such taljs " Greta said. But Clara didn't found the joke funny. What if that man outside the window roams here. Suddenly this camping trip didnt seem like such a good idea to Clara. " Can you hurry up with the driving. Or we turn back. I dont feel like camping anymore " Clara, said.  " Allright take it easy that was jus a, joke okay about that prisoner " Joy told her. " No but what if that man outside the window comes here " Clara asked. " We aee very far in the woods how can he come here.  No ones following us and he doesnt know we are here camping " Joy explained. " Okay as you say " Clara, said slowly and removed, her mobile to text her parents. " Hey no network here " she said. " It doesnr catches here " Greta said. 

Soon it was night. They started putting up tents. And Joy said he will go and collect some sticks for making fire. They had chosen a spot near a, lake. It was picturusque. " i think its going rain the moon up is hidden by clouds " Greta said. " Its okay we will go inside our tents if it rains and drive back if it rains too much " Joy said and went to find some sticks. Both the girls, sat on a, log and, waited for Joy to return but he was taking too long.  " Its almost half an hour where is he " Clara, became worried. " Lets go and search for him " Greta said. They started calling his name and were searching for him. But couldn't find him anyw. " Its not like him to play any practical joke so where as he gone " Clara said. Suddenly Joy came out from te bushes. " There were no dry branches so i had to search for them a, lot. As some time back it had rained " he said. Thry made the bonfire and sat around it. " Its late at night lets, go inside the tents " Clara said. Joy went in his and the girls went in theirs. Only the sound of crickets could be heard. There was total silence. All around. Clara lit a small handy lamp and was reading. Outside she heard the sound if trees swaying in the wind. Later she slept. Greta already was asleep. Outside the wind turned gusty. And was shaking their tents. 

In middle of the night Clara woke up. Because of some noise outside their tents. Someone was walking outside. She could clearly see his shadow against the falling moonlight. Clara felt goosebumps. She tried to wake up Greta but she wouldnt wake up. She sat in silence. After a few moments the man was gone. " I will wait till morning to wake up Joy now i cant go outside " Clara, decided and tried to sleep back. When it was early morning she shook up Greta, and ran out towards Joys tent. And was shocked to see it was empty. " Where hes gone " she said and, ran back to her tent. Greta and she again started searching for him. After a, few blocks they found asleep on a, log. Clara, woked him up. " How did you came here " she asked. " I dont know i think i sleepwalked. I do it " Joy said. " Thats not good. You shouldn't have come out and slept here in this wilderness at night like this. Someone was, walking around our tent at night " Clara, said. " I am sorry to frighten you like this. Lets just return back if  you want to " Joy said. " Wait see how beautiful the lake is, looking. Lets wander around a bit and sit there " Greta said. " Ofcourse not we are returning right now " Clara, said and they returned to the camp site. As they were folding up the tents a sound of some animal could be heard. " What was that " Clara, said.  " Sounds like a, wolf to me " Joy said. " And its, coming from nearby only " Greta, said frightened. " Hurry up get inside the car and drive away from here " Joy told. As they were just sitting in the car a, wolf jumped out from the trees, towards their car. And they drove away from there with the wolf following them for some distance. " And you wanted to sit near the lake " Clara, exclaimed to Greta.

Their car drove away. From there.  " What a chase it was " Greta, said breathlessly. Joy lauged a, nervous laughter " now no stopping in between anywhere " he said. From a, distance they saw an animal it was, the, same wolf he came out of the trees across the road and went into the forests.  " Have you kept the car doors locked just check " Joy asked.  " ofcourse i did that the first thing.  What a, camping really " Clara replied. 

in between their car stopped. Joy got out to check. " Come back inside what if the wolf came back " Clara said. " Its, a tyre puncture,  now we will have to wait it out here till some car passes by " he said. The beanches moved as if someone was in the bushes. And a animal the wolf could be seen. Clara shouted " come back inside its that wolf again see his right back behind you. " Before Joy cpuld react and come inside he jumped on him. Clara got out of the car with her flashlight on. Seeing it the wolf backed fown. And she helped him get inside the car and closed the door. His right arm was injured. And blood was coming out. They tied a, handkerchief on it. The wolf sat outside their car only waiting for them to get out. " Now how do we hike " Greta, asked. " The moment we get out he will jump on us. "

They sat in silence. Suddenly a car came and from the window itself they shouted at it to stop. Seeing the other car the wolf got up and was still standing there.  There was, a man he stopped and asked.  " Now how will you get inside the wolf is there. " " We can do this bring the car little nearer then quickly we will shift there. Our friend here needs help too hes, hand is injured because of the wolf " Clara, told, the man. So the man neared the car towards them. And as they were climbing inside the wolf again jumped on them. As Greta was the last one to go he caught her leg in his jaw but the man with lighter tried to burn his, tail and Greta inside the car too as it jumped back. And they closed the door and drove off from there. All of them were a bit in shock.

" Are you new here because no one camps here many wild animals are out there " the man said. " Yes no one told us not to come out here.  We just moved in here and you Joy and Greta how come you agreed.  You stay here for a long time " Clara, asked.  " I didnt knew these animals comw out on the road too and by mistake i think we ventured too deep inside for camping " Greta said.  Joy sat silent. 

When they reached their house. Claras mother was outside on the porch. " You all returned so early what happened " she asked. As they told her everything she exclaimed " we should have known not to send you there fast all of you come inside. " The car man also was told to come in. Joy was given first aid and Claras mother tied as she was, a, nurse. Then she made tea for all of them. And thanked the man who gave them a, lift. After some time the man left. He was, a drama, artist and invited all of them to his show. 

" You both stay here and rest for one day. I will tell your parents tomorrow you go " Mrs, Nancy said to them. " Its okay i can drive " Joy said. " Your camping trip was cut short so i say that you camp here in the backyard tonight " Claras father said. So later in the night after dinner they put up a, tent in the backyard. It was a, clear sky with many stars and a breeze chill was also blowing. As they were setting up their tents Claras mother came and said " zip the tent up nicely its getting colder. " " Dont worry mother the house is, right here anytime we can enter. We are not out in the forest but in our own backyard " Clara, said. 

Soon midnight came. Clara was lying on her side when she heard some rustling leaves sound. Instantly she got up waked up Greta. " Is it you mother " she asked. But no sound came. " I think its him that man. Get up " she told Greta. Greta, got up. " Why are you screaming " she asked. Suddenly both of them looked as the zip of the tent slowly went down. They were stunned. Clara, held her torchlight in her hands. When the flap door of the tent was open Clara expected the prowler man to show his, face. She was just about to scream when they saw it was Joy. " You scared us.You could not reply when i asked " Clara said." I was unable to sleep as i have the earphones in my ear. I came to ask you whether you have drinking water " Joy said. " Should have taken one for the night. Here it is ' Clara said handing him the watet bottle. " And by the way did you come and unzipped my tent " Joy asked. " Ofcourse not " Clara, replied. " Because someine did. If not you then who " Joy asked. " I told you its that man only lets go inside " Clara, started panicking. " Okay you mean the one wo was outside your window " Joy asked. " Yes " Clara, replied. " But how hes managing to open the tent zip from outside " Joy was, wondering. " He must have some pin or something " Greta, answered. " I think Clara is right we should go inside " Greta said. " No i want to see who it is so you both sleep and i will watch out if he comes back again " Joy said to a, reluctant Clara and Greta as they both again went back to sleep.  

It was near morning. But the sun had still not come up. Clara got up and went out of the tent and found Joy asleep in his. She woked him up and after undoing the tents they went inside the cottage. And she told her mother about how their tents someone had opened. " Of Joys someone tried to.  Its the same person. Put up the fences fast here " Clara, said to her father. And Joy and Greta got back to their houses. " I have some assignment remaining to complete for monday " Greta, said and went away with Joy in his car. " Sure get the fences fixed today itself " Joy told to Claras, father. " Yes today itself i am calling up the carpenter.You shouldn't have slept in the backyard after that camp forest experience " her father said rushing towards the phone to make a call to the carpenter.