A Camping For Two

Trip 5 (Big Meadows Campground)

This story is solely fiction. Any person or place in this story that is depicted in real life is a mirror reflection of that place itself, but by no means is not a form of promotion. Well, the earth is vast and I need to name some places after all. I’m ded with naming characters in a fantasy story XoX. Pirating content is illegal. Do consider sharing this story to people like a virus.

Sebastian

“Just let me make this clear. Even though I have a driver’s license, it’s been a while since I last drive a car this far.” I clarified to Maya who was sitting on the passenger seat beside me.

She shot me a confused look before she glanced to the view in front of her. “…But we’re halfway there, though?”

Her comments were instead, replied with a soft head bang to the steering wheel from me. I glanced at her to the side. “…That’s the point.” This is the point where my bravery reached its max. I guess the older you get, the more you want to stay home.

Albeit I’m still 20.

She noticed my weeping and patted me on the back. “Stay strong, okay? I’ll treat you to hot chocolate drink when we reached there.”

“Just hot chocolate drink? Don’t you want to pay the emotional damage fee for my brain?” I said, half joking.

“Which one do you want, the fee or the hot chocolate drink?”

“The hot chocolate drink, please.” I answered almost immediately. I mean, money is intriguing on its own, but you won’t get that uniquely delicious hot chocolate drink anywhere else. I’d pay to drink the same drink if it were to be sold somewhere.

With the hot chocolate drink reward in mind, I managed to drive us all the way to Big Meadows Campground, one of the five campgrounds of Shenandoah National Park. While the other campgrounds of this park have their own unique traits, Big Meadows Campground is among the biggest out of five, in additional with vast accommodations that they provide to the visitors.

“We’ll stop here for a bit.” Maya pointed to a wooden building which looks like a forest scout building. After I parked on any available parking spot—which are majorly empty—Maya trotted inside the building.

After a few minutes, she returned while heaving a bundle of firewood in her arms. I sucked a sharp gasp in surprise and immediately scrambled out of the car to go to her.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you wanted to buy firewood?” I grabbed the bundle from her. She chuckled softly while wiping off the sweat which formed on her forehead. “Sorry, I was just thinking that it would be a waste of time to have to return to the car and ask for your help to carry the firewood bundle. The camping spots are a few miles away from this centre, so it would be helpful to buy it beforehand.”

I heaved a sigh and inadvertently wiped her forehead with my hand. Her face was red like a tomato, probably tired from having to carry a bundle of firewood that weight like a 5 year old infant. Yet her face was brimming with a sense of satisfaction, as if she likes what she’s doing. I shook my head and snickered, before then telling her to enter the car while I put the bundle inside the car trunk. A few minutes after that, we continued our journey.

Maya requested us to camp somewhere near the amphitheatre and facing Shenandoah Valley, so the two of us were pushing our cart while we trudge through the forest after I parked the car in the parking lot near the amphitheatre and the picnic spot. Although the destination where she wanted to go is a bit far from our car, luckily this campground provides paved road. I remember that one time where my parents brought me and Robert into a campground with no paved road and wild trails. That camping site took the word ‘wild’ literally and put it on their road system.

Still a nightmare for me until this day.

However, I never thought that Big Meadows is this big, and beautiful. Just like what you would expect from a highland camping site, the air here is fresh, even more so when there’s less people around. The tall trees blend in with the colour green, some were orange and some were brown. That being said, the camping spots are well managed and clean.

“We’ll camp here.” Maya chirped and halted her cart at an open place literally facing the valley.

I was in awe with the majestic view that I took a few minutes solely staring at the wilderness and the greens of the forest below. My eyes drifted away after I’ve gathered myself and saw the toilet a few meters away from us and located at the corner of the open place. Then I realized that the two of us are alone in this section.

“Uhm, Maya?” I glanced at her who’s already on her way to lift the pole of her tent. I paused for a bit and helped her bury the stakes.

“Thank you.” She blowed a huff and wiped her forehead before turning to me. “What is it?”

“Well, don’t you think it’s a bit dangerous camping with just the two of us?” I darted my eyes from her to the woods, trying to find any presence of campers nearby. Unfortunately, there’s none except us both.

She blinked her eyes, confused expression masked her face. “Isn’t that the reason why you’re here?” She tilted her head.

“…Oh, right.” I forgot that I’m guarding her right now. I immediately put my defence up and scanned the surroundings. They did say there were patrols at certain times, but it won’t hurt defending ourselves, right?

“More than that, shall I help you set up your tent?” She lifted my tent bag and subtly curved her lips into a small smile. “We’ll have some hot chocolate drink after this.”