The sun had dipped below the horizon, and the cool evening air settled around our campfire. Laughter filled the air as our group set up the tents ,getting ready to spend a peaceful night under the starts…Just me, Adeline, Eleanor, Liam and my classmates. But as the stars started to peek through the darkening sky, we had no idea that a simple camping trip into the woods would turn into an adventure we’d never forget…

Eleanor was helping me set up a campfire when I realized that we were running short on logs required for the campfire. I decided to go and gather some more when Adeline burst onto the scene with her usual flair, holding a bag of marshmallows like a trophy. “Look what I brought!” she announced with a grin.  Before I could go out into the woods, Eleanor and Adeline blocked our path. “And where do you think you are going?” Adeline asked, “I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that wandering into the woods alone at night is the fastest way to end up as a cautionary tale.” I rolled my eyes “Fine, you both can come. But try not to get us kicked out ”. As the four of us ventured into the woods, a soft whimper rose from the bushes nearby. “Please tell me I am not the only one who heard that” Adeline gasped, her voice trembling. “Relax, I too heard it… It kinda sounds like a puppy, we should probably check it out” I replied. “Or maybe it could be’ The chupacabra’” Addie whispered. “Chupa what now?” Eleanor responded.

“The Chupacabra. You know the creature that looks and sounds like a puppy but is a monster luring its victims to feed on thei-” “Addie, The Chupa whatever is not real. I am positive that the tale was made to scare people like you” Ellie argued. 

“I am going to check it out whether you like it or not. So, either I am going into the bushes alone while you guys bicker or I am going to be accompanied by my friends” I stated waiting for a response. “I’ll be right behind you” Ellie responded. I looked at Addie for a reply. “ Shall I join?” I turned to the soft voice that came from behind us. There stood a girl no older than us. She seemed lost but portrayed no ray of fear on her face. Her hair reminded me of the waves of the sea and her eyes shone brightly in the moonlight. “ “Hi, I’m Juniper.” she said. “I was wondering if I could join you?.” “Nice to meet you Juniper, I am Madeline, but you can call me Maddie.. Are you lost?” I asked with concern. Right then Addie’s voice interrupted our conversation  “You guys can go ahead. I do not have a death wish. Also, if you do get eaten by the creature, someone should live to tell the tale.” As we and the mystery girl approached the bushes, we found a puppy tangled in the shrubs. We freed the puppy and met Addie on the other side. “Looks like we lived” Ellie stated. “You guys were lucky this time, but The Chupacabra does exist.” Addie replied. We continued our way but after miles of walking the harsh reality struck us. “Umm, I think we are lost” Addie observed with a scared tone. “Great. Time to cross out ‘getting lost in the woods’ from our bucket list” I sighed. The night deepened around us as we wandered through the dense forest. Our phones, sadly, had no signal, and the only thing we had were the bag of marshmallows Adeline had brought.. “Alright, let’s stay calm and think this through,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “We’ll find our way back, but we need to prepare for the night.”

Eleanor nodded, “We should find a safe spot to set up for the night. Somewhere dry and away from any potential dangers.” Juniper looked around and said “You know, in times like these, it’s important to have faith. Faith often helps people through the toughest of trials. We have each other, and even a little faith can help us get through this.. God always watches over us, even when we’re lost or scared.” I repeated her words aloud  to uplift me.

Eleanor, however, looked doubtful. “Maybe you’re right. But it’s hard to feel like God is really helping us right now. I mean, we’re lost in the woods with no way to contact anyone. It would be nice to have a sign, you know?”

No sooner had Eleanor spoken than she walked straight into an abandoned stop sign hidden by the underbrush. She yelped in surprise and stumbled backward, holding her head.

“Ouch! What was that?” she exclaimed, rubbing her forehead.

I looked over and saw the stop sign half-buried in the dirt. “Looks like a sign to me,” I said with a chuckle. “Maybe it’s a reminder that we’re not as lost as we thought.”  Eleanor blinked, then laughed, her earlier skepticism replaced by a more focused determination. “Okay, okay, I get it. Maybe this is the sign I needed to snap out of it. Let’s keep going and trust that we’ll find our way.”

We stumbled upon a small clearing and decided it was as good a place as any. We gathered some leaves and branches to make a makeshift shelter and started a small fire with the last of our matches. We sat in silence for a moment, the fire’s warmth against the cool night air. Juniper took a deep breath and began to speak softly, “Let’s remember that no matter how dark or uncertain things seem, there’s always a light to guide us. Faith can be our light, just as this fire is now. We need to trust that we’ll find our way back and that this night will only make us stronger.”

I nodded, our faces reflecting the fire’s glow and a renewed sense of hope. With faith in our hearts and each other by our side, we were ready to face whatever came next.. As the fire crackled softly, I volunteered to take the first watch. The others quickly fell asleep, exhausted from the day. Juniper decided to keep me company and help me keep watch. We sat by the fire, keeping a lookout, making small talk  hoping that our faith would see us through the night.

Every snap of a twig made my heart race, but I kept reminding myself that we were strong and that faith had gotten us this far. We just had to hold on a little longer.

Suddenly, I heard something rustling in the bushes. My pulse quickened. I stood up, eyes wide, trying to see what was lurking in the shadows.

The rustling grew louder, and I almost panicked. Just as I was about to wake the others, a figure emerged from the trees. I froze, until I recognized the familiar face.

It was Liam, followed by the rest of our group. I let out a shaky breath. “You scared the life out of me! We’ve been out here almost all night, and now you decide to show up?”

Liam chuckled, but his smile faded as he glanced around. “Who were you talking to earlier?”

 “Just Juniper,” I replied casually, pointing beside me. But when I turned, she wasn’t there.

Adeline groaned as she woke up from the noise. “Great, you found us,” she muttered, rubbing her eyes. I glanced over at her, still confused. “Did you see Juniper leave?”

Adeline blinked at me, her brows furrowed. “Who’s Juniper?” “The girl that was walking with us…  the whole time,” I said, my voice faltering. Adeline stared at me, concerned. “Maddie… there was no girl. You’ve been talking to the air for hours. Me and Ellie  thought maybe you’d eaten some wild berries or something.” I stood there, stunned. I could’ve sworn she was right beside me the entire time.

Eleanor stirred from her sleep, rubbing her eyes. “Is Maddie still talking to the air?” she mumbled groggily.

Addie glanced over at me and smirked. “Nah, looks like she’s coming back down to earth now.”

Liam raised an eyebrow, half-amused. “I’m very concerned, but if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I shouldn’t ask for clarity when it comes to you three. Now, seriously, where did you stash the marshmallows?”

Eleanor smirked and shot back mockingly, “Well, you weren’t here rescuing imaginary monsters, questioning your life choices, and chatting with invisible people. So, nope. No marshmallows for you.” 

Liam shrugged. “Fair enough. But I still expect the first s’more since I saved you from becoming bear dinner.”

As we packed up and followed them back to camp, I couldn’t shake the strange feeling. Who—or what—was Juniper? Maybe she was an angel. Or maybe it was all in my head. Either way, I’d learned something important. Sure, we may have wandered through moments of doubt, but we never lost our way completely. And that little faith, though fragile, was enough to guide us forward. And in the end, it wasn’t just about finding our way—it was about realizing that even in the darkest times, hope and faith never really left us.”