220 To see the Flowers (2/2)

”Don't worry,” Noah looked over at her and smiled. ”Your boy Noah knows the way.”

”I would hope so,” I sighed.

I then glanced over at Alvelyn. She remembers the way. To be fair, out of everyone present, I would say I trust her the most. The reason why? She's ”me”. In times like these, you can only rely on yourself, so that's why I trust her. Well, it's kinda illogical to distrust yourself.

She met my gaze and nodded her head, signalling to me that she does, in fact, know the way. Therefore, I turned my head away and looked at the dark forest path ahead of me, relieved by the fact that there is a way to get back to our campsite. Once we get back, I want to go to sleep directly in that warm sleeping bag to escape the cold temperature.

”Just pass this bridge,” Loyd halted in his steps and turned to look at us.

He shined the flashlight on the bridge, which surprised those of us who did not go on the exploration with them. The bridge did not appear to be one of those modern day bridges. It was a wooden suspension bridge held up by ropes that seemed to sway in the wind.

”Are you sure this is safe?” Luna asked.

”That's what I said earlier,” Erith sighed. ”But they won't listen.”

”Of course it's safe,” Noah said as he stepped onto the bridge and jumped. This caused the bridge to vibrate and sway due to his motion.

”It looks rather...dangerous,” Mura frowned.

”We're fine,” Zaksus said. ”These bridges naturally swing when you walk on them. This isn't too bad.”

”Well...” Muria appeared somewhat hesitant.

”Don't you want to see the flower field?” Noah asked.

”Not really,” I muttered to myself.

”It's pretty secure,” Loyd said in a calming manner. ”We've tried it earlier today. It's holding up pretty good. I think that the bridge is just designed and built this way to preserve the scenery. You don't see any other concrete or paved roads on the mountain aside from the road for cars leading halfway up.”

”I guess you're right,” Irina nodded and smiled in a somewhat difficult manner. It appears as if she has not completely bought into what Loyd was saying, but she seemed to be starting to believe.

The trip across that suspension bridge took quite a while. It was rather scary to be entirely honest, even for me. Each step that you take, the bridge swayed. Even when you're just standing still, the wind that blew on it moved it. I made the mistake of looking down, but lucky for me, I was able to recover rather quickly. What I saw was a pitch black view of nothing. The bridge seems to be rather high, definitely a height that one would not survive if they fell off.

Crossing the bridge proved to be the most difficult part of our journey to the field of glowing flowers that Noah and Zaksus had been talking about, as once we were across the bridge, it was just a simple hike up a rather flat hill. As we walked, I thought about the suspension bridge, trying to pinpoint its exact location on the map of the mountain.

”Weird,” Erith frowned. Her face was illuminated by the light from her phone monitor as she checked the map of the mountain. ”There's no mention of this bridge.”

”That's weird,” Irina frowned. ”Maybe the map is too old?”

”No,” Erith answered in a confused voice. ”This map that I downloaded is the newest one. Besides, that suspension bridge does not look any bit new.”

”So are we on a different mountain now?” Luna asked. ”That was a rather long bridge we just crossed.”

”I guess we're on the mountain next to Granvera?” Erith inferred. ”It's weird but I haven't seen any mention of this place in the travel brochure or even the map posted at the campsite entrance.”

”It's probably a nature reserve or something,” Loyd commented. ”Something that's not open to the public?”

”So does this count as trespassing?” Irina asked.

”We're not gonna get caught,” Noah heard the conversation and added in his opinion. ”Who would be up here in this mountain this time of the day?”

”I guess you're right,” Irina let out a sigh of relief.

”Hey ugh,” Zaksus suddenly interjected. ”Is it just me but is it getting colder for any of you?” He was rubbing his hands together and huffing warm air into them as he shivered and his teeth chattered.

”I don't feel much of a difference,” Noah answered. ”But now that you've mentioned it, it does feel cooler.”

”Let's just get to the flower fields, see the flowers, and go back,” Mura announced. ”I don't want any of you catching a cold.”

”We're gonna be fine,” Noah shook his head and smiled.

”I don't know about you,” Erith said to him, ”but I want to be in my sleeping bag and sleeping right now.”