It’s dark outside now. This is the hour that is as evil, and black as the devil himself. Reddkas come out to stalk innocent by-standers of Havenwood Camp. This is the kind of camp where anything can happen, good and bad. How are we safe? That is a very simple question to answer; you see, we’re not safe. The reddkas are very dangerous creatures. They aren’t human, but they’re not animal. My friend and I came up with the name reddkas because of their blood-red mane and their knife-like fangs. They only come out at night to feast on human flesh. The first thing that popped into my mind when I first saw them was vampire. The reddkas are much different from vampires, though. They have different character traits. Reddkas feast on human flesh and vampires feast on human blood. Who am I? I’m a regular teen, who came face to face with a reddka and survived.

It all started on a warm summer night in July. I was walking home from the mall with my friend Tara. My name, by the way, is Emma. We were both so excited because we were going to be heading off to Camp Havenwood the following day. I was a little nervous, because it was my first time going, but Tara insisted that I go to keep her company and to make new friends.

“I think I got everything I needed”, said Tara.

“I’m not so sure about this camp,” I said. “My brother’s friend went there and when he came back he had razor-like cuts all up and down his arms and legs. He never talks about it and never said what happened. I think it was something like the Jersey Devil.”

“You don’t really believe that, do you? That’s such a hoax. He probably fell and scraped himself up. He’s one of those guys who like attention, anyway.”
“Well whatever it was, it still gives me goose bumps and second thoughts about going.”

“Oh Emma, don’t be such a wimp. This camp is going to be a blast. Imagine all the new friends we’ll meet, especially the boys.” I couldn’t help but laugh at Tara’s lame excuse.
“That’s all you ever have on your mind, huh?” I said. Tara just batted her eyelashes at me and said, “Well, what girl doesn’t?” I shot her a quick smile. I hated it when she looked at me like that.

“Alright, you got me.”
“Good. So I’ll pick you up at 7:30 sharp.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t worry. What could possibly go wrong?”

That next morning I was up before the sun. I really was excited, but deep down I still had regrets. Tara was right on time and by the time we had the car loaded and had passed around plenty of hugs and kisses to our families, we were off to camp. When we showed up it seemed like millions of kids were swarming around the camp office getting all their paper work arranged and getting their cabin numbers. Unfortunately I wasn’t in the same cabin as Tara, but we were close by. The first couple of days were not as bad as I had imagined. We actually had tons of fun. I was really excited, because we were going to have a campfire tonight and the counselors always tell scary stories.
“Tara, wait for me!” I called as I ran breathlessly up to her and her new friend Kevin.
“Emma, I thought you weren’t coming.”
“Not coming to the campfire?” I said with disbelief. “I wouldn’t miss this moment if my life depended on it.”
“Well come on and grab some seats before they’re all taken.” As Tara, Kevin, and I reminisced about the last few days, I noticed that it suddenly got dark. As the counselors passed out all the fixings for s’mores, the level of excitement rose significally.
“All right kids, listen up.” A wild looking man with shaggy blonde hard and a five o’ clock shadow stood up and began telling the famous campfire legend. He told about a creature that came out after dark to feast on the flesh of unsuspecting campers. He said the creature was about six feet tall, walked around hunched over, had pitch-black hair, a blood red chest, and razor sharp fangs. It’s eyes blazed with fire and it could run up to twenty-five miles an hour. Many campers have gone missing and others have come back scarred for life. On our way back to the cabins, I couldn’t help but think that this creature was actually lurking in these woods.
“Tara, could you sleep in my cabin with me tonight?”
“Why, is that old story getting to you?” Tara said with a curious look.
“No, uh…I just thought that you might want to hang out with me for one night before we leave. “
“All right, besides I did tell you to come to keep me company.” That night Tara and I sat wide-awake talking about anything and everything. We were sad that we were leaving the next day, but happy that we were going to be back home.
“Oh, I forgot to brush my teeth, could you come with me Tara?”
“Sure.”
On the way to the bathroom we saw a girl screaming relentlessly to her cabin.
“What’s wrong with her?” I wondered.
“I don’t know Emma, but it seems as though she came in contact with a ghost!” A high pitch scream rang through our ears, as we saw a big fang-like creature tearing through the woods. With panic and fear all ready bursting through our systems, we started sprinting to the bathroom.
“Quick, lock the door!”
“What was that?!” asked Tara with tears of fright stinging in her eyes.
“I don’t know, but it looks like the creature that the counselors at the campfire were telling us about!”
“Well, we can’t stay in here forever Tara.” A big loud thud was heard right outside the bathroom door.
“Oh yes we can Emma!” Not knowing what to do, I quickly dug through my purse to find anything that could help us both get away. Nail polish…no, hairclips…no, hairspray, hmm this could work; I said to myself as I took hold of the thin canister.
“Emma, are you out of your mind?” That thing could kill you, and hairspray is not going to rid the creature away from here, only hold its hair in place.”
“Tara, I have no other choice. Be brave, and I will come back for you after I get help.” As I walked toward the doorway, I could feel my legs give way, and I quickly took hold of the countertop to save myself from falling.
“Okay Emma, you can do this.” As I repeated this sentence over and over in my mind, I could tell that fear was not releasing its grip on me anytime soon. It seems quiet, almost too quiet. I softly crept outside and I could see a pair of large flaming eyes staring at me from the woods. Thoughts immediately rushed in and out of my mind.
“Will I be able to get help quickly, and in time? Will I survive, or end up like my brothers friend? Am I ever going to see my family again or Tara?” I tried to exonerate these thoughts from my mind, but with great difficulty. As I took a deep breath, I scurried out of the bathroom, and ran hastily to one of the counselor’s room I felt the ground shake beneath my feet, and I realized that the reddka was chasing me. I could sense the evil coldness of the beast as it tried to seep into my body. I remembered the hairspray in my hand.
“Well it is my only hope of surviving.” I turned to face the Reddka, aimed the hairspray bottle at eye level, closed my eyes, and sprayed with all my might. Then all was silent, my closed eyes slowly opened as I noticed the Reddka frozen body inches away from where I was standing.
“I can’t believe it!” I said with disbelief, “It actually worked!” I then ran to the bathroom, got Tara, and both of us got the head counselor. We showed him where the Reddka was frozen. When we got to it I could see fear, surprise, and disbelief spread over his face. He then called the F.B.I. The men from the agency took the cold, frozen Reddka and encased it in a large non-breakable cage. Tara and I both got ready to leave Camp Havenwood the next day. We were so happy, relieved, and ecstatic that nothing happened to us.
“Wow Emma, I guess you were right, I should have believed you.”
“It’s all right Tara, I’m just thankful it’s all over now.” As some might have guessed, we never ended up going back to that camp again, but we had a bizarre story to bring back to Backlashack, and it will probably live on generation after generation. Just remember when you go to camp, you never really know what will happen; take Camp Havenwood for instance, I thought that it would be a fun non-abnormal week, but I almost got killed by a legendary Reddka, and the only thing that saved me was a can of hairspray, who knew right? That ended up being my freaky camp experience.