The Trail (MAJOR EDITING IN PROGRESS)

Part 3: Crossroads

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The three knocks barely resonated over the bustling of packing and last additions to the luggage. Mark and Luke are upstairs filling a bag with toys and books, my mom is ensuring she has all of the necessities for her diabetes, and my dad is doing last minute checks for his credit balances.

I grabbed my black suitcase filled with the needs I might have, and took it to the door. I absentmindedly opened it for Holland, and then continued back to my room to grab my Camelback.

We told him to be here by six-fifty, and here he is, on the dot. We're supposed to leave by seven, but we all know that's not going to happen.

"Did you bring the DVD player?" I asked him as he walked into my clothing cluttered room.

"Yes, along with a pair of headphones," he answered. "Do you need any help?"

"Help me with a checklist of things to have in my survival pack here."

"Matches?"

"Got em'."

"Phone?"

"Got it."

"Knife?"

"I have a multi-tool, kunais, tomahawk, and a plain pocket knife."

"Good, GPS?"

"Yep."

"Paracord?"

I held up my wrist with the black bracelet, "Uh-huh."

"First-Aid kit?"

"A small one yeah."

He stuttered on the next one, "B-bible?"

"Yes."

"Your flashlight?"

"Duh."

"Money?"

"Of course."

"Common sense?"

"Let's hope so," I answered. I needed it to keep my head, and not lose my way.

"Lady products?" He asked me uncomfortably.

"Yes. Started last night. I also have a bunch of Cliff bars, just in case."

"Do you have water in that thing?" He pointed to the Camelback.

"No, I'm going right now to get some."

I left my room and went to the fridge, placing the two-gallon plastic bag from inside under the spigot thing in the fridge. Camelbacks are backpacks with a tube that contain water. You can drink out of the tube, so you don't have to carry a bottle around.

"What are we going to watch?" He inquired.

"I'm bringing some anime movies and series. Sound good?"

"Yeah," he grabbed me and pulled me close, "as long as I'm with you."

"Thanks Holland," I looked at the floor. Everything is blurry since I don't have my glasses on, but Holland is close enough to see clearly, and glancing up, I can see the caring look in his eyes. His blue eyes grow deeper and darker, and the vibe from his person becomes protective.

Then, a moment later, it leaves. Now his look is the same as usual, observant and non-judgmental.

"Holland! Could you help us load some stuff up?" My mom yelled from her bedroom, four rooms away.

He walked out of the room, and I placed the items he read off into the Camelback, being careful to hide the knives in the large water pouch area. The GPS is for Geocaching, and for ensuring that we can find our way on the trail.