Beyond the Woods

by Rhea Ghosh (Canada)

I didn't expect to find Australia

Tunes up, windows down. It’s just two friends cruising along the Gold Coast in our camper van. We met only a few weeks prior, but our friendship grew quickly. Brandi and I pair well together. She’s captain and I’m navigator. The sun is setting and our evening plans are up in the air. We exit the freeway and pull up to a nearby park. A couple of other vehicles have also stopped in the vicinity. A group of fellow travelers welcome us. "Hey friends," one of them call out as he waves us over. We approach to the smell of seared steak wafting through the air. “Grab a seat! We’ve got plenty to share,” he says. One thing I’ve appreciated through my travels is how quickly a bond is created among complete strangers. Of course, one should always remain cautious, as this story will illustrate. We chat about our travels, getting to know Remy, Paul, and Samuel over dinner. The sun has now set. The Three Musketeers, as we aptly name them, advise against parking here as the area is patrolled and we'd surely be ticketed if we linger. They recommend we follow them to a nearby hidden gem. We are aware of the guy to girl ratio in this scenario and our radars are on high alert. With no other plan and low phone signal, we both agree to proceed with caution. We jump into the camper van and follow them down the road. We turn right, then left, around a bend and find ourselves on a bumpy gravel path. It’s pitch black with no signs of civilization. The dust picks up from their tires making it increasingly difficult to see ahead. Turning on our high beams momentarily, it appears we’re in a wooded area. The tree-lined path narrows the further we drive. My heart starts to race and I’m beginning to regret our decision. What were we thinking?! It’s too late to turn around and we likely won’t find our way back to the main road at this point. The brake lights turn on in front of us and we stop. It’s the dead of night and we are at a cul-de-sac in the middle of the woods with three random men. We turn to each other with a look of uncertainty. “We're dying tonight," I tell Brandi in a panic. The murdering Musketeers park their van. Samuel steps out and approaches us. "Lock the doors," I say frantically. Brandi concedes. Samuel knocks on my window and I lower it slightly. “Where are we exactly?" I ask with uneasiness. He laughs and brushes off the question, "It does kind of look like we lured you to a secluded area to commit murder!" I wasn’t quite sure what to make of that comment. Samuel says goodnight and smiles as he walks away. Are we overreacting? I close my eyes and hope the night proves that to be true. A ray of sun wakes me. I scan myself, relieved I’m in one piece. I hear something I hadn't noticed last night, a calm wind rustling leaves. I slide open the van door and notice Brandi amidst the trees, calling me excitedly. This place is far from terrifying by day. What we previously imagined to be thick woods is merely a few trees lining something surely beautiful beyond them. I threw on my bikini, a daily ritual of the trip, and toss my hair up in a messy bun. I slip on my flip flops and jog over to her. Through the trees, we emerge finding a stunning white sand beach, a cloudless blue sky and waves gently crashing against the shore. Not a soul around, besides us and our new friends. Samuel runs over to me and chuckles, “You really thought I’d murder you, huh?” He grabs my hand and leads me into to the water. He gently nudges my chin with his fingertips and I look up at him, “Are we in heaven?” I ask. “I know I am,” he says with a smile. He leans in and gently kisses my lips. And that’s where our love story begins.