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I took one last sip of the coffee and cautiously grabbed my bag before slowly attempting to sneak out of the diner.

Unfortunately, I miscalculated the weight of it.

It roughly smacked the table next to mine and knocked an empty glass over.

The commotion caught the attention of the waitress.

She squinted her eyes and looked at me as I froze.

“Hey!” Shit. Without hesitation, I clutched my bag close and bolted to the front doors.

“Hey! Wait! Stop her!” she shouted to the other customers who simply eyed me dumbfoundingly.

“Stop her!” I ran past a couple and nearly knocked them over as they opened the door.

I sprinted down the wooded country road at full speed and listened as the waitress shouted behind me.

“Stop! Thief!” It was pointless. I had already sprinted far enough away from the diner and knew she’d never catch me.

It was almost entertaining and gave me a little rush.

Time to go camping.

A smile branched across my face as the morning sun hit my skin and warmed my flushed cheeks.

The thrill of running had become oddly addictive, like some twisted and sick high of adrenaline I could only get in moments like this.

A hit I craved after a certain amount of time, like a scratch that needed to be itched.

But today, it felt different. Instead of feeding a craving, or hole inside me, it felt…

freeing. And that was the very thing I had wanted for so long.

To be free. It fueled me. And I didn’t stop running for what felt like hours until I spotted a lone phone booth up ahead.

It was ideal timing as the buzz of feeling free had completely worn off, and I was exhausted.

Perfect. Now, just to get to the damn booth so I can call about the ad. And maybe I’ll catch a ride out there. God, I hope the camp is close.

My legs ached, and my lungs screamed as I wiped the sweat from my forehead and leaned against the telephone booth. I had run nonstop for so long and felt beyond depleted. “Fuck,” I breathed.

I tossed my bag down to my feet when the sound of branches snapping caught my attention.

I was instantly on alert and glanced around back towards the nearby trees.

A weird buzzing hit my ears, and as I stared back into the swaying leaves, I swear I heard whispers.

Faint, distant whispers that were… chanting?

I shook my head, and they disappeared as the odd sensation evaporated into thin air.

“You’re just tired, that’s all.” My eyes scanned the woods that stretched as far as possible on either side of the simple road.

“Just tired.” I cautiously stepped inside the phone booth and pulled the torn newspaper ad from my pocket, as well as the cash from the man’s table.

I used his change to pay for the call and tapped the faded number keys, dialing the number from the listing.

Then, I waited. The phone rang for some time with no answer.

“Come on,” I groaned impatiently. The phone continued to ring for what felt like forever.

“Come on, come on, come on!” A weird sense of anxiety fell over me, and the feeling of being watched hit me in the back.

I spun around as the phone cord wrapped around my body while I peered through the dirty glass of the booth.

There was no one there. Nothing as far as the eye could see.

Nothing except the trees. “Pick up. Pick up!” I scratched my head and accepted I would get no answer when the other line suddenly clicked. “Hello?” I breathed into the phone.

Static pierced the phone line, quickly followed by the man’s voice. “Hello? Ah, damn this old thing. Hello? Can you hear me?” His voice looped in and out of static.

“Yes!” I shouted into the phone. “Kind of. Is this Camp Redwood?”

The man cleared his throat. “Yes—” Static. “You’ve reached Camp Redwood and—” More static. “This is Willie speaking.”

My fingers played with the long telephone cord. “Hi, yes, I’m calling about your ad? The one in the paper. It says you’re looking for camp counselors? I don’t suppose you’re still in need of counselors, are you?” Willie’s end was static. “Hello? Can you hear me?” Fuck.

“Damn it!” More static buzzed before the line partially cleared. “There! Sorry about that, these landlines are from the fifties. Throw in the fact that we’re located in the middle of nowhere, and, well, it’s just a shitty combination. Did you say you were calling about an ad?”

I eyed an old car as it sped by. “Yes! The one in the paper. Are you still needing counselors?” Please say yes. Please say yes.

“Well—” The static slightly returned. “Campers are arriving in—days.” He cut out for a few seconds. “It would be cutting pretty close to the start of camp. Do you have experience with kids?” The question hit a sensitive nerve as I stared out into the woods. “Hello? Ma’am? Are you still there?”

“Yes.” I swallowed. “Yes, I-I do.”

Willie paused. “Do you think you could get here sometime tonight for an interview?”

“Tonight?” I asked, looking around at the surrounding woods. “I mean, I can try. I’m not really sure where I am at the moment?—”

“It’s a yes or no. Like I said, the campers arrive soon and—” The static returned. “If you want this job, you’ll need to get here as soon as possible. I can’t be wasting my time on maybes.”

“Yes! Yes, I can!” My head fell against the side of the phone booth as my breath slightly fogged the glass. “I—I’ll figure it out. I’m pretty good at finding my way around, even in places that are new to me.”

The static on Willie’s line crackled. “Good. Then I’ll see you tonight—what was your name again?” I froze, realizing I hadn’t said.

Be smart.

“Aster. My name is Aster.”

“Aster. What a unique name. Well, I’ll see you tonight, Aster.”

“Wait!” The line disconnected as I realized he never gave me an address.

Shit. I hung the landline up and noticed a semi truck driving in my direction.

Maybe they’ll know. I quickly jumped from the telephone booth, grabbed my bag, and rushed to the side of the road in a hurry.

I raised my arm as I stuck my thumb out hoping they’d stop.

Thankfully, the truck slowed, and its brakes squeaked as it stopped.

I rushed to the passenger side and climbed to the door of the semi truck’s cabin and peered through the rolled window.

The driver was an older man and pretty roughed up looking, dressed in a faded plaid button-up and old stained jeans.

You can tell by the looks of him, and the amount of trash in his truck, that he’d been on the road for some time.

The driver eyed me closely and removed the nearly burned out cigarette from his mouth before he coughed a nasty smokers cough. “Need a ride?” he asked.

“Maybe. Care to help a girl out?” I tried to force a smile, but I got the feeling he didn’t care.

The man flicked his cigarette out the window. “That depends. Where ya heading?”

“Not sure, really. You know a place called Camp Redwood?” I asked.

His eyebrows furrowed. “I do.” He coughed while lighting a new cigarette. “But I’m afraid I’m heading in a bit of a different direction.”

Fuck .

The old man noticed my disappointment and looked around. “You’re pretty far out from town, miss. Not many people come to these parts.” I ignored him. “Tell you what. I’ll get you close to those woods, but you’ll need to either find another ride to take you in or walk the rest of the way. Deal?”

“Works for me.”

The man scoffed and then coughed on the cigarette smoke. “Just promise me no funny business. I’m too old for that shit.”

I nodded. “Deal.”

He unlocked the passenger door for me. “Well, come on. Get in.” I swung the paint chipped door open, plopped down on the passenger seat, and slammed the door shut.

The man watched me closely while I buckled into the seat.

It was clear we were both weary of one another.

“So. You going to tell me whatcha running from?” He asked as he put the semi into gear.

“You’re not runnin’ from the cops, are ya? ”

I looked out the window and clutched my bag close. “No. I’m running from nothing.”

The man chuckled to himself. He smoked his cigarette with the window down as the semi truck climbed back to the speed limit and drove off. “A pretty little thing like you doesn’t hitchhike in these parts unless she’s runnin’ from something.” He looked over. “Should I be worried? About… Nothing?”

I sat in silence for a moment. “No. He doesn’t want you. Only me.”

The man grunted and nodded. “Well, I’ll tell you this.

No one will be able to find you out in Camp Redwood.

Those woods stretch on for miles and miles, leaving that old camp isolated and away from everything.

If you’re runnin’, then that camp there is the place to do it.

” He then shook his head. “Shit. Couldn’t pay me to travel down those lone roads alone. ”

My head turned to look at him. “I’ll make you another deal. I won’t bother you and you don’t bother me. Got it?” I used my bag like a pillow and leaned against the passenger door.

The man shook his head and coughed. “Well, then it’s gonna be a long and quiet ride. The redwoods are hours from here. Almost a half day's journey.”

I shot forward and clicked on his radio.

Static played as I turned the dial before landing on a random station that worked.

It was a broadcast about some incoming storm somewhere.

I didn’t really listen, just wanted something to get him to stop talking to me.

“There. Not so quiet now.” The man continued to smoke.

He gave me the silence I asked for without any issues.

I looked out at the woods as we drove past and eyed the treeline.

It stretched on for miles, as if never ending.

Despite being the middle of the day, the sky slowly began to darken, and I felt my exhaustion take over.

Camp Redwood. I wonder what it’s like. It sounds almost peaceful. A place tucked away in the woods away from everyone else. How ideal.

Rain tapped gently against the window and created a calm, soothing beat. My lids became heavy and before I knew it, I was fading off to sleep.

So peaceful.