Chapter 35
35
CONNOR
Trees surround us as we travel down winding roads. I notice Ember looking out the window trying to get an understanding of where the hell we are, but the forest is impenetrable – you can’t see beyond the thick foliage. It’s just us and the road and the green all around us. We haven’t seen anything, or anyone else, for miles and miles and miles.
It’s just me and Ember alone in this pickup truck as we speed through the country, away from Crystal River.
It’s just as I like it.
Solitude .
No one else to bother us.
Nature .
“Where are we going?” Ember finally asks me. I’ve been anticipating this question ever since we zoomed out of Crystal River half an hour ago.
I put my foot down on the gas, causing my trusty old pickup truck to speed up even more.
“You’ll have to wait and see,” I reply to her slyly.
“You can tell me at least something ,” Ember says. “The suspense here is killing me.”
I steer around a corner and continue even further into the dense forest. Despite the same green speeding past us, I can tell exactly where we are. I don’t need a map.
“You’re a good journalist,” I say to the girl sitting next to me. “You’re good at trying to get others to reveal their secrets, but you won’t win against me now.”
“So it is a secret place where you’re taking me.”
“Yep.”
“You’ve literally told no one else about this at all... like never?” Ember asks.
“Nope. Never.”
“You have never taken people here before? No one else?”
“No,” I reply solemnly. “This is where I go to escape the world. I never let other people into that sacred space. This is a first for me.”
“Should I feel honored?” Ember asks.
I shrug.
“Sure.”
Up ahead, the road splits into two. One path continues the well-maintained road... the other leads into a dirt path that runs deep into the forest.
I take the dirt path.
The pickup truck jolts and shakes as we move off the smooth asphalt onto the uneven nature trail.
But I still know where we’re going.
“This is getting scary,” Ember says, gripping her seat.
“You’re scared?” I ask her.
She smiles.
“No, not really. Just curious.”
“Yeah,” I say, “you really are a journalist, aren’t you?”
We continue on and on down the dirt track.
I can’t help but notice Ember staring at me as I drive. Her pretty eyes are locked on me as I grip the steering wheel. I try to keep my focus on the bumpy path and not get distracted by her attention, but it’s proving really hard.
She seems to calm down. She’s placing her trust in me.
“Can I take your photo, Connor?” she asks after a while of silent driving.
“A photo? Of me?”
“Yeah, for the article. It’ll be better than forcing you into doing a photoshoot.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Plus, you look more natural this way,” Ember says. “You seem in your own element driving.”
I shrug.
“Okay, sure. Take my photo.”
As I keep driving, Ember digs inside her bag for a camera. She pulls it out and snaps a photo of me. I feel deeply uncomfortable with the lens trained on my face, but I did say she could do it. I can’t complain now. I don’t usually have my photo taken.
It’s another first for me.
God, I hope I’m doing the right thing...
I’m bringing her to my most special place. I told myself I would never bring anyone here, and yet I am. Ember has got me hooked in ways I’m scared of.
Satisfied with her photo, she puts the camera away and we continue down the path silently for a while until I finally turn to her.
And I smile.
This is it. No turning back now. I’ve brought her to my secret place. I’m not holding back any part of me anymore.
“Ember,” I whisper. “We’re here.”