Project: Socialize (Chapters 198-Continued) [Hiatus]

210. Setting up Camp

I tossed the cup into the empty trash can and surveyed the pavilion. For a place that's near halfway up the mountain, it's oddly clean and stocked with every utility that one might want to have just in case. There's faucets for water as well as both boys and girls bathrooms with actual baths that one could use nearby in the small, wooden shack. There is even hot water in the bathrooms. The environment near this pavilion is also extremely well maintained, with no trash laying about on the ground. Maybe it's because not many people come up here to camp as they mostly gather and group up near the foot of the mountain where the more convenient amenities are. Like there's no other camp group in sight except for our group, which I guess is a great plus. When out camping, no one would want to be constantly bothered by the sight of other people. There is the occasional hikers who would walk past our campsite as they make their way further up the mountain, but it wasn't the peak time period for hiking just yet so there wasn't a swarming crowd, so they were pretty much negligible. Besides, with no one here, that means we have the bathroom to ourselves.

"Everybody getting a bit hungry?" Mura asked us.

"We didn't have much time to eat anything this morning," Loyd commented.

"Yeah," Zaksus nodded his head and brought a hand to his stomach. "I'm starving."

"Let's start making brunch then," Mura announced. "Alevian, can you go prepare the vegetables?"

"Me?" I asked in a dragged out voice as I whined.

"Quit whining," Mura sighed. "Irina, can you go with him?"

"Of course," Irina nodded and walked over to me.

"In the meantime," Mura then looked over to our campsite that is half encircled by our tents. "Let's set up the tables and get ready to cook some food."

Mura had chosen me for this task because she knows she could get away with having me do stuff. It's just part of our relationship. She knows she is above me in the hierarchy and that no matter what, I will always end up doing her bidding, as long as it's reasonable. It's the authority she has over me as my teacher and someone who actually worries and tries to help me out. This respect that I have for her allows her to command me.

With a sigh, I walked over to the closed trunk of the automobile and reached for the handle. The door then automatically opened as Mura pressed the button on the car remote, slowly revealing to me the contents of the trunk. After having taken out the tent and the other camping equipment like the foldable table and such, the trunk was way cleaner than the mess I had seen it in earlier. I reached my hand toward the small portable refrigerator in the trunk of the vehicle, opening it, and peering in.

"What do we need?" I called out.

"Potatoes, carrots, onions, and all the other stuff needed to make curry," Mura answered.

"Curry..." I muttered to myself. I don't have much of an opinion on curry, except that it's pretty good. So, I didn't think much as I followed the orders that I am given.

I looked through the refrigerator and grabbed the amount of each vegetable and seasoning spices that I believe will be needed for the dish and placed them in a large bowl. I also grabbed a separate bowl to place the vegetables that I've finished washing into as well as two peelers that will be used to strip away the skin from the potatoes and carrots. After grabbing everything, I backed away from the car and almost bumped into Irina if not for her stepping to the side.

"You need help carrying that?" Irina asked.

I looked at her, and without saying anything, I handed her the empty bowl that I had grabbed, keeping the large container containing the vegetables in my own hands. Then, I started walking over to the pavilion to where the faucets were located. As I started walking, Irina immediately started walking as well, slowing her pace to match mine once she caught up with me and was walking next to me.