When I arrived home to pack up the car, I caught a little flak from my mom.

"I just don't like the idea of you going all the way out there by yourself, Sweetie. Haven't you been paying attention to the news?" She was only halfheartedly pleading with me. Not only did I help pay the rent and bills, but I'd also had my twenty second birthday back in October last year.

As an actual adult, I'm allowed to have my own life. Just because I still lived at home with my mom and brother didn't mean that I couldn't be my own person. We all worked together to make ends meet because it's impossible for a single person to support themselves these days.

Inflation is through the roof, rent is outrageous and even with Mom, Joey and myself all working full time jobs, it's hard to get ahead. Even in a house as roomy as ours is, sometimes we just want a weekend away...alone.

I have been car camping alone and with friends since I got my old Jeep back in high school. I told my mom as much while I was loading my bedding and cooler in through the back hatch, and she still insisted I stay.

"But all those stories from last summer...it just makes me nervous," she said trailing off.

"You know those were all the way out near Yellowstone and the Teton's, Mom. No one has even been attacked by a bear or cougar around here in decades and the creepy stuff out by Yellowstone completely stopped last fall. I'll be fine. I have my PLB and I'm gonna stay where I have reception anyway." I pointed to the cell signal booster on the roof rack of the Jeep.

"That could be in the middle of nowhere with that booster and you know it." She countered with a mock scowl that quickly morphed into a crooked smile. "Well, you have to keep in touch, send me the GPS coordinates when you get set up for the night—,

"And call as soon as you wake up." We said at the same time, me in a slightly mocking tone. Her instructions were always the same. Moms are gonna worry, it's just what they do, right?

I gave her a tight hug and kissed her round cheek. "Love you, Ma."

"I love you too, Sweetie." She patted my shoulder and smiled just as my brother, Joey, pulled up in his cherry-bombed Honda. We both rolled our eyes when he revved the engine and it backfired.

He cut the motor bringing blessed quiet back to the neighborhood and sprung up out of the car. "Where you off to this time, Sis?" He called out across the lawn. Still wearing his grocery store uniform, he somehow looked scrawnier than he did in his regular get up of slightly oversized jeans and tee-shirts. He still didn't look like he was old enough to even be driving, let alone be a high school graduate, but there he was in all his nineteen-year-old glory, lopsided grin and all.

"Into the national forest," I said.

"Well, duh. You always go to the forest. Which part?" He acted like he was going to pull my hair, then stepped on my toe instead and laughed heartily.

I socked him on the shoulder and called him a turd. "Little brothers are so overrated," I said, looking at Mom while I rolled my eyes and smiled. Then to my brother, I said, "You need to get yourself a real car and come with me one of these days."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"You can keep your 'Heep'. Club Honda for life!" He said, waving his arms and trying to look tough.

Glaring at him, I said, "It's not a heap, it's a Jeep and it's way more fun than your bucket of bolts will ever be."

"Hashtag Overlander is so three years ago,"

I cranked back my fist to sock him again and he bounded out of my reach, laughing.

"Alright you two, chill," Mom cut in wagging her finger at us both, "Or I'm gonna tear your arm off and hit him over the head with it."

We both chuckled at the thought of our tiny mom doing anything of the sort. I slammed the back hatch of the Jeep closed and turned to face Mom and Joey.

"I'll probably head up past the reservoirs and toward the mountain, but I may head down The Gorge and then go north from there. I'm not sure yet but I'll keep you guys posted. I promise. I'll even turn on location sharing."

They seemed satisfied with that last bit and I hugged each of them in turn. "Love you guys. See you day after tomorrow."

I drove away from town excited for some me time. Even with a chill in the air, I rolled down the window and let the cool air whip my hair around while I sang along with the radio, joy and the thrill of adventure harmonizing in my veins.

There was hardly any traffic on the roads that far out into the hills, so the driving was easy and incredibly scenic.

I crossed over an ancient, single lane suspension bridge that spanned the narrow portion of a lake while holding my breath. I refused to let my childhood superstitions die, but more than that, that bridge wasn't paved, the wooden slats that were the actual driving surface bumped and creaked under the Jeep's weight. Once we were back on solid ground, I let my breath out in a whoosh and laughed to myself.

Not much further down the road sat the old log cabin camp store I had told DJ about earlier that morning. It had been there, in the middle of nowhere, since some time in the 1940's. Run by the same family for its entire existence it was a staple and a must stop destination for anyone traveling this road through the forest.

Unfortunately, as I pulled up to the front doors, the tattered 'Closed' sign hung in the window. If memory served me correctly, they were only open Friday through Sunday during the off season, not opening for regular hours until April or May. I wouldn't be getting the milkshake I had been dreaming about today, but when I made my way back down the mountain on Saturday, I could stop again.

My phone chimed and I pulled it out of my bag expecting a text from my mom or brother. I almost dropped the phone when I saw that it was from DJ.

"No way," I said aloud. I tapped the notification and read.

Hey, wyd?

"What you doing?" I squealed and bounced a bit in my seat remembering the wink he shot at me and the way his dark hair curled out from under his ball cap. My fingers raced to type out a response.

Sitting in front of that camp store being sad that they aren't open today. Wyd?

He immediately began typing a reply.

Trying to convince my coworker that a pretty photographer in a Jeep saved my ass this morning and I actually had the good sense to get her number.

I stared at my phone dumbfounded. Pretty? Really? I could feel my face heating while I grinned from ear to ear.

I do drive a Jeep and like to take pictures. Is your coworker convinced?

He was quick to respond again,

He says pics or it didn't happen. lol

Great, I thought. My hair was a wind-blown mess and I didn't have a stitch of makeup on. But I hopped out of the Jeep for a picture anyway. I held my phone out in front of me making sure to get the SUV and the old store in the frame and tapped the shutter. The chilly breeze tossed my hair across half of my face, but my eyes were still visible. It was the best I was going to be able to get.

I hit send and climbed back into the Jeep. It wasn't long before another text came through.

#PrettyJeepGirl confirmed. When r u heading back to town? You should come have a drink. It's on me.

I had the sudden urge to tear out of that parking lot and head straight back to town but I had come all the way up here for nature photos. Plus, I needed to shoot the whole roll before I could get him his picture, so I responded, I might head back tomorrow evening but probably first thing Saturday morning. Will you be working then?

He wrote back, I'm on shift 4-midnight Saturday and Sunday. Come see me.

I was still internally squeeing as I typed, I'll text you when I leave the house. Oh, and I'll bring your picture.

DJ responded with a wink and thumbs up emoji. I was on cloud nine. Still grinning like a fool, I tossed my phone in my bag, put the Jeep in gear and guided it back out onto the road and continued deeper into the forest.

The road dipped and curved, winding its way through the tunnel of vegetation while I kept my eyes peeled for the sneaky turn onto the tiny dirt road that led to one of my favorite dispersed camping areas when the Jeep just shut down. There was no stuttering from the motor, no flashing idiot lights on the dash, nothing.

It just went dead.