The Northern Woods
After a three hour drive from Flint, a red Jeep Wrangler pulls up on a small cabin. The small home sits in a clearing just above a small pond. The driver of the Jeep honked the horn repeatedly, while at the same time revving the engine, impatiently. Inside the cabin two people emerged in their early twenties. The driver rolls down the window and says, "Hurry up, we're going to be late." One replies with, "Your going to be fine the school is only fifteen minutes away." The other opens the back door and piles in lots of camping supplies. The drive continues to talk with the first one as the other comes back around to the front side of the car. The driver says, "It was good to see you again, Kali, I'll try to bring him back in one piece." Kali smiled and than walked to the other side of the vehicle. Kali huged and kissed her boyfriend, Ira before her entered the passengers set. The driver rolled his eyes and said, "Awww isn't that sweet." Kali flipped him off and replied to his earlier statement, "It's not him I'm worried about, it's you city boy." They laughed and Kali turned to Ira, "Don't worry I'll hold the fort." Both Ira and Kali wave as Reid back the Jeep out of the drive. As the turned to leave Kali yelled, "Don't worry Reid I'll have food ready if you survive." Reid laughed again and said to Ira, "Mmm indian food." Ira grind as Reid looked back at Kali and they both waved.
On the way down the road Reid asked, "Why didn't she want to come with us again?" Ira replied, "She planned on it but her boss wouldn't give her time off. She really wanted to come with us. Don't tell the others but once we get back she's going to throw a party for everyone." Reid nodded his head in agreement and said, "That would be good for everyone." As they passed a small lake, Ira asked, "So where is Sofia, I was hoping she could meet Kali." Read replied with a smile, "She will be coming soon, she had to pick up a friend of ours from the Traverse City airport. His name is Erick. I just told them to meet us at the school."
In town they stopped at a gas station and got some last minute things. On their way back to the Jeep, Reid saw Sofia's car. "Well their she goes." Reid and Ira ran to the Jeep to catch up to them. Just down the road they pulled into school and parked just outside from. The side doors. Autumn was already waiting for them, she got in. Before Reid got out to go over to Sofia, Ira looked back to his younger sister. "Where's your two friends?" She replied quietly, "Their in the office, they got in trouble by our teacher." Reid stopped what he was doing and looked at the two siblings and than at Ira. Without saying anything the two older boys opened the doors in sync. Suddenly before they stepped out, Sofia started revving her engine. Mara and Quinn came running down the stone walkway past the flag pole with the principal in pursuit behind them. Mara turned right and ran around to get in the Jeep, while Quinn threw his backpack in the open window at Ira and jumped in over Autumn in the back set. The principal grabbed ahold of Quinn's legs as Reid's wheels spun. A short trail of brunt rubber was left behind as the principal lost his grip. Sofia and the other car meet up with the Jeep at the exit. Reid and Ira laughed as they left the school parking lot and headed north. The two young girls were confused unil Quinn said, "I think I lost my shoe." Both the girls smiled as they looked back at the principal who got up with the shoe still in his hands.
Near sunset the kids stopped at the Mackinaw Bridge. By that time they all got to know each other. They also moved their things around in the vehicles. On the beach Sofia and Reid walked down to the bridge collecting stones. Ira and Erick stayed back with the younger kids. Autumn took many pictures and collected a few shells. Erick and Quinn joked and threw stones into the water. In the next twenty minutes Reid and Sofia returned to the group. Ira drove the jeep with the younger kids as Erick drove the other car with Sofia and Reid in the back.
After crossing the bridge, Autumn turned the radio and heard a report of two hikers going missing a few days earlier, one was from Michigan and the other from Wisconsin. Three hours passed and they arrived at the cheep motel in Marquette that Sofia reserved for them. Ira and Erick handed out the keys as Sofia apologized for there only being three rooms do to all the hotels being sold out. No one was unhappy and they made it all work out as they unpacked.
