Fall in San Diego

8. we go north

I was worried.

We were all walking back to the shed, munching on berries that Michelle found for us with glum looks on our faces. The sun had successfully dipped below the horizon before we got back but I was lucky to catch a picture of the sunset at the lake while we tried to clean up as much as we possibly could. I took the picture right before the battery died.

As we trudged back in silence, I couldn't help but notice that I actually didn't seem so bummed out that we couldn't find our way out of the woods.

I was sure I didn't like the way I felt sore from sleeping on the ground, exhausted and filthy too.

I'm sure we all did. Tanya couldn't hide her tears when she realised that we really couldn't find a way out of the forest, Michelle didn’t seem too bothered. She  She wasn't planning on leaving before we showed up anyway and she already told us that she tried but couldn't find a way out. Peter seemed frustrated, as expected, but I think a part of his frustration came from the paper we found the night before. We agreed to keep it aside and talk about it later.

I sighed as we finally reached the shed.
I slung my backpack off my shoulder and took a seat on the floor while the others stood around.

“This is just crazy…” Tanya began. I looked up at her.

“Tanya, please not the time,” Peter started. He was leaning on a tree with his arms folded. His voice was strained and it came out in what was barely a whisper.

“No.” She was pacing back and forth between us. “No, it doesn't make sense. We walked into these woods through somewhere and we can walk out through somewhere, many places. We didn't even walk that far from where we…”

“Tanya we could–”

“No! We can't do anything. We're stuck here in the middle of these stupid trees and plants. And our families are worried out of their minds looking for us. We've been gone for how long? three days! We stay in a shed at night. Yes we've found a source of water and we have canned food and some fruits to eat so we won't die of hunger but then what? Staying out here is dangerous. What if there's some animal or crazy psychopath to come and kill us? And…and what about our futures? Our education, our lives!”

“Tanya.”

She turned to me and we had a brief staring contest. Finally, she looked away and dropped her arms down dramatically.

“Y'all want to act like this is all fine and normal? Fine.”

With that she stormed off. Michelle walked into the shed.

“Don't go too far,” Peter called out just before she disappeared into the trees.

“Siblings,” he scoffed as soon as she was gone.

I raised a brow at him.

“She's your sister?”

“No, cousin. But I live with her family so same thing basically.”

“Oh.” I nodded. “Who’s older?”

“She is. She's a lot more composed and responsible than she's acting though. It's just...she's got a lot going on in her life and this happening…I know it's crazy for everyone but for her…”

“Does she have a boyfriend?”

“No."

“Oh really? That's surprising..."

He chuckled, raising a brow at me. "She had one before but it didn't end well so she swore within herself that she'll never ever open up her heart again. I advised her that she shouldn't do that but, damn, it hurt her bad and she's not changing anytime soon. So I advise you not to even think about it.”