Dream Walker

Chapter 19 | Maybe I'm Crazy

The details of their sleeping arrangements were quickly resolved when Lyn started pulling out tarps, tents, and stakes from the barn-turned-garage. Based on all the hooks on the walls, the space was probably a tack room before it became an all-purpose storage room. The smell of old hay overwhelmed Callie's nose.

"Did you guys ever keep horses in here?" Callie asked, leaning against the wall as Lyn sorted through the disorganized camping supplies.

Lyn grunted as she stood up, then said, "No, but the people before us had horses, so the barn has always smelled like 'em. Our dogs would spend hours sniffing around the stalls. A-ha!"

Lyn triumphantly pulled out the stake she was looking for. Callie knew nothing about camping or tents, so she was content to watch. She figured she would leave the assembly to her friends too. Lyn was the one studying to be an engineer, right?

"Where's Rocco? I haven't seen him since we got here," Callie said.

Lyn shrugged, stacking the supplies into a single pile. "Probably wandering around looking for turkeys. They like to run around and taunt him. The poor dog thinks he can catch them too."

"Do you want some help?" Callie felt bad for standing there while Lyn struggled, despite her intention to stay far away from the tent assembly. She walked over and grabbed a pile of tarps.

Lyn cut her eyes to the side to glare at Callie, sweating with the exertion of holding her own heavy pile. "Thanks for taking the lightest load. You're such a generous friend."

"That's what people tell me." Callie smirked. "And if you wanna make fun of someone for not contributing, go find Quinn. I'm sure he's suffering through an intense game of Call of Duty with your brothers right now."

They carried their supplies out of the barn. Callie followed Lyn, who seemed to be surveying the yard for the ideal spot. When Lyn's pace increased, she knew a decision had been made. They dropped the supplies in a section of the yard that had been cleared of leaves, had few trees, and looked relatively flat.

"Alright, babe, it's time to learn how to pitch a tent." Lyn winked at Callie, wiggling a stake in the air.

Callie sighed, realizing her dream of sipping lemonade while her friends did all the work was fading before her eyes. She stripped off her jacket and tied it around her waist, then pulled her hair back into a bun. Learning new skills was a worthwhile pursuit. What if she was trapped in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of camping supplies one day?

"You know I can't resist it when you talk dirty to me," Callie said. "Teach me your ways, wise one."

It was honestly less work than Callie was expecting. They had two large tents set up before Quinn and Ellis even bothered to stick their heads out the door, offering to help. She wasn't convinced that there was a difference between the tents, but, according to Lyn, they would be sharing the better tent.

Ellis insisted on spending the night in a tent with Quinn instead of his own bed. They went inside to resume their video games, so they were likely going to stay up as late as possible. At least Callie got to be in the better tent. She was used to sleeping alone, but Lyn knew about her issues. Callie just hoped she wouldn't disturb her friend's sleep.

The two friends sat inside the tent with the flaps open, enjoying the beautiful view of the dusky sky. The sun had set long before, leaving streaks of blue and indigo across the sky. Unlike in the city, stars abounded above them. The chirping crickets added to the peaceful ambience.

Lyn leaned over and hugged Callie with one arm, laying her head on Callie's shoulder. "We all love you, you know. It's not just something we say. You, me, Quinn—we make our own family. Plus, my mom really does care about you. She asks about you every time we talk."