An ideal summer day; calm, warm breeze, sun high in the sky, not a cloud in sight. Rachel hangs her arm out of the passenger window, letting the wind take control of it, flying her hand up and down and up again, as graceful as a swan swimming. A smile stays plastered across her face as if she were a canvas and an artist has swiped a bright red paint across it. In the backseat, Colton and Thomas exchange clever quips; the boys are always rowdy, but it's nearly impossible not to laugh at their whimsical antics. In the driver's seat of his dad's car, Justin laughs at his friends through the rearview mirror.
"Take the next left!" The orders are hard to hear over the bumping music, but they make it to Justin's ears, and he slowly veers leftward, coasting down another long country road. Colton navigates the crew of teens to a spot he knew of near the coast of Lake Michigan.
"Where exactly is this place again?" Rachel questions.
She had been scooped up from her house by the car full of testosterone, not knowing much about the destination. They promised her a good time, and like always, she knew they weren't going to fall short.
"It's this cool place by my house. It's pretty hidden if you don't know about it, but lucky for you, I've been there hundreds of times," Colton answers. "There's a forest with trails through it, and if you know which paths to take, it'll lead you to the beach. Real pretty, you'll love it," he finished with a smile.
"Sounds like a blast," laughs Justin. "You always know the best places to chill, Colton."
They continue to drive, taking various turns, trusting Colton's directions. At last, the edge of a forest comes into view, along with a small driveway that's barely visible from the road. They pull into it and park in the gravel. In front of them is a wooded area with several trails running throughout. The teenagers hop out of the car with enthusiasm and take in the delicious zephyr that was blowing through their hair.
Colton picks up a stick, shouts, "Follow me!" and takes off running through the trails.
Rachel jumps onto Justin's back, expecting her usual piggy back ride from her boyfriend. In retaliation to their display of affection, Thomas decides to vault onto Colton's back, and the two are off. Justin also propels forward, Rachel clinging onto him. The foursome run through the thicket, dodging trees and hurtling bushes. Shrieks of joy fill the forest, flowing from the adolescents like waves off a boat.
Exhausted, the two teams stop, panting and giggling. As they refill their lungs with the scent of summer, they admire their surroundings. Huge oak trees encircle them, giants glaring down, the groaning of their hefty limbs echoing through the forest.
Colton looks up at them, baffled, and announces, "I have no idea where we are."
"What do you mean you don't know where we are? I thought you knew where we were going," asks Thomas. "Don't tell me we're lost." The sheepish look on Colton's face tells him that they are. "Great... Now what?" Thomas turns to the group.
"We try to find our way out," Justin answers confidently.
The natural leader of the group, he always has a plan. The rest of the clan follows him down a winding path, zig-zagging through the woods. They take in the ambiance around them; the canopy above them clouds the sky, depriving their world of sunlight. They shamble along, no longer enjoying their visit with Mother Nature.
"What are those?" Rachel asks, squatting down to the muddy trail. "Looks like some animal tracks. Big dog?" she asks, inspecting the imprint imbedded in the soil.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. There's wolves in these woods, but it's okay, they stay in the deeper part of the forest," Colton answers, satisfied with his knowledge of the area.
"You mean where we are right now? I thought you were paying attention! Now we're gonna get eaten by wolves," Rachel panics.
"Don't worry, we'll get out of here, no problem. I have natural navigational instincts, I got this," declares Thomas.
He starts to stroll down yet another path, leading the others; the group looked like a mama duck and her little ducklings trying to find a pond. Eventually, they get to a clearing.
An incline leads them to the top of a hill, to a beautiful sight. It wasn't a hill, but a cliff! A sandy cliff that leads into the forest, a definitive border separating the two opposites. Below them, the beach of Lake Michigan waited for them, untouched and pure. The scent of the water wafts up with a gust of wind. They become entranced as their senses are overjoyed. The distinct essence of lake water invades their nostrils, the sight of the vast expanse of water overtakes their eyes, and the sensation of the breeze through their hair leaves the rest of their bodies numb.
They hesitate no longer. They tumble down the cliff as carefully as they can, and they finally reach their destination: the coast of the mighty Lake Michigan. It sings an enchanting song, the song of nature itself. Bellowing out of the waves, thumping into the hearts of the onlooking teenagers. Laughter once again fills their chests as they take to the water, shoes and socks disappearing like a magician's trick. The cool water refreshed their tired feet, giving them new life. Their day is spent on the beach, among the algae, one with the water. Four friends, one long day, and an unbreakable bond. The sunset on the beach seals their evening, a beautiful display of colors being painted across the sky.
