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Rated: E · Short Story · Teen · #2291688
Jake was brave. A lot of people are, until they are not.

It was a dark and stormy night. Jake and his friends decided to go camping in the woods, despite the warnings of their parents. They wanted to have some fun and adventure, and they didn't believe in the local legends of the pale children.

The pale children were said to be the ghosts of some kids who got lost in the woods and died of hunger and cold. They were pale as snow, with black eyes and sharp teeth. They roamed the woods at night, looking for other children to join them.

Jake and his friends set up their tent near a clearing, where they made a fire and roasted marshmallows. They told each other scary stories, trying to spook each other out. Jake was the bravest of them all, he laughed at every story and said he wasn't afraid of anything.

"Let's play a game," he suggested. "Let's see who can go deeper into the woods and come back."

His friends hesitated, but they didn't want to seem cowardly. They agreed to play along, but they set some rules: they had to stay within earshot of each other, they had to use their flashlights, and they had to be back before midnight.

Jake went first. He grabbed his flashlight and walked into the woods, whistling a tune. He wanted to impress his friends with how far he could go. He ignored the sounds of the wind and the rain and the rustling of leaves and branches.

He walked for about ten minutes until he reached a small stream. He crossed it carefully, balancing on some rocks. He looked around, feeling proud of himself. He was about to turn back when he saw something that caught his eye.

It was a small cabin in the distance, hidden by some trees. It looked old and abandoned, but there was a faint light coming from one of its windows.

Jake felt curious. He wondered who lived there or what was inside. He decided to check it out before returning to his friends.

He followed a narrow path that led him to the cabin door. He knocked on it softly, but there was no answer. He tried to open it gently but it was locked.

He peered through one of its windows but it was too dark inside to see anything clearly.

He heard a voice behind him say "Hello".

He turned around quickly and saw two children standing there. They were pale as snow with black eyes and sharp teeth. They smiled at him wickedly. They said, "We've been waiting for you".
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