The Impact (Book II)

Vacation

"This is stupid," Zach groused from the back of the van.

Emily fanned herself with her hand and moaned her agreement, her bright hair pulled up in a high bun. "It's soo hot!"

"Are we there yet?" Keith asked for what felt to be like the hundredth time.

For the last thirty miles, Will had developed a tic in his eye that I was concerned was going to stay with him for however long he lived. The only two who hadn't been driving me and Will up the wall were Cole and Orlene. Cole's eyes were closed and Orlene was staring out the window, mouth opening and closing like a fish's. I had already gathered she didn't get out much.

"We'll get there when we get there!" Will snapped, turning around to glower at the children.

I smacked his arm. "If you're going to take your eyes off the road, then maybe I should drive. Honestly, what a stupid way for us to go: 'William took his eyes off the road and curled the car around the tree in a friendly hug!'"

"Don't you start with me! The moment you started driving you were complaining about how you wouldn't get to look out the window! It's trees, Melanie; you see them outside all the time!" He faced the front again, glaring at me out of the corner of his eye.

It had been like this for four hours since we left the house. Joel pushed his vacation idea onto Will and when the latter refused, basically ordered him to take us on a vacation for the next few days or so. So far, it wasn't off to a promising start. Keith had gotten carsick within half an hour of getting into the old van Will had gotten a few years ago on a whim. The air conditioner was busted so all the windows were rolled down but the heat was still to the point of it being unbearable, even for Will, Zach, and Emily. The kids kept complaining about one of them being too close to the other, resulting in an argument that led to me and Will shouting, if not a little hopefully, "Don't make us turn around!"

"The trees around our house aren't like these ones," I insisted before dropping the topic altogether before it mounted into another argument.

"Oh, thank the Lord, there's the sign," Zach breathed.

"'Sunny Lake?' How original." Emily rolled her eyes.

"I think it sounds lovely. Nice and peaceful." Orlene said for the first time since we'd gotten into the car, smiling cheerfully. I envied her sunny demeanor after having suffered through seeing us at our most dysfunctional.

Will turned onto the dirt driveway and pulled up to a cozy looking cabin built with wood covered by render. Everyone scrambled out of the van, eager to stretch their legs. I hopped out of the van and stood on the tips of my toes as I reached up. My back popped and my calf muscles' lost some of the tension they had been carrying after being stuck in a cramped location for the last four hours.

We were out in the middle of nowhere, which was something Will and I both stressed we wanted, and surrounded by forest of pine trees so high I nearly fell over trying to peer up at them. The lake lapped at the rocky shore but otherwise lay as still as glass. The air was pungent with the mixture of flora around the area and cicada songs thrummed in my ears. A dragonfly flew by and I heard Emily shriek as one landed on her arm. There was a slap and a second dragonfly glided past me in a frantic manner.

"Alright, everyone grab your bags. Emily and Orlene will be bunking together, as will Keith and Cole. Zach, you'll be getting the attic—don't give me that look, it's a lot nicer than it sounds—and I expect everyone outside doing something in twenty minutes." Will ordered as he hefted his bag over his shoulder.

Keith smiled shyly at Cole when the latter grabbed his bag for him and the two were the first to enter the house.

I grabbed my two bags, slinging one on my back, and asked Will, "How did you know about this place?"