84 The Meadow gonna blow their minds!” Bailey directed the canoe to the bank. When it ran aground, she jumped out and rushed to the tree, stopping an inch from a vine. Her hand trembled as she brushed her fingers against a leaf. She pinched it, rubbing her thumb over it, and covered her mouth. “Look at you,” she whispered. “Aren’t you beautiful.” “Smile, Doctor!” Amanda said, taking a picture just as Bailey turned her head. “Don’t use flash!” Bailey said. “It might damage the trees!” Amanda walked around the tree, inspecting it from all sides. “Doctor, if this tree got through the bombs, then I don’t think my camera’s little flash is going to hurt it. Do you want to take...Doctor.” Bailey joined her, pushing through hanging vines. They stood on a hill, overlooking more trees than either had seen in their lives, trees to their dried and barren memories seemed to go on forever. Such a deep green color going on and on. “A forest,” Bailey said. “Amanda, take a picture. Take as many as you can.” “Jacob is going to flip his lid when we show him,” Amanda said. They had spent an hour taking pictures, inspecting trees, and wondering to each other. “He’s always wanted--oh, he left a message.” “Hi girls, just checking in. Hey Amanda, turn your radio on! The river’s still going, but it’s narrowed a little bit. Nothing much to look at, hopefully you’re having a good time. It’s lonely! Catch you soon! Jacob out.” Amanda tried to contact him as soon as they got the canoe back into the river, but he didn’t pick up. “Jacob, you’re not going to believe it! Something happened and then...we found trees! We found a forest! I thought I was going to cry! We took plenty of pictures, so we’ll let you see them once we meet back up. It was like...Jacob, I don’t even know. It was like looking
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