Welcome to Redwood, Oregon. 54 kilometers from the city of Calhoun, population 286.
This small, quiet town is home to beautiful waterfalls, quaint cafes, enchanting phenomena like gravity hills and glowing streams, and a girl named Reagan Wallace.
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An entire hour after their stop at the middle of the highway, Reagan pulled up into a back road where the trail up to the rocky cliffside was standing.
She could feel everyone buzzing with excitement when they unloaded the back of the truck and by the time they were ready for the trail, none of them had an empty hand.
"The hike isn't gonna be difficult, right?" Logan asked when she pointed to the direction of a clearing between the tall trees and she nodded in a heartbeat.
"Wouldn't even cost a sweat," She mused just as Jack let out a playful scoff from beside her.
"Last time I heard you say that," He said, adjusting the guitar he once again carried on his back, "You nearly gave me an asthma attack. And I don't even have asthma."
The other boys chuckled from behind him, Corbyn obviously ready to make a snarky remark in response, but she rolled her eyes and spoke before they could.
"That's 'cause you're probably not as athletic as you say you are, buddy," She sighed and Jack gave her a half-hearted glare.
"Wait until you experience what it's like hiking with the rest of them," He said, nodding his head to the others walking behind, "If you think you've witnessed pathetic hiking, just wait until you see them."
Reagan could only laugh as Jonah shoved Jack forwards before the group talked idly on the way to the cliffside.
The sight of Jack between trees, watching his footing over the rocks, with his guitar strapped to his back was starting to become a too-familiar image in her brain and the realization made her mind go blank for a second.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Logan give her a knowing glance and she looked away quickly.
+
"This is how I die," Zach declared, mid-hike, "I have climbed this mountain and now I will die upon it."
No one even batted an eye and Jonah was the only one to acknowledge him.
"Zach, we've been hiking for ten minutes."
"This is how I die," He said again, with more conviction, but Reagan couldn't find it in herself to laugh once she saw the clearing a few more steps away.
She led them there, picking up her pace for the last few feet before their destination, just for a second to appreciate the view before anyone else did.
