Sleeping in the woods has its challenges. Every rustle or howl jolted me out of my sleep and even with the pillows and blankets the flooring was still hard it did not even come close to the bedding back home. I woke up to a small voice it sounded husky and rasped as if it were dehydrated.

"Ora, stop cuddling me." Moving my arms I found out that my right arm was around someone's waist, but that can't be possible unless... "L.A I am so sorry!" moving my arm immediately off of her waist. She rolled over her face looked like she was sucking on a lemon with her eyebrows lowered.

"Ora,"

"I-I said I am sorry, I'm not used to sleeping with people."

She began to come out of her sleeping bag when I noticed that her shoulders were bare. "L.A where is your shirt!" I covered my face with one of the pillows on the floor. "Calm down Ora, it's not the end of the world."

"But me cuddling you is huh!" I quickly interjected. "Hey watch it, Ora, this is my tent remember." "And this is my arm, it should be free to cuddle whoever it chooses!" I finished crossing my arms over my chest. L.A shook her head "look whatever, but since I am assuming has been out here less than a week do you have any soap I can use?" I placed the pillow on my lap. "I didn't pack soap" I whispered.

"Ugh! what about toothbrushes"

"No"

"Deodorant"

"Nope."

"PADS?!"

"Don't need them."

She squinted her eyes at me rubbed her chin "Ora" she started "how old are you?''

"Fourteen, what about you?''

"Fifteen, so you just never thought it was going to come one day?"

"If what would come one day, look L.A get to the chase." By now I was getting frustrated going in circles with her. "No-no it's fine I am not having that talk with you" She crawled her way to the entrance of the tent, "Come on let's go "freshen up."

She led the way to the river while I stared at her bare back as we ducked and maneuvered over tree branches. Suddenly, she stopped and I rammed right into her back grabbing her sides to stop myself.

She smacked me. "Ow! L.A why?" "Keep your hands" she began to pinch them "and your eyes to yourself" she, eventually, let go and kept on walking through the bushes. Rubbing my hands I still followed behind her. As we walked farther and farther into the dense woods, the sound of water was getting louder. L.A soon left the main path and went onto a much smaller one. We walked this path for a few minutes till we reach the small sand bar.

'Alright you ready?" she asked me as she began unbuttoning her jeans, followed by her boots. "Um, what if someone sees us?" at this point my face was flushed and my hands were glued to my eyes not wanting to see the rest of L.A. "Look, I will go further down the river if you're this uncomfortable, and you can stay here.". I guess that wouldn't be too bad. "Fine, I will meet you back at camp." As she entered the stream small sloshes and splashes were heard as she went down the stream. Once I could no longer hear her I uncovered my eyes and started to take off my clothes.

I looked at my reflection in the stream, my eyes had bags underneath them and L.A's handprint was still visible on my left cheek. The stream itself looked quite clear and I could see small fishes swim from time to time. Lifting my left foot, I lowered it slowly into the water, not too hot and not too cold. "Better get on with it then" I groaned.

After finishing my shower, if I can even call it that, I made my way back to camp where L.A beat me to it. She was already dressed in a black T-shirt, blue jean shorts, and her military shoes. She had her backpack on her back and a small knife that she was spinning with her fingers. "You got the tent all to yourself." she winked at me. I got in the tent put on a white t-shirt and cargo shorts, with my sneakers from yesterday. I put on a baseball hat and went back out.

"You look great" she gave me a thumbs up "but we have a couple of things to do before we go to the railroad." Went down the path again, this time passing the steam and even other tents along the way. She lead me to a clearing that had seven pine trees in a circle. "This looks like something out of a cult movie." I looked over at her. "Oh calm down, this where I lay the traps."

"Traps?"

She went over to one of the trees, she stooped down and put her hand into a hole, pulling out a bluebird trapped in a mesh. "Yeah, you think I go eat at the diner every day?" she started to laugh "if it weren't for Sandra I wouldn't be able to go once a month like I am now." She kept digging and pulled out five eggs, they were also blue, and quite large compared to the mother. Their eggshells shimmered in the sun as L.A lay them on the ground. "Ora open my bag and look for an egg carton, and a water bottle filled with seeds." I unzipped the bag and went through pots and pencils and other miscellaneous items. "Wow, your bag is much bigger on the inside huh." finally finding the items she asked for she took them from me immediately.

Opening the water bottle cap she tossed some of the seeds into the hole and let the mother go. She opened the styrofoam cartoon to find a range of other eggs inside with all different colors and shapes. Placing the eggs into the last five holes completed the cartoon leaving no space behind. "Alright now we have something to trade," she announced as she closed the cartoon and placed it back into her bag. I looked at her confused. "You'll see soon, come on let's go!"

We got back on the path and walked for what seemed like an entirety. The scenery looked just about the same, tree, bush, shrub, and repeat. However L.A saw it differently "Look Ora, that's a blueberry bush and oh someone planted an orange tree I hope it grows!" To her, every shrub and plant had a purpose. "Ora you see that" she pointed to a plant with green skin and had leaves that looked cacti without the spikes. "Yeah, what's so special about it. She grabbed my arm " I will show you what's so special about it!" She got a knife and cut one off the leaves, showing a clear gel-like substance. "It's aloe vera, it's great for skins and cuts and, most importantly, popular to trade for!" L.A opened her bag and took out a jar half filled with the substance. Opening the lid she slid the knife along the sides and began to clean out the gel to transfer into the jar. Once done she closed the lip and placed the jar back in the bag.

"We are almost there." As we walked on the ground started to show old rusted metal coming out of it. The metal showed itself the more we traveled on. Soon it raveled itself as being the old railroad track. Moss covered the metal and small weeds can be seen growing in between the spaces. Up ahead I could see a tunnel its outside walls were covered in graffiti and paint. Small cracks were starting to form in the concrete and moss vines covered the overhang. "It's just past through here," L.A began walking straight into the dark unknown.

I did not follow her.

L.A turned around and put her hands on her hips "Ora, are you coming or not." I started playing with my hands and kicking the rocks on the ground. 'It looks dark" I mummed back. "Yes Ora, it's dark" she replied blandly. "Is that a problem?" there was a small quirk that resonated in her voice and reflected in her smile. "No of course not!" I soon started walking ahead of her to prove my point. L.A's laugh could be heard as it echoed throughout the tunnel. "Aww what's wrong O you scared of the dark." she teased. "Shut up L.A!" I shouted at her. She laughed even harder and her voice roared through the walls of the tunnel. The light soon shinned through the end and we walked out into a tree overhang.

Trees were lined up on both sides of the track creating a nice homemade sunroom. Tables were also on both sides of the track and people were walking in middle. The smell was a mix of fruit and meat and people could be seen exchanging items with each other. "Welcome to railroad Ora!" L.A grabbed my hand "Okay let me show how this works". We pushed through people till we got toward a split section with no booths or tables. "So the section we just passed was the fruit and vegetables. They are at the top because meats are the bottom you know cross-contamination and all." "And in the middle is where goods and supplies are." She held my hand and walked me up to a booth. "Look watch and learn," she whispered in my ear. Hey good sir, how would it cost for that bag over?" L.A's voice sounded much higher than usual and she also kept her hands on the table as well. A guy, who looked like he was at least our age turned around, his face covered in acne. The bag in question was a blue bag similar to mine but had side pockets as well. "That would be, wait a minute, L.A right?"

"Yeah that's me" she winked at him. He started to blush, "Oh well, any of those eggs you have are fine." Took out the cartoon for him, "take your pick" he choose two of the eggs we got this morning and in turn gave her the bag. "Thanks again" she replied to him slowly running her hand along his arm. "I-its no problem" he stuttered. We began to make our way to the next booth. "See it's not that hard. " her face was beaming from her accomplishment. "It looked like you were flirting with him," I stated. "Well yes, and no you see here relationships are rare and even dangerous flirting on its own could be used as a trade." 'Now trade this" she gave me the jar of aloe gel "with the girl at this next booth and don't worry I have a feeling you will do fine."

The booth had a tool theme from axes to knives; she seemed to have it all. "May I help you?" her voice was quite distinct, it did not have the same accent as all of us. Well, now that I am looking at her she looks different. Her hair was similar to L.A's, just not as curly. It was long to her back and her head was covered by a backward baseball hat. She had a worn blue button-up and her strong arms holding onto the sides of the table. Her beautiful brown eyes enchanted my soul, as my cheeks began to turn red. "Um, I have this aloe gel. What can I get for it?" She took the jar and held it to the light,

"Hmm, nice color good stickiness."

"Don't you mean consistency?" I corrected. She immediately looked right into my eyes and forcefully put the jar back on the table causing it to shake. "You can only get this pocket knife." The knife had and retractile blade with a red handle. Closer inception of the blade itself showed that spots of red-orange rusts covered the outer layer of the blade and the inner blade contrasting with lime green.

"Are you sure, I was told that aloe vera is quite useful and popular to trade for?" Maybe if I used the charm that L.A used for the bag I could get some better.

Leaning up against the table, I whipped my hair in her direction "come on sweetheart we don't have gotta be like this" I finished by touching her fingers. Instantly she retracted her fingers from mine "what was that?" her eyes looked at me shifting left to right and glossy on the surface. "Wow I didn't think I was that bad but dang you didn't have to do me like that." I crossed my arms and turned the other way.

The girl quickly hopped the table coming on my side of the booth. She reached to her left leg where she pulled out a machete "Now listen here, I don't what your name is!"

"It's Ora! Can you please put the blade down!" I pleaded she was inching closer and closer in my direction. "Please! I was just trying to do what she told me to do." By now we have gathered a crowd around us, but no one was intervening.

"And whose is she! I have never seen you here before, who would set you up to this!"

"L.A! Her name is L.A"

The girl finally lowered down the sward. "Huh, L.A" she shook her head "always pranking me as always."

Out of nowhere L.A popped up behind me." Oh Aditi you should have seen your face." L.A held her stomach as the crackle of joy escaped her lips. "Whew, that was gold right there, Ora you looked like you were about to pee yourself." By now the crowd has disappeared and it was just the three of us.

"Ora, this is Aditi the best tradeswoman on the railroad!" Aditi rolled her eyes "is this another student of yours." L.A elbowed her stomach "ignore her Ora but now that you have seen the extremes of both sides to trading I think you're ready to try it without my help at all." She took my pocket knife "see not a bad first trade at all''.

The sun was starting to set and people began to pack up their booths. Aditi began to do the same and L.A ran off again leaving me stuck with her. "Um, so about before I normally don't act that way.

"It's fine Ora, once you begin hanging around L.A long enough you are bound to get in trouble." she placed the last set of knives in her bags "are you coming back tomorrow?" she stood up and walked over to me.

"Um yeah, I think so" I responded.

She gave me a hug, her shirt smelled of pine and she felt warm from the sun's heat.

"Then I will see you tomorrow."

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