At First Sight

Chapter Three

What was it about a tent that turned it into a freaking sweat lodge overnight? It was like the fibers trapped the sun inside, refusing to let it go and suffocating the occupant in stagnant, recycled air. 

Despite stale beginnings, there was something undoubtedly serene about waking up immersed in nature. Tree branches cast shadows along the walls of the tent and played tricks with his eyes while noises outside proved the world was coming alive. Drew yawned, stretching his arms far above his head, his shoulders still tense from Wes and Keaton’s moving day.  

Moving purposefully slow, he enjoyed the fact that no one was there telling him to pick up the pace. He emerged from the tent, duffle bag in hand determined to settle his first order of business. A shower. So maybe a campsite that offered hot showers wasn’t exactly roughing it either, but it was still a far cry from the jetted tubs he imagined were in the lodge.

Slipping his feet into flip-flops, he made sure his guitar was locked in his truck and headed toward the showers. The campsite next to his was vacant and he had yet to decide if it was a blessing or a disappointment. In his experience, he’d met some pretty cool people camping. 

As he approached the showers, Scarlett emerged from the girl’s bathroom, fresh faced.  She looked a thousand times better without all the paint on her face. 

“Hey Drew.” 

Drew smiled warmly. “Are you following me?” 

She shook her head and laughed. “No. I’m actually staying at the lodge, but there is a waitlist for the bathroom so I came here instead. I’m impatient.” 

Drew arched an eyebrow. “A waitlist huh? It must be a helluva bathroom. The lodge looks pretty slick, but—”

“It’s a busy hotel room,” she said. “There’s my mom, my sister, my brother. They all called dibs before me.” 

“Ah.” 

“Showering?” 

It seemed Scarlett excelled at asking the questions with obvious answers. 

“Yeah,” he said. “Then breakfast. Then maybe I’ll go exploring. You?” 

 “Family stuff,” she said. “I’m here for a family reunion.” 

 “That’s cool.”

“Yeah, I guess,” she allowed. “I think all of us know we should be grateful for each other but still have to work at tolerating each other. If that makes any sense.” 

“Makes perfect sense,” he said. “I think it’s pretty normal.” 

“I should go,” she said, pointing nowhere specifically. “My mother will send a search party if I’m not back soon. She’s hyper-paranoid.”  

“Good to see you again, Scarlett.” 

She grinned. “Yeah, you too.” 

He took extra long to shower, standing under the stream until the water ran tepid and his stomach grumbled. Back at the campsite, he started a small fire and made some breakfast before cleaning up, grabbing his guitar and heading to the lake.

Copeland slipped out the door before anyone else was awake. She’d left a note telling them not to worry; she would be back by the afternoon. Beams of sunlight broke through the canopy of treetops casting iridescent rays all over the place. She took picture after picture, trying different angles and perspectives until her foot caught in one of the massive roots of a willow tree. She slipped and fell, tumbling down a small hill to the pebbled beach below.