Cerulean Found

Chapter 68 - High Heels, Red Dress

The rain pours down as we drive along a winding road that hugs the edge of the mountain. I can't see anything through all of the rain and the vast darkness. There are no street lights, just blackness. The only illumination comes from the Jeep's two bright high beams.

The rain sounds like tiny rocks as it crashes down onto the metal of the car. It definitely isn't the type of night to be out, let alone driving on a rain slicked curvy road that winds its way around the mountain. We practically crawl along the highway as we navigate the road in the storm.

"Are you sure you know where we need to go?" I ask again.

"Yes, Mila, for the tenth time," Josh chuckles. His calm demeanor helps ease my nerves. I am not exactly scared. I am more uncomfortable with what I know our journey will entail; hiking in mud, getting drenched, and the great possibility of ruining my new dress, the thought of which saddens me greatly.

"We're going to drive to the base of the mountain, park the Jeep and then take the center trail up towards the lagoon," Josh explains.

"Is that where the Pennial tree is located?" I ask.

"Pennials are actually located all over the forest, but at night it's going to be next to impossible to try and find one. However, I know for certain that there is a big Pennial tree next to the lagoon," Josh says.

"How do you know that?" I inquire.

"When I was younger me and my dad would go hiking to the top of the mountain almost every weekend and we'd stop by the water for lunch. We'd sit beneath this massive canopy that had branches that extended out in all directions. I had asked my dad once what kind of tree it was because I had never seen one before. He said it was a great Pennial tree. He kept pointing them out to me the rest of the day. They are located all over the forest, only none of them look like the one by the lagoon."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"The large Pennial by the lagoon has a thick trunk, about five feet wide, the others are significantly smaller. Also, the tree by the lagoon has thick leaves. The leaves are so large and heavy that they begin to grow into the shape of cones, it's pretty cool and definitely gives the tree a very unique appearance.. The other Pennial trees have much smaller leaves, and don't really have any distinct characteristic that would make them easily detectable at night. That's why our best bet is to hike up to the lagoon where I know for sure one is located. Plus, I think the cone-like leaves will help us collect the water. We can use them as a sort of funnel," Josh says.

I am quiet the rest of the way up the mountain. I sit and listen to Josh tell me stories about his childhood as the rain beats down onto the Jeep. Finally, after what seems like an eternity of driving, Josh pulls over and turns the engine off. He climbs over the seat and begins searching in the trunk.

"I found an umbrella. Do you want it? I don't think it'll do much good, the way the rain is coming down. It'll probably be more of a hassle than it's worth. But if you want it, you can have it," he offers.

"I'll be fine," I say, as I look down at my new red dress. I wonder how I will ever explain ruining it to Gram. I gather a handful of the perfect red chiffon in my hand. I wish my mom could have seen me tonight. She would have loved to have seen me all dressed up. I'm now so thankful that Gram insisted on taking so many photos, that way I can always remember tonight and I can show my mom.

I realize then, what's really important. And that's my mom. Nothing else matters except saving her life. I am here, at the base of the forest fighting for something huge. I am fighting to save my mom. I can't let my thoughts of pretty party dresses get in the way of what is truly important. I need to obtain the water so that Josh and I can get to the Isle of Mennakenna and find Cerulean Bay. All of this we are doing in order to save my mother's life. This is serious and so crucially important. My dress is not.