Believers

 
     Kyle, Nick, Tom, Barry, and Martin ran to their favorite campsite.  Their first year of Bible Camp they stumbled on this place.  Kyle and Nick had been on a hike with the rest of their group when they noticed a small trail.  It was mostly becoming overgrown, but you could tell that once upon a time people traveled down that path.  During their free time they came back and followed it to a clearing.  It was as if the trees had formed a circular barrier hiding them from the rest of the world.  In the center was a circle of stones filled with sand.  No one took notice that the sand was freshly laid in a pile.  Nor did they take notice that the grass seemed to be cut within the circle.  They just gathered there nightly with their flashlights and told ghost stories.
     Only… this weekend the ghost stories would be real.
     The five set up their tents in a circle and built a fire.  Building a fire was something new they learned this year at camp.
     Jesse nudged one of the other counselors when the screams of victory began pouring from their direction.  The two shared a smile, a job well done at camp this year.
     Evening began to fall and the sun slowly retired behind the dark clouds.  Soon it would be pitch black.  The boys grabbed their thermoses of hot cocoa and small lunch sacks filled with s’more fixin’s and headed out.
     Nick’s parents watched the jerking bits of lights head toward the wilderness part of the camp til they disappeared.  “Will they be OK?” Carl questioned Jesse as he sipped his coffee.
     Jesses chuckled, “They’ll be fine, and if not we have twenty four hour staff here.  They think we can’t find them, but we know where they are.”
     “They’ve had three years of training besides.  We taught them campfire safety this year.” Counselor Ryan explained.
     “Good thing too.” Jesse added.
     “Just in time.” Ryan looked towards the boy’s camp.
     Sheila squeezed Carl’s arm.
     “He’ll be OK.” Carl assured her.  “You can’t be over protective of him.  He’s safe here.”
     “We thought Eileen was safe too.” she glanced up at him.
     “We’ll leave you two alone.” Jesse motioned to Ryan and they walked off.