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Horror Inherent: Ghost Stories Around the Campfire

Updated: Aug 26

August Issue, written by Jack Reigns

The Inherent Horror in Summer Fun

by Jack Reigns

 

A log in the campfire cracks and everyone jumps, then laughs nervously, looking around in embarrassment. While on a long hike, something rustles in the bushes and your heart rate spikes. A child toes the cold water in the deep end of the pool, wondering if he’s ready to swim where he can’t touch the bottom. Why do we insist on making the funnest, most innocent, and (what should be) relaxing activities of the season into quiet moments of terror, ripping our minds away from the safety and serenity of the moment? Why is there such inherent horror in summer fun?

Summer and horror seem to go hand in hand. A quick internet search yields dozens of articles about the best summer horror movies. Maybe it’s just because writers are mostly introverts and summer is when society forces us from the safety of our caves, when all horrors become possible? Or perhaps, it’s because summer is the season in which we are most likely to be injured? Who hasn’t tried some new experience during a summer pursuit, only to walk away needing first aid?

No matter the summer activity, you can find a horror story or movie about it to enjoy. It makes sense. There’s a long list of things that could go wrong, without including supernatural elements. In reviewing the available media, topics that might terrify you this summer include: Sleep-away group camps, swimming, camping and hiking, the ocean, the desert, the woods, the heat, insects, crowds, FOMO, exposure of bodily insecurities, wild animals, circuses, theme parks, or simply being forced into new and uncomfortable locations. Luckily for us, there are a plethora of good books on these subjects.

Let’s get into these topics and break down why we love to be scared by these fun, wholesome activities. In the words of mothers everywhere:

“Why can’t we have nice things?”

-Every mother, ever.


Ecoli, Clowns, and Carnies

Recently I was researching amusement park accidents for a short story I am working on, partially inspired by the real-life event of my sibling and me getting trapped inside a ride when she’d been injured. (By the way, there’s multiple Wikipedia pages dedicated to the subject.)  I can understand the fear carnivals and amusement parks hold; strange people, semi-dangerous rides, questionable food safety — the list can go on for a while. Carnival workers are long considered by society to be a fringe community, stereotyped to various degrees into something scary and imposing. While I will not get into the nuances of that topic, I want to note that for many, the stranger danger fear remains, justified or not.

The same way most people at first fear those they do not understand, carnival workers can represent the unknown, becoming frightening to some by their mere presence. It is also these people to whom we are trusting our lives on these death cage machines, and the clowns who might be both hilarious and terrifying. Yet every year we return, we again trust these people for our entertainment. Trusting strangers will never be without danger, but if you count those you know injured at a circus or theme park, you’ll most likely find it to be a tiny number. Do you panic at the idea of theme parks going horribly wrong? Then you should check out FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven, Funland by Richard Laymon, and both Joyland and the short story Riding the Bullet by Stephen King. All at least partially taking place within the surreal location of a theme park or carnival.


The Great (?) Outdoors

Camping, hiking, and the woods are often one of my favorite topics to read about. Growing up with a logger father, we spent a considerable amount of time outdoors as he wanted to show his kids all the cool things he found. To this day, my preferred campsite is one he discovered while working long ago, a place without cell service, only accessible with four-wheel drive on unpaved forest roads. It is absolutely heaven on a hot summer day and can be absolutely terrifying at night. I feel equally safe and comfortable in that area, as I freak myself out by hearing a strange noise.

I’m always surprised to meet those who are adamantly against camping, yet on a primal level I understand their fears: getting stuck, getting hurt while isolated, mountain lions, bears, fear of being alone with your thoughts without a device to distract you. On my last camping trip, I was blessed with the exciting experience of hearing a mountain lion scream and thrash through the bushes. Knowing it was only (what sounded like) a hundred feet away could have made me go sleep in the truck, but I also knew there was zero chance of it attacking my tent. If anything, it’s the camping movies with slashers and serial killers that really freak me out.

My parents impressed upon me at a very young age: the most dangerous animal in the woods walks on two legs. Rest assured, most other campers and hikers I’ve met are out there for the same reasons as I am; peace and quiet, fresh air, a love of nature. So relax, camping murders are relatively rare. If you’d like to psych yourself out the next time you’re enjoying fresh air, you might enjoy The Ritual by Adam Nevill, The Tent by Kealan Patrick Burke, The Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood, Devolution by Max Brooks, or Campfire by Shawn Sarles.


Don’t forget the Beach!

The ocean has a bounty (haha) of themed horror available, and it’s no surprise that water holds such fears for people. Even swimming pools and lakes get their fair share of horror media. It’s so fun to be buoyant, yet at the same time anxiety inducing, knowing there could be something underneath us we can’t see. Perhaps something large enough to eat you whole. The water is a threat all by itself. Just six inches of fast-moving water can sweep you off your feet and a current could carry you away forever in minutes.

According to my two-seconds-not-verified-Google search, death by drowning is actually the most common fatality while camping. Joking aside, drowning is a real danger, and is the summer activity we probably fear the least unless you’re diagnosed with aquaphobia. Years ago, I lived on a lake and had to watch the aftermath of a young teenage boy who tried to dive where there were fallen trees and didn’t resurface. I thought about his parents, and his friends who were there when it happened for months after. The CDC states drowning is the most common cause of death for children four and under.

This alone makes this the one summer fun activity that’s much less innocent than we want it to be. So have your fun in the water, but stay safe, and stay humble by reading: Jaws by Peter Benchley, Tidepool by Nicole Willson, Cruel Summer by Wesley Southard, From Below by Darcy Coates, The Elementals by Michael McDowell, or Black Tide by KC Jones.


The Destabilization of Routine in the name of ‘Summer Fun’

For many, the biggest fears of summer have more to do with encountering the unknown, or simply being forced into uncomfortable situations in strange, new locations. It is the time of year when schedules are upended and experiences are thrust upon us, consenting or not. Here in the PNW, many locals are adjusting to the increasing summer heat waves with a continuing sense of unease. While that may be a minor change to adjust to, it still brings a level of confusion and physical discomfort, driving anxiety, much like the surprise changes that came with the summers of our childhood. It is these experiences that carry fears related to innocent, fun summer activities into adulthood, and I believe we hold on to them with purpose. We don’t hang on to them because we love being miserable, but because the anticipation of the bad thing and the fear that builds create the fun. If you enjoy being terrified of new experiences, read The Ruins by Scott Smith, or The Descent by Jeff Long.

Summer of Night by Dan Simmons is another classic tale of kids fighting evil one summer after school ends for the year. I’m not a huge Simmons fan, but the story does give that fresh cut grass and humid hot days vibe. Many people compare it to the arguably superior IT by Stephen King, and I say, why can’t we just be happy there’s two cakes?

There’s definitely something about remembering the feeling of being a kid up against a foreboding world full of monsters and mystery that hits me right in the feels. The Body by Stephen King also captures the feel of summer with friends, and since Mr. King is so damn prolific, I’m not to recommend any more of his books in this post, although he has loads of others with summer vibes pervading them.

As we grow older, people become less inclined to take risks and participate willingly in novel experiences. While having predictable days ensures a safe and comfortable time for everyone, I believe continuing to embrace that which scares you will keep you young, and possibly safer while living a full life. Most horror fans know it is the fear which makes life so sweet. So keep telling those campfire ghost stories of slashers at camp, and monsters in the woods. Tell your friends and kids the urban legend of the hikers that went missing in the desert. Try the new thing and live to share how exhilarating it was, but also what it made you think about, and appreciate after.

I hope you’re having a fun, safe summer, and getting in some good reading while snuggled down in your hammock, and in the wise words of Mary Schmich, “Wear sunscreen.”

 

More recommendations for Summer Fun horror:

  • Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

  • Ghost Bird by Lisa Fuller

  • Ghost Summer by Tanarive Due

  • The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

  • Clown In A Cornfield by Adam Cesare

  • Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay

 

About the Author: Jack Reigns was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest but has lived and travelled all over the United States. A lifelong horror fan, as a child Jack would get in trouble for frightening family members with scary stories and is thankful to now share them with willing participants. Jack is  the author of The Reigns of Terror series of short horror collections, and available works can be found at jackreigns.com

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