All the Most Beautiful Places

June 28, 2019

I woke up to birds chirping... I wish. Nope, it was the sound of my phone ringing. "Are you ready for your date?!" Elise practically screamed into my ear.

"What date?" I asked, then remembered. Me and coffee shop boy had exchanged numbers and now we are going on a date to the headwaters!

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Elise helped me pick out an outfit, although I don't know why was so worried considering we are hiking. It was a two-hour drive to Itasca, so Cory put his Spotify on shuffle. Later I was surprised to both know the song playing and hear Cory rapping along. He was actually really good! Cory noticed my doe-eyed gaze and indicated for me to join in as he sang the chorus. Together we start to scream, I mean "sing." "Little Things Make Me Wanna Cryyyyyyyyyy sometimes. But that's Just Life." Without warning, he pulls over.

"Cory, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he flirts shamelessly. "Just wanted to stare in your eyes. Also, we're here." We got out of the car. I'm gonna spare the details of the walk but here are a couple of things I learned about Cory. His favorite colours are blue, orange, and white, and his best sport is swimming; he also plays tennis and baseball. He isn't perfect but he tries,*insert eye roll.* He has no tragic backstory and I am his first date. Then, I saw it. The start of the great Mississippi.

"Race you across!" Cory yelled as he started to run towards the rocks that were creating a bridge. As I reached the end of the bridge, I turned. 

"Cory! I won!"I yelled, but Cory was nowhere to be seen. "Cory?" I continued to look for him, now with a tremble in my voice. I looked at the lake, but nobody was on the water. I looked away when I heard a gasp. Turning back I saw a head break the water and start swimming towards the rocks. As I dashed to him, I tried not to slip. I made it to the center of the bridge just before Cory did when I realized he was carrying something. Cory passed me the object, a small child! and wheezed out some words. 

"Take him to land, I'll be fine." As I carefully made my way back to the shore, I studied the child's face. While he looked like he was sleeping, I couldn't help but worry that it was really something else. 

"Does anybody know CPR." I tried to keep my voice from quivering but failed miserably. A middle-aged couple approached me, the man taking the child and the woman pulling me to the side. As her husband tried to resuscitate him, I made an effort to listen to what she was saying.

"Elaine, what's yours," the woman, Elaine, tried to ease my fear.

"Grace"

"What's your son's name?"

"I don't have a kid."

"Oh, do you know this little boy?" Elaine's concern shifted off of me, giving me some relief.

"No, Cory found him passed out in the lake." 

"Cory?"

"The guy I'm here with."

"Well, why don't we start looking for his mother then," I looked around, but nobody seemed to be panicking. 

"I really don't want to leave him." I kept my eyes in the air, not wanting to watch her husband fighting off death.

"Ok, I'll go gather a search party." with that Elaine left and started to gather the moms.

"He's awake!" the husband exclaimed. I rushed to his side and leaned over to see the kid with his eyes open and gasping for air. 

"Hey kid, welcome back!" I guess Cory's behind me now, ok.

"How do you feel?" why was my voice trembling? I don't even know this kid.

"Fine"

"What's your name kid?" I need to stop calling him kid.

"James"