• • • • •
Pine trees and boulders dot the land. Between the trees and boulders are tall grasses and sagebrush. Though, as we keep walking farther and farther into the deep, the trees are closing in on one another. They’re getting harder to walk through.
“Are we almost there?” asks Seth, winded.
“Why don’t we take a break here. Maybe have a turkey sandwich?”
We lower the cooler. Seth takes off his backpack and crashes to the ground. “You really don’t know how much farther? Why don’t we just stay here?”
“Why are you so tired? We’ve maybe gone two miles. Three, tops.”
“I’m not much for all this exercise,” says Seth jokingly. He sits up and drinks some water. “How will we know when we’re there?”
“Oh, I’ll know the spot.”
“Ugh,” says Seth. He lies back on the ground.
“Why don’t you stop complaining and enjoy the adventure?”
Tickles runs over and sits next to Seth. Seth scratches him behind the ears. “I agree, boy. Charlie is totally torturing us. Yes, I know he’s mean. But we can’t say anything to him or he’ll zap our brains into mush with his alien laser. Shhh! We can’t let him know we’re onto him.”
I unwrap a sandwich. “Really?”
Seth looks around. “Hmmm? Oh, nothing. Nothing. Just enjoying the weather.”
I can’t help but bust out laughing.
“Throw me one of those sandwiches,” he says.
I grab one and am turning back to toss it at Seth, when he takes another picture of me. “You need to stop that.”
“Trip photographer. Sorry not sorry.”