Journey

Vacation

"Matt?" Zack's voice pierced the silence.

I turned around and looked into the opening of the tent. He was in the back, slowly getting up and out of his sleeping bag. His dark brown hair and brown eyes glistened with the mid morning sun as he stepped out of the tent.

"Matt seriously, what are you doing?"

I looked at him, and then pointed at the giant empty space in the middle of camp. "Um, I don't think you should be worried about what I'm doing," I said quietly. "Try to focus more on what we are going to do."

His faced dropped and went still, his eyes locked on the clearing and the dirt path leading into the forest. After a moment or so, he snapped out of his trance and started to walk towards the dirt path that lead out of the clearing. "Matteo Riccardi, its been nice knowing you. I had no idea this was what she meant, that liar.'Oh come on kids, lets go camping' she said. 'we will have the grandest time' she said. I mean come on! Why did she have to do this? Now, of all times? We will starve to death in this place!"

"Zack calm down. Maybe they went to go get more food?"

"Oh right, they went to go get food when we clearly saw them fill up the trailer fridge before we left. Yeah that makes sense."

I scratched my head. Some strands of dirty-blond hair dangled over my ears. I pushed them away and then faced the girl's tent. "Whatever. I'm going to inform the girls" 

"Of course you are," he said, inspecting the path and clearing.

I walked to the tent, as wonder filled my head. Why would she abandon us like that? And if so why leave her daughter behind? It just didn't make sense. The possibilities were endless. Maybe she didn't run away on-purpose. What if savages stole the RV? I mean, we only brought three maids, and none of them had any weapons. They could have done it quietly, I suppose.

As I neared the tent, another thought manifested itself: what if they took the girls with them? No. That can't happen. I don't think I could live with myself after knowing that I couldn't protect her. I promised too.  I had told her. I told her whole family for god sake. Well, her and her eccentric mother, I mean.

Curiosity started to pour over me as I increased my strides. I was practically sprinting to the tent by the time I got there. Frantically I looked for the zipper at the top of the tent. It was hard to find, I have to admit. Gently, I pulled it down and peaked my head through the opening.

Inside the tent, to my relief, I found Claira and Rachael sleeping soundly. Clair's dirty-blond hair matched mine, same shade, same highlights, and all. She was very pretty. She could make heads turn without makeup and all that crap. And although I couldn't see them, I knew her green eyes were shimmering under her eyelids. As much as I liked her, I needed to stay strong for her. I protected her many times back at home in Schmiedberg, against the Reivo family. Without me, she would have suffered many scares from Tyler and his sisters. She knew I liked her. But, her mother was odd about it. Things just weren't the same after her father died.

I stared at her as she slept next to Rachael for another good five minutes before I decided to wake her up. "Claira?" I said in a hushed tone.

Her eyelids lifted slowly for a split second before falling back down. "Claira!"

"Mmmm...."

"Claira seriously wake up. We might have a problem, my dear."

"Yea, that I'm too perfect," she said, opening her eyes just to wink at me. Then she sat up, disturbing Rachael with the sudden shift in her body position. Her eyes fluttered in the sunlight.

"Alright. Now that I'm up, whats the matter, Matti?"

My soul softened at the mention of my name. Then I remembered why I was even here waking her up.

"Well, why don't you come outside and find out."

"Ugh. Just give me a second to get dressed"

"Alright, just hurry up. Zack's mad enough as it is, and I dont want to keep him waiting." I zipped back up the tent and looked for Zack. He was still inspecting the path for who knows what. Then I realized that I was still not even dressed properly. Good thing all of our clothes were still in our tents, cause if she left with them we would be a bit screwed. No one wants to wear a nightgown all day.

I started to walk back to my tent, still pondering why we were left stranded on this damn vacation.