CHAPTER 32: Lost In The Woods

GABRIEL’s P.O.V.

After we arrived at our destination, the camp facilitator started to advised us to set up our tent and shelter, for tonight is going to be our first night in the camp. Erevell and I helped each other build our tent, and only now that I realized that the two if us will only use one shelter... It means that we are going to sleep beside each other. That thought makes me really uncomfortable, though it look like it was nothing for my bestfriend.

“Are you alright? Why are you blushing?” she asked, curiously.

“Nothing... I just, you know. I thought about something.”

“Something what?” she asked again.

“Please don’t bug me. Let’s just finished setting up this tent,” I stated before chuckling.

She laughed at my uncomfortable look, before we finished setting up the tent. After that, the facilitator let us eat some lunch. Erevell and I decided to cook hotdogs, for none of us ever known how to cook any special dish.

“Have you ever think of it? What if only the two of us live together? I mean, we will be doomed out of hunger.” She laughed at her own statement.

It wasn’t that much but it made me feel really special. I mean, if we are going to live together someday, I rather die out of hunger than spent the rest of my life with a full stomach while living with a stranger and a totally unknown person.

“I rather die out of hunger living with you than be with a stranger,” I stated out of nowhere.

I saw her blushed, looking away from my direction. I can’t help myself but to pinch her pinkish cheeks.

“That’s nice to hear... Though I’m sure that it wouldn’t happen...”

I don’t know if it’s just me or what but I saw a glimpse of sadness in her eyes.

“Why not?” I asked her.

“Nothing, Gab. Let us just finish cooking this one.”

“Sure, sure.”

I tried to keep it to myself, but I couldn’t. To be distracted, I yanked Erevell with me to join in the different camping activities after we ate lunch. Of course, having the advantage of being the only adult in here with enough knowledge to camp, we won in almost all of the activities.

After a long day of doing some task and all, the facilitator ends the day by letting us take a shower before we sleep for the night. I’m already done fixing myself, and I’m now waiting for Erevell to get inside of the tent for she is currently taking a shower nearby our campsite. I can’t sleep with the tent wide open, so I guess I still need to wait for her.

“Boo!” I almost had a heart attacked, being bombarded by her smiling face.

“You startled me!” I complained.

“Come on, as if you’re not man enough...” She laughed, before entering into the tent.

She zipped it, and only now that I realized that she’s only wearing a bathrobe. I gulped, staring at her. She raised one of her brows towards me, as if asking me a question.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing...”

“Would you mind to turn around for a moment?”

“Sure, of course.”

I turned around, closing my eyes at the same time. After a few minutes, I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I ignored it, she grabbed my face, making me look at her direction.

“I’m done,” she stated.

I just nodded, still looking away. She’s finally wearing a pajama and a plain T-shirt. Only now that I realized how many scars she have on the back of both of her palms. Maybe because of the hospital apparatus that are often connected to her.

“Don’t stare at my scars. It’s a rude thing to do...” she joked.

I laughed to myself, shaking my head as I finally lay down to get some sleep. And I didn’t expect the next thing that happened. Suddenly, Erevell lay at the top of my chest, her breathing is perfectly fine. Mine hitched, as if I am afraid that she would hear the loud and fast beating of my heart.

“Uhm... What are you doing?” I asked, panicking.

“Sleeping?” she asked back. “Why? Can’t I hug my bestfriend to sleep?”

I didn’t answer, instead, I put my arms around her, allowing her to do what she wants. Until I felt my chest getting wet by her... Tears? Is she crying?

“Are you... Alright?” I asked, caressing her hair.

“Yeah...” Her voice cracked up. “I’m going to miss this... I’m going to miss you, Gab.”

After that, it was silence that reign in that moment... Until we both fell asleep. The next morning, we haven’t talk about what happened last night. Until another afternoon came. Today, the activity will going to be a hill climbing. I asked Erevell several times about it, wondering if she can do it, but she just nodded every time that I remind her about our task.

“Get ready, everyone. Please don’t leave the track. You’re going to get lost if you don’t follow us,” the facilitator reminds us.

The children nodded, and so as we. Off we go to the foot of the hill, ready to climbed at the top of it. It wasn’t a fair hill, though it’s beautiful. I mean, the view would be exceptionally beautiful if we look down from up there.

“Ready?” I asked Erevell, offering my hand. She looked at it, before accepting my offer.

“Ready.”

We started climbing the hill. It was a rough journey, the track being covered with different tree branches and stuffs. But of course, Erevell and I wouldn’t gave up. That word isn’t on our vocabulary.

“Tired?” I asked her.

“Nope, I’m fine.”

Hours passed by, and finally, we reached the top. The view is mesmerizing. Erevell looked dumbfounded, being on the verge of crying.

“It’s great up here...” I stated, starting another conversation, afraid that silence will ruined the mood of the atmosphere.

“Thanks,” she suddenly said, looking at me straight in the eyes.

“For what?”

“For being my bestfriend, Gab. For allowing me to witness this world before I...”

“Before what?” I asked, getting confused by each passing second.

“Nothing... Just always remember that I’m very thankful for having you.”

I couldn’t say anything. Her words left me dumbfounded, and so I decided to just give her a tight hug.

“Of course, I will. And yeah, I’m very thankful for having you as well.”

We exchange smiles, before we finally decided to get down the hill. Erevell and I followed the facilitator, ready to eat dinner after we came back to the campsite. All those climbing and stuffs made us really tired and hungry.

While walking down the hill, I watched Erevell’s every step... She looked... I don’t know. Maybe weird? But she’s always been like that, I guess. I just followed her footsteps, until suddenly, she tripped over a branch of tree, causing her to fall down on the ground and roll over the right side of the track. I was shocked and scared at the same time. She just rolled down the hill, lost in the towering trees.

“Help! Shit!” I cursed, making the children and our fellow camp mates looked at my direction.

They all gasped in shock, realizing what just happened. The facilitator is looking very stunned as well, maybe unable to move for he don’t know what to do right after what happened.

“Shit! Do something!” I shouted out of frustration. “She will get lost down there!”

“I’ll call the rescue team to climb up here,” he stated, as if trying to assure me.

“Damn it! It would take them hours before they get here!”

“Please calm down, sir.”

“Calm the fuck down?! Tell me, how can I fucking calm down?! My bestfriend is out there somewhere!”

When he couldn’t say anything, that’s when I decided to take a risk. I slid down into the part of the hill where Erevell rolled over a few moments ago. I heard the facilitator scream in shock, but I didn’t looked back. I just let myself fall down the hill.

Until I rolled over a few more times, before I landed on a soft green grass. My breath got heavy from the adrenaline rush that I’d just experienced earlier.

“Erevell!” I shouted, standing up.

“Gab...”

I was dumbfounded, hearing her voice from behind. I looked back, and there, I saw her standing a few meters away from me and looking just fine.

“Thank God!”

I ran over her direction before giving her a right hug. It felt nice for a moment, not until she pushed me away, her eyes filled with tears, with her nose... It’s bleeding!

“Are you alright?! Did you hit your head?!” I asked out of shock.

She didn’t answer me. She just continued backing away, though I’m still following her direction.

“Nope, Gab... It’s not that... I-I’m...”

Before she could say anything, she fainted on the ground, making me rushed over to her direction just to check her up. I was stunned, as I felt her pulse slowing down. We are both lost in the woods, unable to be heard nor seen to ask for any useful help. And the worst part of all, my bestfriend is slowly dying in my arms.