Fun Campfire Ghost Stories by John Bradshaw

Chapter 1 - Before we get started
     
    Ask just about any kid what they want to do
on a camping trip at night and they will tell you they want to hear
ghost stories. Can you think of anything that they pay attention to
in silence, as a group, longer than a good ghost story? The only
problem, especially for younger readers/listeners, is that most
scary stories end with a scary ending. This keeps their imagination
at an elevated level which is sure to cause sleepless nights for
themselves and maybe others.
    Most of the stories in this book have
suspenseful, imagination filled story lines, but end in a funny,
some may say silly way. It has never failed that when the listener
has responded with the comment, “that was silly” at the end of a
story, they are always first to say yes to the question, would you
like to hear another? The stories generate excitement and
imagination however the pressure is relieved at the end of the
story making the overall experience a fun one.
    These stories were designed for easy reading
or for recital through memorization. If you are reading the stories
to others, it is always best to pre-read the story so that you know
the content, where to pause for effect, where to change your voice
and where to incorporate movement or gestures to enhance the story
telling experience. If you plan on reciting from memorization,
don’t worry about getting every word correct. This is how stories
take on life and various forms, get personalized and become
folklore by their retelling through time. The major elements and
the flow of the story is the important part as the story heads to
its conclusion. Always remember your audience. Even some stories
with funny endings may still scare some younger folks which may
compromise their overall experience.
    This collection of stories originated from
various verbal sources and some are totally original. They have
been accumulated in the mind over the years. Some of these stories
I heard as a cub scout, some as a camper and then as a counselor at
summer camp in North Carolina. Others I have heard in various
forms, from my three boys and their friends on outings and as I
preparing to write this book. This type of story telling is unique
in that the stories become modified, revised and added too over
time making them a tradition that gets passed down from generation
to generation. These stories are heard and then retold over and
over. The really good ones survive time and become a staple of
every camping trip, as important as a sleeping bag and a fire.
    I had a lot of fun putting these together,
but my objective is for the young readers/listeners out there,
hearing these stories for the first time, to truly have an
enjoyable experience and decide that this book is a definite
keeper.
    Now, is everyone ready for some campfire
stories?
    Let’s get going.
     
     
    *****
     
     

Chapter 2 - Did you smell that?
     

     
    D aniel and I had just
gotten into our tent when the rain got heavier. Luckily, we had
just finished hearing ghost stories around the fire minutes before.
This has been the best summer yet at camp! Daniel and I had become
best friends and I liked every one in our cabin. Our counselor,
Bob, was a college student and was a really good guy.
    This was our first cabin overnight camping
trip. Even though our camping spot was just on the other side of
the lake, walking the path through the tall pine trees made you
feel like you were in the middle of nowhere. We had set up our
tents, laid out our sleeping bags and gathered wood for the fire.
Bob started the fire and in a short while we were roasting hot dogs
on sticks. The baked beans, potato chips and even the carrot sticks
tasted great. As a matter of fact, everything tastes great on a
camping trip. The best part about dinner was desert. Roasted
marshmallows put in between two graham crackers with a piece of
milk chocolate, fantastic smores. Bob won the baked bean and
marshmallow eating contest.
    After dinner we had to