“Finally! We’re here!”

After miles of hiking through dirt trails, steep slopes, and dense trees, we arrived at our campsite. My legs ache with fatigue as we entered the spacious clearing.

“I know, right? I’m so excited!” My friend Autumn squealed, slinging her pack off her shoulder and onto the forest ground. It seemed she’d failed to pick up the dread and sarcasm in my voice. “Caroline, you set up the tent. I’ll set up the campfire.”

“Okay.”

I cry out groans of frustration as I struggle with our tent. The beams to hold it upright collapse as I adjust them. By the time the tent is correctly set up, the sun was well hidden in the horizon.

“Weren’t you taught how to set up a tent while you were in Girl Scouts?” Autumn asked, inspecting my work while biting into a granola bar.

“Seriously, Autumn?” I reply. “Girl Scouts don’t do this kind of stuff! They just sell average-tasting cookies for five bucks!”

Autumn shrugged, shoveling the rest of the granola bar into her mouth. “If you say so, Caroline.”

As evening rolled into night, the choir of crickets, owls, and birds sung their song. While the noises lulled Autumn into a peaceful slumber they keep me wide awake, unable to get even a few minutes of rest. The little space I had in the tent didn’t help either.

I peeked out of the tent’s flap, breathing in the cool dusk wind. The trees reach out, their beaches creating dark silhouettes in the night. My head cranes upwards towards the sky, speckled with shining stars. Through the dark, hues of red and pink stand out deep in the forest. A winding path leads up to the splash of color. I approached, dirt crunching under my feet, a beautiful field tulips came into view.

My favorite flowers.

The fresh perfume of pollen wafted to my nose, relaxing me, almost putting me to sleep. The symphony of nocturnal creatures quieted as I ran through the expansive flower bed, taking in the beauty.

So this is what Autumn meant when telling me this trip would be worth it?

I laid my body on the ground, sinking into the flowers around me. The exhaustion from what seemed like hours of hiking drained from my legs. I no longer regretted coming here. All negative thoughts left me as soon as I saw the bouquet Mother Nature has grown for me. Maybe I could convince Autumn to take me here more often. Maybe this garden could be here forever.

But until then, I sleep here.

Amongst the night flowers.