Rain was steadily beating against the windshield.  Rain — one factor the travelers had not counted on. This was to be a weekend getaway to help Jessie and Scott repair their troubled relationship.

“Do you even know where we’re going?” Jessie rolled her eyes at her partner.

“Of course. Besides, I know how to read a map.” Scott smiled.

“This road doesn’t look very well-traveled.”

After a few minutes without conversation, Scott said, “You may be right. Check that page again.”

Jessie reached under the seat, retrieving a worn red notebook: “Campers Guide to the Midwest.” A cardboard bookmark protruded from the book and she flipped to that page.

“Are we looking for ‘Courtney Campground’?”

“That’s the one. Read the directions.”

“Past Woodley, Missouri, on Route 24…”

“Wait a minute. I don’t think we’re anywhere near Woodley. Check the map. It’s open on the back seat.”

Jessie reached to get the map. “No. We’re quite a bit west of Woodley. Maybe 90 miles.”

Scott pulled over to the side of the road. He looked out the window. “Well, at least the rain is letting up. It’s already 5:30. It will take some time to set up camp. We don’t have enough food for supper unless you want cheese sandwiches.” He braced himself for another round of sarcasm. “What do you think we should do?”

“We could get some fast food and look for a motel.” Jessie smiled broadly.

“Yes, we could. But if you recall when we planned this trip, our goal was to reconnect with nature and each other again. I’d hate to alter that plan.”

“No, you’re right. Why don’t we keep watching for campground signs. I think we are near Lake Sheldon.”  Looking at the map, she added, “There is a town just a few miles ahead. We could stop and ask someone there.”

“Sounds good. It’s a short detour but the best way to salvage today’s driving.”

A few minutes later they arrived at Warren, a small town with a tiny business district.  At the far end of the first block stood a small gas station and convenience store.

Scott pointed ahead. “Let’s stop there. We can pick up some food for sandwiches and ask for campground info.”

The store looked a little drab, perhaps just time-worn. The light over the door flickered frequently, as though breathing its last breath. There were no other customers. The cashier sat perched on a stool reading a tabloid newspaper from a nearby magazine rack. He looked up quizzically when Jessie and Scott walked in. “Hi.”

“Hi.”  Scott approached the cashier. “Jessie, go and grab some chips and stuff.”  He turned to the clerk and smiled. “Hey, we might be a little lost.  We were looking for a camping spot for tonight. But we must have missed the turn off.  Is there a tent campsite around here?”

The clerk lazily raised his eyes toward Scott, then focused on Jessie as she scurried through the store. “Just you and the little lady?  Got any pets?” 

“Yeah, just us and no pets.  Looking for a quiet, private area. Don’t need a hook-up or anything.”

The clerk pushed his glasses up onto the bridge of his nose and smiled.  “Well, there are a couple of places. Closest one is at the north edge of town, just a mile or so down the road.  Lots of trees and no bear activity. Pretty quiet.”

“Hey, that sounds good.  It’s late in the day to be going much farther.”

Jessie returned to the register and placed a few items on the counter.  “I got some munchies, lunch meat and paper towels. We still need other stuff, but it can wait until tomorrow.” She looked at the clerk, who was staring directly at her. She attempted to smile.

The clerk began to ring up their purchases. “You know, the site will still be soaked after the rain.”

Scott shrugged. “At least the rain finally stopped. We know the ground will be wet, but our tent is dry and we’re used to camping.”  He looked at the clerk who was still staring at Jessie.

“Looks like you are getting set for the night.” The clerk tilted his head and remained squinting at Jessie over his glasses. 

Jessie said nothing, focusing her eyes on Scott.  “We like to camp,” she managed.

“Where are you headed?”

“On to the west, maybe Colorado.”  Scott was collecting the grocery bags.

“We might look into that campsite near here, that one you were talking about. Can you give me directions?”

“Sure. Just head up Main Street, then turn right at the second light. In a couple of blocks, you will be out of town. I think there is a sign that says ‘Creekside Camp.’ Can’t miss it.”

Scott paused at the door.  “Is there a place to register or someone to pay or anything?”

The clerk laughed. “Heck, no. This isn’t the big city. Folks just go out there and camp.  Nothing fancy. There is a pump for water. Just go and enjoy yourselves.”

Scott and Jessie loaded their purchases into the back seat and headed out of town following the clerk’s directions.

“Can this be right?” Scott asked. “I’m sure that’s what he said. But I don’t see a sign or anything.” They were both looking in every direction as they continued to drive through the barren countryside.

After a few minutes, Scott said, “I think I see a campsite. It looks a bit pitiful.” He turned into the area and stopped the car near a wooden picnic table. “I guess this is it.”

Jessie got out of the car and walked toward the table.  “Oh, my gosh. This is a real dump. Are we going to stay here?  There is no one around.” 

“It’s so late in the day, I don’t think we have any choice.”  Scott began to remove the tent and tarp from the back door of the car as he talked.  “If nothing else, it looks quiet.”

“I don’t like this at all.” Jessie removed her cell phone from her bag.  “No bars. What if something happened?  We couldn’t call for help.”

Scott laughed. “What’s going to happen to us out here?  Come on, help me set things up.”

Tasks related to camping became easier each time they were performed. They easily began stretching the tarp and driving the poles. 

Jessie made some ham sandwiches and opened a bag of chips. Then looking around for a trash receptacle, she said, “There’s no place to put the trash. Do you think there are any bears?”

“You seem a little focused on bears. I think we are OK. We’ll just keep the trash in the trunk and toss it out tomorrow.”

She carried the sleeping bags into the tent and unrolled them, arranging the blankets. Peeking out through the flap, Jessie said, “I don’t think this is a good idea.  No one knows where we are. No one would know how to find us, except for that creepy clerk at the store.”

“Did he bother you that much?  He seemed friendly enough.”

“Didn’t you notice that he was glaring at me?”

“Not really.  Besides, you always think everyone is hitting on you.  Come on. Let’s get settled.  It’s going to be damp and cool tonight.”

They built a fire and sat around it on spare pieces of tarp that they always carried on trips.  There was not a sound to be heard, not even the expected owls or crickets. A constant breeze was cooling off the weather considerably, so they ducked into the tent.

“Listen.” He paused. “It’s so quiet out there. Don’t you love it?” Scott was smiling and huddling in his blanket.

“No. If you really want to know, I don’t feel comfortable at all. What if something happens out here?”

“What could happen?”

“The car might not start in the morning. The woods might break out in flames. Then there is the issue of wildlife. Besides, there is no bathroom. It’s so dark I haven’t yet seen any pump. I feel wet, cold, tired and afraid.”

“Other than that, how are you doing?” Scott had to chuckle.

“Seriously, we are stupid to stay out here.”

“Remember how excited we were to plan this trip, get away from everything? Well, we did it.”

Jessie sighed. “Things like telephones and running water are not what I wanted to get away from.”

“I enjoy camping and not having to think about big issues all the time.” Scott was gazing into the star-filled sky, trying to deflect Jessie’s worries. “Come over here and snuggle with me.”

Jessie got up and moved closer to Scott and the fire. “The fire is nice and smells good, although I will probably be covered with soot in the morning.”

They sat by the fire until they felt the first drops of the returning rain, then hurried into the tent. 

“It’s only about 8:30 or so,” Jessie said. “I don’t think I can possibly go to sleep.”

Scott said nothing but was focused on watching the tent flap.  He stared motionless for a few minutes. Then whispered, “Ssshh. I think I saw lights out there.”

Jessie touched his sleeve, whispering, “What could it be?”

Scott remained quiet. Then whispered in a very low voice, “It was brief, but looked like, well, headlights of a car. They’ve gone out now.”

“Maybe it’s other campers, who are also desperate for a place to stay.”

“I can’t believe two other people happened to find this place, in the middle of the night, in the dark.  If it is a car, it would have to be someone who knows where this spot is located. Keep still and let’s see what happens.”

A few moments later, two symmetrical spheres of lights suddenly reappeared.

Jessie whispered, “Look.  You were right.  Those were headlights.”

The lights burned for a moment, then turned away, followed by the sound of tires along the surface of the road.

“What do you think, Scott?  Who could have been driving out here?”

“I know lights were unexpected,” he whispered. “But it could have been two kids looking for a place to enjoy some romance. Might have been a park ranger, checking to see if anyone was stupid enough to spend the night here.”

“It could have been that clerk from town or one of his friends, confirming that we were settled in for the night.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Scott offered. “Are you sleepy?”

“Yes, but I can’t sleep out here under these circumstances.”

“Well, go ahead and try. I may keep watch for a while. I wouldn’t worry too much about all this.” He patted Jessie on the cheek. “It’s going to be OK.”

In a very short time, Jessie dozed off.  With the tent flap closed, the air quickly turned stuffy. Scott decided to go outside and stretch his legs.

He climbed through the flap and straightened up. As his eyes became accustomed to the dark, he could make out the shape of a pick-up truck, parked next to their car a few yards away. There were no lights turned on, but someone was sitting inside the truck. The person must have been smoking a cigarette because the faint glow of burning ash glowed against the darkness.

Scott did not know what to do. Should he approach the truck and see if the driver needed help?  Perhaps it was another intrepid camper planning to sleep overnight.

The time had come to worry about their situation.

Slowly, Scott eased himself through the tent flap, trying not to wake Jessie. How in the world could they escape this situation?

Scott knew they had to leave.  Because the truck was parked close to their car, they would have to leave on foot. If they could manage to exit the tent unseen, they could make it to the road. But they didn’t know the local geography and had no phone. They had only their feet and a couple of dependable flashlights. At least the rain had stopped again.

Gently he leaned close to Jessie’s ear. “Jessie, wake up. But stay quiet.”

She stirred, then said, “What’s the matter?  I guess I finally got to sleep.”

“Listen carefully. I think we need to leave this spot, now.”

“What? Take down the tent in the middle of the night?”

“No. There is a truck out there and a man in the truck seems to be watching us.  We may be in danger.”

“What?  I don’t believe you.  Is this some kind of joke?”

“No. I’m serious.  Let’s get dressed with jackets and good shoes. We have the flashlights and we will go out on foot.”

Jessie sat up. “Now I know you’re kidding.”

“I think we need to leave as quietly as possible. Get ready now.”

Jessie began to put on her shoes. “Where are we going?”

“The only location I know is the store in Warren. I think that’s on Century Street. Let’s just start walking.”

“Are you sure this is the best decision?”

“Right now, I think it is the only decision.” Scott stood up, zipped his jacket, checked the flashlights and said, “Let’s go.”

Walking the first few yards were difficult. They did not want to use their flashlights so near the campsite for fear of being seen. But stepping on the damp leaves and undergrowth in total darkness required concentration.

Once they were several hundred feet past the campsite and had reached the road, Scott turned on his flashlight. “This should help,” Scott whispered. “Let’s walk as quickly as we can and keep talking to a minimum.”

There was no vehicle traffic at that hour. They kept their eyes down, watched their footing on the roadway, and stuck to the shoulder in single file. 

“I can’t believe how dark it is out here in the wilderness. I realize it’s night. But there is no moon, no lights anywhere along the road. It’s hard to see more than the end of my feet.”  Jessie was stumbling on rocks and twigs, but trying to keep up.

After several minutes, she tugged on Scott’s sleeve. “Can we stop for just a few minutes?  I need to rest.”

“Sure.  I think we’re making good progress,” Scott whispered. “Let’s sit on that big rock over there.”  He reached into his pocket and produced two granola bars. “I brought these along in case we needed them.”

“Good thinking,” Jessie said as she peeled back the wrapper.

They remained seated on the rock as they ate.  The night air was slightly damp and crisp but not chilly. Jessie leaned back and sighed. “Is your plan to stick to the road?”

“At least until we get close to Warren.”

“Then what?”

“There must be an authority there, sheriff or fire department and we can get some help.  Let’s just get there first and see what we can do. If necessary, we could sleep on the streets in town and be better off than in our tent.”

“Do you think we were in danger out there?”

“I’m not sure, but I didn’t want to take any chances.”

Jessie sat forward. “Listen. I think I hear a car.”

“Where?”

“Sounds like it’s coming up the road behind us. Do you think it’s that truck from the campsite?”

Scott was silent.  Finally, he said, “I don’t hear anything. Are you sure?”

“Yes. Don’t you hear it?  What if they are looking for us” Jessie bolted, running toward a group of barren trees, ahead of Scott, her flashlight beam rising and lowering as she trotted.

“No, Jessie. Don’t run through there. Let’s just stick to the road. Stop.”

Farther and farther, she ran ahead of Scott, who was now in pursuit.

In a few dozen feet, she suddenly stopped. Scott could see her flashlight halt, its beam turned upward.

As he struggled to reach her through the trees, he heard a gasp, then a low scream. He quickly halted.

Scott aimed his flashlight ahead through the trees and saw a large dark brown bear rapidly approaching where Jessie stood motionless. The bear opened its mouth and made a loud growling noise as it loomed over Jessie.  She did not move or speak again. The bear raised one of its gigantic paws and swatted Jessie across the front of her body. She instantly fell to the ground.

Scott moved quickly toward the bear, screaming and waving his arms wildly as he ran.  The bear stopped, stared at this wild attack, then turned and ambled away.

As soon as Scott reached Jessie, he could see that she was dead. The bear’s claws had ripped through her face and neck, causing massive bleeding. She seemed peacefully relaxed as she laid across the fallen leaves.

There was nothing left for him to do but to continue walking, on toward Warren, in search of help.

It was his only option.

– Maggie Bayne