"The call is coming from inside the house..."

Remember the story about the babysitter getting the scary phonecalls?  The police trace it and warn "the call is coming from inside the house".  There are certain themes that come up in scary movies - strange thumping noises coming from other rooms, the power cutting in and out, the flash of lightening lighting up "something" in front of the picture window.  In the old days every movie had a point where you would sit in your seat begging the characters to not look out the window, don't open that door, for heaven's sakes let the phone ring.

I had that real life adventure last weekend.  We were camping in a campground that is really for urbanites - over 900 spots, a store, snack bar and comfort stations on site.  We chose a site a bit up the road from the comfort station and at 4 a.m. I just had to make the  trip.  Cliff went along and we quietly walked the dirt road past all the tents in the eerie dark.  Its rather unreal - all of these people sleeping in tents amongst strangers.

We got back to the tent and settled in.  I'm not sure if I actually fell asleep or was just dozing off when I heard steps right outside the tent.  At first I was a bit curious - I quickly realized it couldn't be a bear - its just not that kind of campground.  As I am thinking about this I wonder if Cliff hears it too.  I end up poking him in the chest and he grabs my hand.  I hold my breath as I listen imagining a raccoon.  Except...I definitely now hear footsteps and they stop right at the door of the tent.  I'm a visual person so I imagine the person crouching at the tent and I'm trying to figure out what's next.  Will they try to quietly open the tent?  Are they standing with a knife?  I hear the footsteps start again and they seem to be moving away.

When its safe, I whispher to Cliff and he confirms he heard it and we discuss which way the steps went.  Since they were last heard on my side he suggestst I OPEN THE TENT WINDOW AND PEER OUT.   As I am grabbing the zipper I'm thinking this is crazy - this is the point where everyone says "DON'T UNZIP THAT WINDOW".  I don't know why but I end up doing it scared of what I might see - as it was there was nothing to see.

Cliff does not have these neurotic thoughts - he doesn't imagine someone waiting for me to unzip the window staring in at me.  He settles back down.  I sleep with one ear cocked...

We never did figure out what happened.  It could have beens someone also coming back from the comfort station who ended up at the wrong tent...but ....

I have never recovered from Poltergeist.  The crazy clown doll is missing from the chair, kid begins to look under the bed to see if it is there and BOOM - the clown comes at him from behind!