She thought about the poem. He did not know she found it and read it. It was called freckles and the first line had been ” I love how your freckles are sprinkled about your eyes like stars upon a majestic sky”. She felt a little presumptuous thinking it was about her but who else would it be about? She knew how he felt and that he had gone around the school that first week bugging everyone trying to learn about who she was. She loved the idea of being able to inspire such poetry. It was truly flattering and made her feel a deep sense of appreciation for the situation and what the future held. She knew there were people that had a hard time attracting someone or had mental and emotional problems. There were more people that were in relationships that were not in love than in love she believed. It was sad to think about. How many people are out there that feel a certain way about someone and it is not reciprocal and they sit around feeling sick to their stomach for a different reason. She had experienced it to a degree with that jerk Brad. And even then it was not like she couldn’t be with him at all. He just wanted to be with three women at once.That was not love.

Travis let every possible and terrible scenario run through his mind. He pictured her being kidnapped by some psycho and forced to live in an underground chamber. He pictured her hiking and falling over a cliff and dying or laying there helpless with a broken arm in agony clinging to life. He imagined her crashing into a tree and being ejected out into a hidden part of some desolate road. Or , what if she found some other man who was incredibly handsome and suave and he swept her off her feet and when he found her again they would be irreversibly in love and he left alone in complete despair ready to stick a gun in his mouth.
Just stop it , he told himself. She probably just wanted to be alone and is camping in her favorite spot. And now I’m about to just come barging in on her and interrupting her private alone time and she is going to think I’m a jerk and obsessing over her. He imagined her looking at him all annoyed asking him what the hell was he thinking tracking her down and invading her peaceful little getaway. Well, sorry but your safety trumps all that I’m just making sure your not being tortured by a serial killer and now that I know I guess I’ll leave you be , sorry for the intrusion.See ya
He laughed a little to himself. God , she is driving him mad. Never in his life has he ever thought about someone so much in life. He hasn’t been free of these butterflies since he saw her. What the hell would he do if something bad did happen? He honestly could not imagine. He tried to just stare down the road but it was impossible to keep her out of his head. No matter what he thought she would pop right back up like a rubber ball in water. God , he loved her.
After an hour he came upon the road that Lead to the park. There was a immense parking lot but Mel told him he would not see her car parked there because the rangers would nose around and come check on her. There was a little side road further down. It was gravel at first but Sara went to the part where it was a dirt road. It was still public property and the rangers sometimes ventured down there but not as often. No one was suppose to really park there but people did. You were also supposed to have a permit if you were going to camp and make a fire but Sara never did this. That is why she tried to avoid the rangers.
He turned down the dark road and wondered how he was supposed to find her in the pitch black of night. He did not even know if she was actually here. After a few moments he could see the shape of a car ahead. It would be a miracle if it was hers. As he approached it he could see it was a car like hers. He parked next to it and got out. Through the window he saw the cute little calico cat dangling from the rearview mirror. It was her car. Thank god , now he just had to find the path. He shined the flash light around and finally located it and started down the curving route. Mel told him it was a fifteen minute walk at a fast pace.
After what seemed much longer he saw the dim glowing hue of a dying fire. He headed that way and came upon the camp site. There sitting on a rock was the huddled form of a small female with her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them. Her dark hair dangled around her hidden face. She was looking up at the sky. He walked over toward her and she turned to him. She didn’t even seem startled. When she saw him she smiled and stood up.
She was silent for a moment then spoke ” you found me ”
He smiled ” Is that good or bad ? ”
” That’s good ” she came over to him and stood in front of him looking into his eyes. He stared back as the fire flickered and crackled with the scent of wood drifting to them. He moved in closer to her and as they stared at each other they both leaned in and kissed for the first time. It was a long slow sensual kiss and became more passionate with each passing second. They wrapped their arms around each other and spent a long drawn out moment just embracing. Neither seemed to want to be the first to break the moment.
Later they both lie on her blanket facing each other. They had spent a couple of hours talking and now they just enjoyed the deep silence of the starry night as they began to fall asleep. A few meteors streaked across the darkness providing a mystical sense to their experience. Sara looked over at him and asked ” Do you Believe someone ones going to pick up a signal in our life time? ”
He knew she was referring to S.E.T.I. Both of them were studying the field of astronomy and had a interest in the cosmos. He always thought there were countless planets around the endless stars in the numerous galaxies Hubble has revealed.

Travis M Smith
DOC #529433