Seven Minutes From Heaven [bxb]

Chapter 32 - Gatsby Getaway

The land at either side of the road looked desolate and barren, with just sand and rock everywhere I looked. It was hard to believe that we were venturing towards the waterfall when everything was looking drier by the mile. We'd already been travelling a little more than an hour. The bumpy road was making me nauseous, and I wondered how much longer this was going to take. The chances were pretty up there that I'd need to stop and vomit.

"We'll definitely be back in time for the game, right?" I asked, watching the stretch of road ahead of us that seemed to go on for miles. I couldn't seem to see the end.

Pastor Cordell glanced at me as he drove, smiling in a way that I figured was meant to be reassuring. "Of course," he said, turning back to the road. "But I brought camping gear just in case you change your mind."

"I won't," I said, settling my head back against the seat. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes, feeling my stomach turn every time we hit a bump. The aircon was up too high, making me feel stuffy and sweaty. I pulled at my shirt and blew down my chest to cool myself down, which I think gave Pastor Cordell the unintended hint to cool the temperature down. He touched the back of his hand against my forehead and clicked his tongue.

"Didn't realise I was roasting you," he said, sounding apologetic. "Feel free to speak up any time you're uncomfortable."

The thought of missing Liam's game already made me uncomfortable, or travelling this far out without my cellphone, but I'm sure he already knew that much. He had two inflatable paddleboards in the back of the wagon for us to relax on out in the lake. His wife packed picnic, drinks, and snacks, and even floaties since I wasn't a confident swimmer. My favourite thing of the lot were the two walkie-talkies he packed, just in case.

He'd managed to convince me to come here for the day because I'd had a lot on my plate recently and this'd be the best way to unwind. So, here we were.

After zoning out for the past twenty-five minutes, a pothole jolted me back to reality. The heavens had finally opened and trees appeared all around us. We drove down a long track that became more densely covered by trees the farther we went in. The ground was muddy and we seemed to slide occasionally along the track, but overall, we made it safely to open ground. He pulled the car around close to some trees, braked, and turned off the ignition.

We sat quietly for a moment while I waited for him to hop out or say something, but he reached over and released my belt buckle, smiling at me before unbuckling his own. It seemed so unnecessary, but maybe he was just being nice cause he felt sorry for me or something. I pulled the rest of it off me and opened the car door, not waiting around this time. When I stepped out and looked through the tall trees that shaded the car, I could see and hear the waterfall in the distance glistening in the early morning sun.

The soft grass brushed against my toes and caused them to tickle. I kicked off my flipflops and glided my feet along the ground, feeling how soft, dewy, and lush the grass was, but also how wet and muddy it felt below the surface. Leaving my shoes on meant I'd probably be more likely to slip, so I kicked them towards the car tyre and out of the way.

Met with a sudden burst of energy, I sprinted across the open field and spun around with my arms raised high. The air carried a slight chill but the sun was refreshing on my skin. It suddenly made sense why Pastor Cordell thought this'd be really good for me. I didn't wanna look at this and put it down to God's glory; I really wasn't in the mood for that, so I just appreciated it for what it was. A masterpiece.

I pointed to the waterfall. "That's the one we're going to, right?" I yelled to him.

Pastor Cordell, who was pulling things out from the wagon, stood upright, squinted, and held his hand over his eyes to block some of the sun. "That's the one," he called back.