The Love Algorithm - Vol. III

【51】Unplugged

My phone ended up dying on me, from using it during the entire drive and then for the pictures, and Lex's didn't have much battery left either. Since there was no reception up here, it didn't pose a problem. We hadn't meant to use them, anyway.

We arrived at the campsite ahead of schedule, and I was very proud of that. We set up the tent, or at least Lex did, understanding what had to be done in seconds, where I would have struggled for hours had I done it myself. Another couple arrived after we'd set up camp, and they settled their own tent about a hundred yards from us.

"Oh, that's a good thing," I told Lex as we watched them take out their stuff.

"How so?"

"If a bear decides to attack in the middle of the night, it might go for them first. And their screams of horror will wake us up, allowing us to strategize."

He had a disbelieving smile on his face, wondering how much of my statement was a joke. The answer was most of it. "You are a terrible person," he eventually declared while shaking his head, still grinning.

The sun was setting as we ate our canned beans, which we'd heated with a tiny gas stove. Once the night was fully there, we stargazed for a couple of hours, lying on our mats, covered by a common sleeping bag. We didn't last very long, though, since the way up here had been tiring. Neither of us had enough faith in the inflatable mats to attempt anything frisky, so we held off on the sex and went straight to sleep.

In the end, the night went on without a single issue, and we both woke up alive, spared by the bears. Lex's phone was officially dead, but he thankfully had his watch, allowing us to know the time. After we'd lingered in our tent for about an hour, not ready to go back out there in the world again, we finally found the courage to step out in the crisp morning air. We had breakfast, which wasn't very appetizing, but at least we had the coffee we'd brought in the thermos. After that, we started packing our things, which strangely enough took more time than unpacking them. Before long, we were on our merry way again, with our twelve miles left.

While I made it all the way to the car without having to throw a tantrum and demand to be carried, I still suffered like hell. The soles of my feet were tender and heated, and I might try to negotiate a foot massage once we'd get back home, after I'd taken a nice and long bath. Also, I couldn't wait to enjoy the comfort of a civilized toilet. To the question 'Does Andrea shit in the woods?' the answer was now 'Yes, and she hates it.'

We threw our stuff in the trunk, stretched our sore everything, and then climbed into the car. As much as I complained, I'd actually had a splendid time. The stunning views we'd been privy to were worth it, as well as the satisfaction of knowing I'd accomplished what was a great challenge for poor old me. We would definitely reiterate the experience.

"Do you want me to drive?" I offered a bit late, realizing he'd driven on the way here.

"No, I'm good. You can take care of the music, if you want." He fumbled in the glove compartment in front of me to take out a cord, which he then handed me.

He started the car as I plugged it into the cigarette lighter, and into my phone. As it started, we spoke of those two days, sharing what we'd enjoyed the most about the experience. He was most definitely okay with the idea of doing it again, and it pleased me greatly.

My phone let me know it had started by buzzing a bunch of times, various messages coming in at once. Well, it hadn't been out that long... What the hell was going on?

As soon as I saw the twenty-three calls I'd missed from my mother, and the others from my father, Ty, and Kate, an awful feeling twisted my guts into tight knots. Shit, what was this about?