for the prompt thing: 7 and 19!
7 ; Blood smears + 19 ; “Did you want to hear a scary story?”
Finally, they'd gotten the kids to go to sleep. Most are piled into one tent, only meant for four, but they all wanted to squeeze in together. Only Max and El, sensibly, picked out a two person tent to share.
Steve sighs, stretching his arms as he sits in front of the campfire, trying to ignore the way Eddie snickers at him.
"Now can we tell campfire stories?" Robin pleads.
"Ooo," Eddie shifts, almost excited. "Scary story?"
"No," Nancy quickly replies before Robin can. "That's a terrible idea."
Instead, they make small talk for a while. Eat some more smores. Stargaze. It's nice, comforting and oddly familiar even though Steve has never been camping like this before. He's glad though, knows that it would never be as fun as it is now- even with all the kids to wrangle up.
"I'm going to bed," Nancy eventually yawns. They'd been up only an hour longer than the kids. "Rob, you coming?"
And of course she is. It's become a common trend; wherever Nancy goes, Robin isn't far behind. Steve has to hide his face behind his hand, trying not to smirk too obviously.
It's quiet for a moment, only him and Eddie left. But, of course, Eddie shuffles over. He has an air of mischief about him.
"Did you want to hear a scary story?"
Steve tries to give him his best unimpressed look. "You got a good one?"
"I have a great one. A little rumor about these woods, actually."
They stare at each other for a moment, both waiting for the other to back down. It's Steve that finally cracks; "fine, sure, whatever. Tell me the story, then."
"Well... you know how everyone is always so strict about where we're allowed to go? The constant reminders not to stray from the path, stay within these allocated areas... legend has it, there's something in the woods. Something that likes to stick to its territory and, should anyone stray too close... they don't come back."
Steve raises an unimpressed eyebrow. "That's it? Some animal in the woods that kills people?"
"No, no- because it's not an animal. It's too smart. It knows how to hunt, knows how to lure you in. It can mimic. Noises in the night that call for help, noises in the night that sound like your friends. The only way you can tell if it's the creature? Before it calls out, it will stalk it's prey, leaving blood smears around you. Like it's marking you."
The fire crackles in the silence.
But then they both break out into laughter.
"That's such bullshit!" Steve hisses, trying not to wake the kids with how loud they've gotten. "Marking you, jesus."
"That's the legend though!" Eddie insists, grinning. He wiggles his fingers, widening his eyes. "Spoooooky!"
"Terrifying," Steve deadpans.
They stay at the campfire for another half an hour, joking around with other stupid stories they've heard. Slowly inching closer on the log until they're bumping knees.
They both turn when they hear what sounds like a dog, whining, from somewhere behind them.
"Who the hell walks their dog out here?" Eddie asks quietly. He shifts, nervous.
Steve hums, uncertainly, standing to creep to the edge of camp, squinting into the darkness. "It's... too dark to check it out, though, right?"
"Right," Eddie mutters, who's reluctantly stood up with Steve, shifting a little closer. "It's owner will be looking for it anyway. It'll be fine."
"Eddie..." Steve begins, stiffening. "Uh... that story... it's just a story, right?"
"Which story?"
Steve points to a nearby tree, only just visible in the light of the campfire. There's a small line of blood, very intentional in it's placement, smeared on the bark.
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