Blood Moon Lake

Chapter 3

Three hours since we had stopped for lunch. I offered to drive the last time we stopped, but Ella refused to switch off. So, I sat in the back of Ella's car, scrolling through Pinterest and looking at different clothing designs. Once we get back, I want to sew something. I don't know what yet. I plan to base it on our week at the cabin, but I'm not sure what I want to make.

Sighing, I turned off my phone and glanced out the window. We were no longer surrounded by buildings but by trees. They lined either side of the highway, growing in all sorts of directions and casting faint shadows over the road.

"How much longer till we get there?" I asked.

"Another hour," Ella answered. "You better not have to go to the bathroom because we just stopped."

"I don't," I reassured her, "I was just wondering."

She hummed in reply, turning her attention back to the road. Picking up my backpack, I began digging to find my sketchbook. As I searched, I pulled some stuff out, setting it on the seat beside me. Finally, my hands brushed across the familiar feeling of a spiral-bound notebook.

Grinning, I pulled it out and stuffed the other things back in my bag. I kept my pencil case out and zipped up my bag. Opening my sketchbook, I tapped the blank page with my pencil, searching for ideas. Nothing came.

Sighing, I set the pencil down and began flipping through the well-used sketchbook. The black cover had faded over the years, along with some of the drawings. The pencil lines were smudged from both lots of erasing and years of being there. Thankfully, you could still tell what most of the stuff was. Save for a few of the older designs.

This was the first sketchbook I had used for designs. My mom gave it to me when I was around eleven or twelve, so I could draw in it. The book stayed untouched for years until I found out about my passion for designing. Then whenever I got an idea, I sketched it out. Eventually, when I became more experienced, I began making them.

I always bring it everywhere in case I see something that sparks an idea. It's seen better days, and I'm shocked there are still empty pages, but it's my favorite. I skimmed through the book trying to find something to inspire me, but none of the designs jumped out at me.

Closing the book in defeat, I put it and my pencils back in the bag and turned my attention out the window. We continued winding down the highway surrounded by trees and semi-trucks. Puffy clouds floated above, moving in the opposite direction from us. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were running away.

"Thirty more minutes till we arrive!" Ella announced, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yay!" Anna cheered, "I can't wait to get out! My butt is flat!"

Ella and Jack laughed at her, but I agreed. My butt was flat, and I don't want to do any more sitting.

Ella drove off the highway onto a smaller road. As we kept going, she turned onto a one-lane road. After fifteen minutes of twisting and turning down it, she turned onto a dirt road. The dirt road went on for about ten minutes before we reached a fork. In the center was a sign that said 'Welcome to Blood Moon Lake! Enjoy your stay!' Underneath the sign were two arrows that pointed in opposite directions. The one on the left said, 'Cabins,' and the one on the right said, 'Camping Grounds.'

Turning right, we continued down the road. As we drove, the trees on the right began to thin and revealed a bunch of cabins near a large lake. Slowing down, Ella began looking at the number of each lot we passed.

"Which cabin are we staying in?" Ella asked.

"Thirteen," Anna replied.

Ella nodded and continued driving down the dirt road till we came to the end, the lot number read thirteen.