Reordinate the Fate

Fourth Destination: Raining!

Stevan is petrified when Risa looks at him really deeply like that.  But a moment later, the girl slaps Stevan lightly on the cheek and laugh out loud, “You are really funny. Jeez! Now I know why we are friends for 10 years.”

"You tricked me?"

Risa opened the tent, "How was it? You must've fell for me, right? I've been acting since I was little. Of course I'm talented."

Stevan tightened his jaw and catches up with Risa who moved out of the tent, “Come back here, Freak! Let me teach you a lesson!” Risa's laughter grows louder as Stevan tickled her. “Oh okay! I won't do that again! I won’t! I swear!”

Stevan already felt his heart going to popped out when Risa asked him that thing. How could that girl joke like that? Why did he feel even more nervous when Risa looked at him? He has to quickly get rid of this slightly flowery feeling.

★★★

"You really are an example of a good couple."

"Max!" Stevan stops chasing Risa when he heard Max's words whom had just returned from cleaning the chickens. "Sorry Sorry." Max smiled a little when he looks Stevan's expression and mood suddenly deteriorate after he said that.

Risa sits next to Max who puts the chicken on the fire, “Today is pass quite fast. We'll be back before the nightfall.” Max nodded in response to Risa's words, "You're right. I hope we're warm enough for tonight considering the early meal.”

"I think I already used to the temperature, so it’ll fine." Risa replied confidently, while Stevan touches her stomach doubtfully, "I'm hurt, you know. I need extra foods.”

Risa kicked Stevan in the thigh, "Stop that disgusting act, Freak!"

Cliff sits in front of Risa with a campfire between them, "You guys are really close."

"We're not!"

The two throw fierce gazes to each other as they said this together, then looked away and folding their arms like a pair of fighting children.

Will, who had been lying back first when his job of pulling the quill was finished, changes his position to sit down and takes some berries that Cliff fed into his own mouth just now.

"It's different," Will lifts the berry into the air and looked at it in the dim sunlight. “It feels really fresh. Not the ones that are intentionally planted for sale, there is still a sour and sweet taste. Also so crunchy.” The man stretches out his hand, "Catch this, Stevan."

Will throws the berry over the fire and Stevan caught them by mouth, “Don't eat them yourself, little boy. Risa picked it for me too. Give some of that to me.” Cliff rejected, "Just come and take it here yourself, it's already good enough I washed it for you."

Stevan finally gives up babbling and comes closer to Cliff, the two of them eating the berries heartily. Risa chuckled, "Do I need to get more for you two, hm?"  The girl offered herself because two of her friends seems very excited about the berries, and made her also feels  happy.

"No, no. That place is quite far." Max disapproved, "You're going back in the dark and that's dangerous. Look up at the dark clouds up there, can you see that?”

Risa tilted her chin up and see gray clouds begin to gather above them, "Will it rain here?" Risa asked incredulously, "Isn't it summer?" Max nodded, "In theory, it's summer."

"The rain that may fall is one type of rain called orographic rain. Maybe that gray clouds will drop the water on the other side of this mountain where the weather is cooler because the cloud is formed from our hot region. But that doesn't mean the clouds aren't already too heavy to bring down a rain over us.”

The four nodding their head, "So the conclusion, it's really going to rain, isn't it?" asked Stevan.

Max shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, but I think there is still enough time to enjoy the meal today with our dry clothes."  The man turns the chicken which looked shiny from the fat turning into oil.

★★★

"The meat is really soft." Risa takes a bite of the chicken thigh which is her last portion. It doesn't take long until the drumstick is only bone left. "This protein gives me energy."  Risa clapping happily as she throws away her partridge bones.

Rumb! Rumb!

The sound of thunder is heard very clearly, making the five of them look at each other in worry. “Hurry up and finish your meal so we can get into the tent. Wear layers or if you bring thick clothes. Don't let your body temperature drop,"

Max gives the orders next, “We have to make sure the things go in to the tent. Will and Cliff, put enough tree trunks and branches into the tent. We need dry wood to rebuild the campfire after the rain subsides.”

'Stevan and I are going to cover up the tent with pastic tarpaulin. Risa, you are in charge of arranging the things inside the tent so that it won' be too packed when we will also take shelter in it.” Max gets up and sighed looking up at the sky, "I hope the loud roar isn't a sign of heavy rain overnight."

Max is right, if the rain is heavy and falling all along the night, it means that the possibility of the river overflowing is very high.  If that thing happens, they have to clear the camp and walk out of the woods in the pouring rain, and that is the worst thing they had to do. Moreover, they certainly have to take shelter somewhere. Whether sleeping in the car or elsewhere, finding comfortable shelter for five people is not an easy task.

Risa rushes into the tent and pushing all the backpacks to one side. Shortly thereafter, Stevan opens the tent cloth-door and held out a food supply bag, followed by Max bringing in a few other items. The man steps into the tent and asking, "Where did you put the food supply bag?"

Risa pointed to the bag beside the pile of backpacks. "There."

Max immediately approaches the bag and opens it. "What wll you do?" Risa asked while arranging several branches that Will and Cliff gave into a pile. Stevan enters the tent to placed the gallon of water next to the water bottles that had been placed in the tent earlier, then hurried going outside again. "There is a waterproof plastic tarpaulin which I also keep with the food supply." Max reolied Risa's question.

Risa understands now, why the food supply bag feels heavy even the foods aren't that much. Max takes out the thick tarpaulin, then the man stepping outside saying, "Stevan! Do you see the water barrier that is supposed to be tied up for the base of the tent? "

Risa is just about to look out to tell Max, but Stevan shouted back quickly, “I already fastened it in since the first day! Use your eyes properly, Dude! At least see and appreciate how perfect what I did yesterday!” Stevan starts babbling again.

Risa laughs at that. The water barrier for the sides and bottom of the tent have been installed properly since it was built. Risa even had her time to asked what was the clear plastic covering the sides and why the bottom of the tent felt thicker than the previous tent.

"Help me put up this tarp, Stevan!" Again Max shouted.

"Risa," Cliff peeking from outside the tent. "Can you install this lamp in?" The little boy gives decorative lights that were above the camping area to light up the night. "Won't we get electrocuted because of the cable?”

Cliff shook his head, “It's waterproof. It shouldn't be easy to electrocute either. Just put it along the corner side for lighting if later we need it.” Risa nodded according to Cliff's words and laid the long cable with small lights around the tent. Will comes in with a camping equipment bag and takes something from outside with his hand while saying, "Where do we put this trashbag?"

"Oh, God! Shall we sleep side by side with the trash bag tonight?”

“Just put it on the logs, or under it. Wherever doesn't matter."  Max’s being the one who answered from outside the tent.

Risa opens her mouth, “Did we already put everything in? This tent has started to turn into cramped place.” Will nodded, "That's all."

In the same time as Will going outside, the girl is looking around and realizes something is missing. "The remote!"

Risa stepping outside, and see the four men working together to pull each side of the plastic tarp to close the tent. The sky seems to be turning darker quickly. Only two steps Risa moving to find the remote, drizzle starts to fall.

"Hey, Risa! What are you doing? Get in to the tent!”

“Where did you put the remote to turn on the lam— Ah! Here is it! They said already put everything in. Jeez! The men's behavior. Careless." Risa takes the remote which was lying on the pile of leaves, also seeing the other thing. "Hey, Stevan! You haven't put your own pants to the tent!” Stevan shouted back to Risa, "Help me put it inside then!"

"All! Let's take shelter now.” Max said.

It is true. The late-afternoon sun disappeared and suddenly covered by gray clouds that makes the atmosphere gloomy. The smell of petrichor was clear. The raindrops, which was the size of a rice grain, quickly became as big as a cat's eye.

Risa running quickly into the tent, followed by the other men. Tonight will be a very long nighy for their last day on the mountain.

★★★