What lurks outside the RV at Blackwood Campground?

By Johnny Robot
It was Halloween night when Jake and Lisa pulled their RV into the only available spot at Blackwood Campground. The place was quiet—too quiet. Nestled deep within the Appalachian Mountains, Blackwood had a reputation. Locals whispered stories of disappearances, of people vanishing from their tents, RVs left abandoned. But Jake and Lisa weren’t superstitious. They were here for a peaceful getaway, not ghost stories.

As they parked the RV and stepped outside, the air felt heavy, the cold creeping through their jackets despite the fire they lit. Thick woods surrounded the campground, casting long shadows as the moonlight filtered through the skeletal branches. The rustling of leaves in the wind was the only sound, and yet, it felt like they were being watched.

Lisa unpacked inside while Jake gathered more firewood, keeping close to the perimeter of the RV. As he bent down to pick up a branch, something caught his eye—a shape, just beyond the tree line. A figure? He squinted, but it was gone. Shrugging it off, he returned to the campfire.

Back inside the RV, Lisa was struggling with the flickering lights. Every few minutes, they would dim and flicker as if something was draining the power. “Jake,” she called out, “I think something’s wrong with the power.”

Jake came in, frowning. “Maybe it’s the generator. I’ll check it out.”

He stepped outside and noticed something strange. The woods, so still a moment ago, now seemed alive with movement—dark shadows darting between the trees. Jake rubbed his eyes, telling himself it was just a trick of the light.

Suddenly, the fire they had built went out in an instant, plunging the campground into pitch blackness. The only light came from the RV’s dim interior, which flickered sporadically.

Lisa’s voice trembled. “Jake, hurry.”

Jake rushed back inside, shutting the door behind him. The wind picked up, howling through the trees as if something out there was angry. They could hear strange noises now—whispers, faint footsteps around the RV, a soft scratching on the windows.

They sat together on the couch, holding hands, listening.

“Did you hear that?” Lisa asked.

The scratching was louder now, as if claws were dragging across the side of the RV. Jake grabbed a flashlight and shined it toward the window. His heart stopped. Staring back at him were two glowing eyes. But it wasn’t human. The shape of the creature was all wrong—too tall, too thin, its limbs twisted and elongated.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang at the door.

“Who’s there?!” Jake yelled, backing away.

The door rattled violently, the hinges straining. The lights inside the RV flickered again before going out completely. They were in total darkness.

Lisa fumbled for her phone, turning on the flashlight. As the beam illuminated the room, they saw the door slowly creak open. But there was no one there. Just the empty, yawning darkness of the forest beyond.

Without warning, the RV shook violently, as if something massive had grabbed hold of it. The walls groaned under the pressure, and the scratching turned into pounding. Panicked, Jake and Lisa huddled together, Lisa’s phone the only light between them.

Suddenly, the pounding stopped. Everything was silent again.

After a moment, they dared to breathe. Maybe it was over. Maybe it was just—

The RV door slammed shut with a deafening bang, locking itself. Jake rushed to open it, but the door wouldn’t budge. His hand trembled as he turned toward Lisa.

Her eyes were wide with terror, and she pointed to the back of the RV. The door to the bedroom, which had been closed moments ago, was now open, slowly creaking wider.

A shadow stood in the doorway.

Before they could scream, the lights came back on. The RV was empty again, the shadow gone.

Shaken, Jake unlocked the door, and they bolted out into the night, running to the ranger station. But when they arrived, the station was dark. No one was there. The campground, once full of life, seemed abandoned.

They never spoke of what happened again. But every now and then, when Lisa is lying in bed, she hears the faint scratching at the window. And she wonders if whatever was in the woods that night ever truly let them leave.

##RVT1180