String of Fate

Chapter Sixty Six

I didn't even know why I had agreed to go on a camping trip for my birthday. I hadn't even been camping before. It had seemed like a good idea at the time but now that the four of us were on our way there, I wasn't so sure. Well, it was too late to back out now.

We were lucky that my best friend, Maddie, had an older boyfriend who was driving us. She'd decided to bring his younger brother, Callum, too, so it would even out the numbers. Callum was also our classmate but we didn't really know each other. I didn't mind – the more the merrier.

"Oh, turn it up. This is a good song." Callum said, turning towards the inside of the car from looking out the window. Maddie, who had been talking from the front seat, reached over and turned it up. Callum leaned over to me and spoke loud enough that only I could hear. "How do you put up with her talking so much?"

"I like hearing her stories and I like our conversations. Plus, years of practice." I responded. Maddie continued and I went back to my book. I was glad that I could rad and have a conversation with someone at the same time. It came in handy a lot. Callum just shrugged and turned back to the window.

An hour later, Josh pulled into a car park. We all got out and started grabbing our bags. I pulled on my backpack, swung my sleeping back onto my shoulder, and grabbed the tent that I would be sleeping in for the next couple of nights. I just hoped that I could put it up.

Josh led the way along the small path into the trees, Maddie following close behind. Callum motioned for me to go in front of him and then he brought up the rear. It was a winding path winding path with a few turns, some leading up hill and some leading down but our path was the middle. Was it wrong to worry about finding our way back out?

After a half hour walk, we reached a clearing with a lake to our side, a gorgeous view with a few ducks and I spotted a couple of swans. There was already a circle of stones with some ash in – a fire pit. When I looked up, I spotted string lights weaving through the trees. Josh put his stuff down – a couple of camping chairs, a backpack, and a tent – and looked out over the lake. "Here we are, home for a couple of nights."

"Wow, Josh, this looks amazing." Maddie replied, looping her arm through his and looking over the lake. I checked my phone for signal – non-existent. Well, the next few days would be quiet. Maddie turned to me. "Shall we go and get some wood for the fire?"

"I'll go. You two can put your tents up." Callum told us, putting his stuff down. Maddie put the bag of fleece blankets that she'd carried down on the floor. Some were to sit on and some were to wrap around ourselves. He disappeared down the path and I put my stuff down next to Callum's stuff, taking my tent over to a nice spot about two metres from the fire pit.

"Do you need a hand?" Maddie offered.

"Not at the moment but I haven't even looked at the instructions yet." I answered. I opened the tent bag and dug out the instruction manual. She hovered near me, starting to lay out the other pieces while I read through the instructions.

"You need this bit to start." Callum's voice spoke from beside my ear. I jumped up, maybe shouting in surprise. Callum jumped back, too, putting his hand to his ear. "That was my ear."

"Sorry, you surprised me." I told him, grabbing the piece he'd pointed out to me. He took the instruction manual from me and threw it over his shoulder, taking the part from me, picking up other pieces. "Just leave it to me."

Ten minutes later, the tent was completely up and he stood looking at it. "Thank you."

"No problem." He answered. He headed across the clearing and picked up my stuff. He brought them back. "Geez, what have you got in this backpack?"