Intertwined

Chapter 14

Evie smiled and grabbed my hand. She walked me over to the dry grass next to the creek and she lied down, patting the spot next to her, signaling for me to do the same. I lied down next to her and watched her. Her face was relaxed and a a beautiful smile sat on her lips. Her eyes had that special light in them that you'd almost never see unless you were as close to her as me. That light is something you would only see when she is genuinely and truly happy. Her and I haven't really had the happiest of childhoods. I personally just see it as depression that started from a very young age and gets worse as you get older. But in this moment I just saw pure happiness. We wanted to come to this camp to escape. We wanted to escape our problems and the all too familiar walls of our homes that seem to enclose us and make us spiral. To escape from everyone and everything we know. To just come here together. She was the only one who knew me for me and knew what I was going through and vice versa. Seeing her this happy brought happiness to me too.

"Look Lauren, look at the sky. Look at all those stars. It looks like a whole galaxy. Isn't it beautiful?"  When I look away from her face and at the sky a gasp escapes from my lips. There were billions of stars. It was so beautiful. Usually back in Miami the city lights would keep you from seeing stars. You'd only be able to see a couple. But being here in the middle of the forest where there are no city lights or anything...the sky was astonishing. Stars packed the sky. I nod not taking my eyes off of the sky. I can feel myself relaxing and feeling my mind ease for the first time in a long time. 

Evie and I snuggled up to each other and stayed there looking out at the night sky in pure happiness and content for an an hour or so before we finally decided it was a good idea to go back to the cabin before anyone noticed we were gone. I was really sad about it because for once I was finally able to feel all the tension, stress, anger, and everything in me disappear. I was happy and so was Evie, and now we'd have to abandon that. The light sound of the flowing water of the creek and the soft wind blowing threw the trees making a low whistle, the night sky with the billions of stars, and the beautiful toe nail shaped moon. So on our way back Evie and I made a plan, every Monday and Thursday night, when everyone was asleep, we will come to that exact spot and watch the sky. For the rest of the summer we became happier and happier everyday. We were able to do so many fun stuff at camp, but mine and Evie's favorite activity of the week was hiking because we got to explore the woods. For me and Evie...the woods was our home. The one place we found peace and happiness. And when Monday and Thursday nights came we were even happier. That summer was the best summer of our lives.

~

I sighed sadly. Now my best friend is dead. Evie is never coming back, and she'll never be able to live her life. We will never be able to have our adventures like we used to. She's gone...and it's all my fault.

I lay there numb and teary eyed remembering my best friend. It has only felt like it's been a couple minutes but I can tell it has been hours because the sky begins to become a pinkish-orange as the sun slowly rises and the bright sun rays make their way to my cold, still body, warming it up slightly.

I don't feel like getting up at all, so I lay there watching the sky change colors until it becomes a light blue color. The sun is no longer kissing the horizon. Every time I look over at it it has moved. The city below me comes alive as I begin hear the cars driving through the streets and honking every once in a while. Soon enough I'm being blinded by the sun above me. I groan because of my sensitivity to bright light and turn over onto my side, cuddling up into the blanket. I'm still shivering although I am wrapped up in a blanket and the sun is warming me up but at the same time I'm sweating. The lack of fat my body has always brings me to be so cold all the time but never THIS cold. It felt like I was covered by ice. My body felt like it was being pricked by a thousand needles. It was an unbearable feeling but I just had to suck it up. That was why I didn't want to stand up. That uncomfortable feeling I felt when I woke up earlier was just this needle feeling that was beginning to form. I don't know how it'll feel when I get up, I don't want it to get worse because it already is painful enough. I have this burning feeling all over my body that is excruciating. I just want to be put out of my misery. I want for this pain to stop.