Girl off the Grid

by Jillian Dodd

  “Deal.” He grins as we finally make it up the hill to the entrance of the restaurant.

  After lunch we split up into two groups. Jimmy, Floyd, Vivianne, and Manuel head to the frog exhibit. The rest of us—Adam, Diego, Nancy, Earl, and I—go to see the waterfalls. We are running a little behind schedule and had to choose one or the other as we have to meet back up in a half an hour to see the jungle cats together before leaving for the hot springs.

  We walk a good ten minutes before we get to a small opening in the trees. I’m at a loss for words as beautiful stone walls come into view. They are lightly covered in green moss and plants. Out of a small opening in the rocks, water pours out, cascading down the stone into a small pool below. The water is crystal clear, and it drains out of the pool, slowly flowing down in a small river toward the next waterfall.

  “This is beautiful,” I whisper to myself. Everyone has stopped walking and is standing still in awe.

  “Can you even believe this exists?” I speak louder this time, directing my question at Adam. “It’s like paradise.”

  “I can. But it doesn’t make it any less amazing,” he breathes out. The waterfall seems almost alive as the sound of it resonates through the forest. At first all you register is the gushing of water spilling over the edge, but listening closer you notice the sound the water makes as it slides down the cool stone. As it moves further away, you hear it trickle across the rocks, going lightly down the creek.

  We go further down along the trail and out onto a wooden platform jutting out from the rocks. At first I’m a little unsure, but once I get to the edge of it, I take in the next waterfall. The platform is above the second waterfall, so you can see the water meandering to the edge then shooting over before it reaches the next pool. This waterfall is louder, and the water is moving at a faster pace. The water is spilling over rocks instead of stone this time, and trees and weeds hang over the water, moving down the edge of the cliff like the forest wants to overtake it.

  “This is insane!” I squeal, noticing my excitement echoed in Diego’s and Adam’s eyes. Nancy and Earl decide to get a photo, and Adam instructs me to stand in a certain spot so he can get a photo, too. As soon as he takes it, Diego is moving us along to the next waterfall.

  We leave the dirt path and get onto a beautiful wooden bridge that takes us across an area bursting with greenery. We pass a stone wall covered in vines, and ferns stick up all around us. The bridge is made from tree branches that still have their natural shape, and as we get closer to the third waterfall, the area becomes dense with mist and fog.

  Once we reach the final waterfall, I’m completely captivated again. This one is different than the first two, the stone surrounding it a glossy black. Only a few weeds pop up on the walls surrounding it. The water almost looks like fog, following closely along the edges of the stone into a pool not far below where it came from. Everything surrounding it is dark, and lush, and covered in dew.

  “It’s practically magical.”

  “This alone was worth the trip,” Adam says, grinning at me from behind his camera.

  After a few minutes of enjoying the view, we make our way back along the trail and stop in front of the jungle cats exhibit. The area the cats are in is surrounded by a checkered cage open to the air, and inside there are trees, shrubs, and stone walls with perches jutting out from it. Walking around a corner we run back into Manuel, Floyd, Vivianne, and Jimmy.

  “Camille!” he exclaims, running up to me. “The frogs were so cool! They were all different colors. And I saw my favorite species!”

  “I bet that was so fun—” I start to say, but he interrupts me.

  “Look! There’s a cat!” His eyes dart between me and the cat, but I sense a hint of tiredness. I think he’s going to need a nap before dinner, or an early night in bed.

  Diego squats down next to Jimmy, but addresses all of us. “The Arenal Garden houses four different species of endangered cats. These cats are either injured, old, or have been exposed to humans for too long and cannot be released back into the wild. None of these cats were taken from the wild, except for those that were injured and needed care. The species they house are ocelot, puma, margay, and jaguar.”

  Looking into the enclosure, I spot two jaguars lying next to each other, perched on a stone overlooking us.

  “Look,” I say to Adam, pointing my finger out toward them.

  “They’re so majestic. It’s sad that they have to be here,” he says, shaking his head.

  “Yeah, it is.” I sigh. “But at least they are protected and living in a place that cares for them.”

  “You’re right. And at least they were either taken from the wild to save them, or they were brought here by the government because they were being kept illegally.”

  “It looks like they have a good home now.”

  “Camille spotted some jaguars,” Adam says to Diego, sounding a little more upbeat now.

  “I love jaguars.” Diego lights up instantly, and I am amazed at how he can remember all of these facts. Not only does he remember it, but he is so enthusiastic about it. He knows so much about so many different things. It’s pretty amazing to see the passion he has for his country. We move around to another side and spot a margay, which is long and lean and has a brown body with black spots and streaks and beady eyes.

  “The margay,” Diego says, pleased at the sight of it. “They live in trees, more specifically, dense forested canopies. They are nocturnal, but also are active somewhat during the day. They are closely related to the ocelot, and are a little larger than a house cat. But their long tails give them away.”

  “It’s so beautiful,” I say, looking up at the creature resting on a branch.

  “They have such large eyes,” Adam observes while taking a photo of it.

  “That’s to help them see better at night,” Diego says, glancing at his watch. “We’ve got to get going now.”

  Adam

  We get loaded into the bus quickly, Diego seemingly on a mission.

  “Why is he in such a hurry?” I huff as I sit down next to Camille.

  “His wife is meeting him at the resort,” she whispers back as Diego turns around in the bus to speak to everyone.

  “We are headed for the Mineral Springs Resort. Once we arrive, we will get you all checked in and then you will have the rest of the day to yourselves. Manuel and I will be available if you need us, but my wife is joining me, so try not to need me,” he says with a congenial chuckle. “I highly recommend taking a dip in the hot springs. They have multiple springs ranging in temperature and containing healing minerals like bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.”

  “What is so good about these minerals?” Vivianne asks.

  “Well, sulfur, for example, is great for skin inflammation. Magnesium is known to eliminate toxins. But bicarbonate is the most important as it helps open blood vessels aiding in circulation and is said to help the nervous system rebalance itself.”

  “It will be like going to the spa,” Camille says excitedly. “I can’t wait to try each one.”

  As Manuel pulls out onto the road, Diego takes the open seat in front of us, sitting sideways so he can talk to us.

  “You can both do as you please this afternoon, but you have a special treat tonight. Janet called me earlier, and she’s booked you a reservation for dinner at the resort’s best restaurant. Just charge everything to the room, and it will be taken care of. Janet said she wanted to make sure you had a relaxing night here.” Diego smiles at us.

  “That was so thoughtful of her,” Camille says, but my mind is thinking ahead to spending what sounds like a romantic evening with her.

  I roll my eyes at myself and stare out the window. What a ridiculous thought. I’m sure Janet just wants Camille to have one good meal while we’re here, so she doesn’t complain about the food in her article. Although, I don’t think she would. She seems to have eaten almost everything and gushes about the freshness of the fruit.

  Die
go heads back up to the front of the bus to sit and talk with Manuel while he drives.

  “I can’t wait to relax in the hot springs. I’m tired from today,” she says, leaning her head against my shoulder. “You make a good pillow.”

  “You’re not going to sleep, are you?” She pops her head back up, and I immediately regret what I said.

  “No, just getting comfortable, thinking about a nice soak and a good meal. Sounds like the perfect night.”

  “Yeah, it does,” I say, but then feeling awkward, I change the subject. “So, uh, what did you think of the waterfalls?”

  “They were one of the highlights of the trip.”

  “I can’t wait to read your article and see how the spread with the photos turns out,” I tell her. “It’s going to be hard to condense this trip down to just a few pages.”

  “Yeah, it is, but I just can’t wait to see the finished product and hold the magazine in my hands.”

  “Your story and my photos together forever,” I say, then I quickly add, “in the magazine. And, I guess, online, probably.” I stop talking, lean my head against the window, and close my eyes.

  I’m woken by the sound of the bus coming to a halt, and everyone standing. I rub my eyes and get out of the bus.

  The resort features a lodge constructed of dark wood that is punctuated by large grey stones. The colors are rich, and the tropical palms surrounding the place make it feel even lusher. Both Camille and I stop in our tracks, looking at the towering volcano rising up behind it.

  “Wow,” Camille says as her breath catches. “I can’t believe we climbed that yesterday.”

  “It does tower above everything. This place is pretty stunning.”

  “It is. I love it. So tropical.” She grabs her bag, struggling with its weight. “Come on, let’s check out the inside.”

  “Trade you,” I say, swapping her bag with my wheeled duffle. She smiles at me adoringly and then marches up to the entrance.

  We are greeted by a large open room with wooden beams on the vaulted ceiling.

  “I’ll get us all checked in. Wait here,” Diego says, going up to the counter.

  “Can you believe this place?” Camille asks me, beaming. “It is gorgeous!”

  “Alright, here are your keys,” Diego says, handing out room cards to the Johnsons. Then he addresses just us. “You two plan on meeting me here in the lobby tomorrow morning at eleven to head back out to the coast.”

  “What about the Johnsons?” Camille asks.

  “They are staying a few days longer than you. So they won’t be coming with us.”

  “Aww, no. I’m going to miss them. Vivianne,” Camille says, calling to her.

  “Dear?” she replies, looking up from her suitcase.

  “Tomorrow we part ways,” she says sadly. “Could we all do breakfast together in the morning? Like maybe around nine?”

  “Oh, we would love that,” Vivianne says with a large smile.

  Diego hands me the room keys while Camille is off chatting with Jimmy, who looks like he could fall asleep standing. “Here are your keys. Your room numbers are on the card.” He gives me a smirk. “And your reservations are for seven.”

  “What’s that look for?” I question.

  “Nothing. I think a romantic dinner, just the two of you, will be nice,” he says, his eyes twinkling.

  “I already told you, there’s nothing there. And I don’t have some secret crush.”

  “Uh huh, whatever,” he counters.

  “Anyway, what time does Mariam get in?” I ask, desperately trying to change the subject.

  “She’ll arrive soon. I’m sure we’ll see you down at the bar or restaurant sometime tonight.”

  “I can’t wait to meet her—” I start to say, but am interrupted by Camille.

  “Do you have the keys?” she asks, peering up at me. I hand her the key. “What room are you in?”

  “220. You?” I ask.

  “222. Right by each other.” She grabs my arm. “Let’s take our stuff up to our rooms, change, and get down to those hot springs.”

  “Bye.” I wave at Diego, who is laughing at me as I’m getting dragged to the elevator.

  “Okay, so come to my room once you’ve changed, and we can head down,” she says excitedly.

  “Alright. I think I’m going to leave my camera in my room for now. I can get some pictures of the hot springs before dinner.”

  “Perfect. Relax now. Work later.” She giggles as the elevator doors open to the second floor.

  We each go to our rooms, which are really nice. The floor and ceiling are covered in dark wood, and the walls are a clay stucco. A large bed sits against one wall while a fireplace covered in grey rocks rises to the ceiling on the opposite one. In front of the bed is a unique wooden bench that is completely carved out of a tree trunk.

  Wow. Camille is going to love this place. I move to the sliding door and step out to a balcony with an amazing view. I take a moment to enjoy its beauty before I change into my swim trunks and make my way to Camille’s room.

  I knock a few times before the door swings open, revealing Camille in a halter top printed suit in a bold teal color. Sadly, she has jean shorts on, covering the rest of it.

  “Your swimsuit is wild,” I say, walking into her room.

  “Thank you,” she smiles back. “Can you believe these rooms? And this view! Janet did a good job with this hotel, that’s for sure.”

  “She did. Are you ready to head down?”

  “Let’s go!” she says, tucking her delicate arm under my elbow.

  As we open the doors that lead outside, we see a small waterfall. The water coming over the edge of it falls into sprawling pools of crystal blue water. The grounds are terraced with small paths winding around to each spring.

  Camille’s eyes are bright with excitement. “Which should we try first?”

  “Why don’t we start at the top and work our way down?”

  Camille nods in agreement and takes off up the stone path that zigzags back and forth up the mountain. Wood rails flank either side of us as it starts to get steeper. After a few turns, Camille stops and looks back down.

  “Look at all of these pools, or springs, or whatever they’re called. This place looks like Jurassic Park without the killer dinosaurs.”

  “It kind of does,” I say, laughing at her comment, which is pretty accurate.

  She takes off again, excited to get to the top, but halfway up she slips. I instinctively catch her.

  “Careful, it’s a little slippery,” I say, finding her in my arms.

  “Thanks,” she says, smiling up at me, her face flush. “That was a close one.”

  I reluctantly let go of her, and she takes off, the near fall not seeming to quell her excitement. She’s lost much of her apprehension on this trip. And it sounds weird, but it makes me proud of her.

  “I think this is the one,” she says, once we reach the top. I kick off my sandals and strip off my shirt, setting it down beside the pool.

  I hold up my key. “Can you put my room key in your shorts?”

  “Yeah.” She smiles as she slowly slides her shorts down, revealing a flat stomach and, well, the equally amazing rest of her suit. She puts my key into her pocket and sets her shorts on her shoes then dips her toes into the pool. “It’s warm.”

  She decides to get in and takes up a spot on a built-in bench.

  “This water is special,” she says, closing her eyes and relaxing her head back against a stone.

  I get in slowly, letting the warmth consume me. The water instantly relaxes my muscles. I take a seat next to her, and we both sit in silence for a while.

  And it’s really nice. The sound of the waterfall is soothing.

  Camille still has her eyes closed, so I take a moment to observe her. She put her hair up into a bun, but a few tendrils have fallen down and curl around her face. I’m going to miss this girl. She’s crazy sometimes, but she has a really big heart.

  She bat
s her lashes, peering back at me with her hazel green eyes.

  Camille

  I open my eyes to find Adam staring at me. He quickly looks away, seemingly embarrassed, so I suggest we move on to the next pool.

  When he stands, I can’t help but let my eyes linger over his tall, lean body. His swim trunks are sticking to his thighs, and when he got out of the pool, I might have taken a peek at his cute butt.

  “I thought you wanted to get out?” He raises an eyebrow at me.

  “Oh, yeah.” I shake away my thoughts and get out of the pool. We grab our stuff and follow the winding path down until we spot another pool.

  We both sink into it, this one hotter than the first.

  After testing out a few more pools along the way, each one progressively hotter, we make it back to the main pool.

  “This water feels so nice and cool,” I say, sitting down on the edge. “The springs were great, but I got a little warm in the last one.”

  Adam sits down next to me then slowly dips his body into the water. The area is dotted with people, some in the pool, others laying out on the chaises.

  “Look at that,” I say pointing out the sunken pool bar. I slip into the water, resting my elbows on the edge of the pool, and kick my feet out. “I wonder what time it is.”

  “Probably almost five. When do you need to head back up to the room?” he asks, looking at me as he treads water.

  “Around five-thirty, so I can shower and get ready. I’m sure the restaurant is pretty nice, so I want to look good, and I already spotted a fluffy bathrobe in the room that’s calling my name. What are you going to wear?”

  “I don’t know,” he laughs. “I don’t really plan out my outfits like you.”

  “Hey!” I splash at him. “It was just a question. Besides, I didn’t know if you packed anything for a night out.”

  Adam peers at me, a twinkle of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Yes, I packed proper clothes, because I packed appropriately for what we would be doing on this trip,” he says, adding under his breath, “unlike someone.”