Page 63 of Cedarwood Cabin

Lyka approaches from behind, snapping me out of my daydream. His voice is soft as he speaks. “Dax is right. This is incredible, Flora.”

“I wasn’t sure if I had it in me. It’s been so long since I painted with color…” I admit, but pride washes over me as I look at the painting.

Dax places a hand on my shoulder. “This is a gift. You never lost it. Keep doing it.”

“It’s a powerful gift,” Lyka says as his eyes meet mine. He shows emotion in his eyes for a moment.

We all stand there in silence, admiring my painting. However, my thoughts go back to the weed brownie.

“I’m scared,” I admit.

“Don’t be, you have us. We will never let anything bad happen to you. I promise,” Lyka reassures me.

Never let anything bad happen to me.

His words make me feel weak. I hope he will keep his promise.

SIXTEEN

FLORA

The scent of oil and gasoline mingles in the air as we all stand in the garage around the motorcycles. Jigga What/Faint by Linkin Park and Jay-Z plays on a stereo in the corner. The moon shines through the open door, casting shadows on the trees.

“It's been an hour. When will these brownies kick in?” I ask.

“Just give it time, flower,” Dax replies with a smirk playing on his lips.

Lyka chimes in, “When it hits, you’ll know.”

I walk over to one of the bikes and run my finger over the metal. The garage starts to feel alive.

“Hey, let's go for a ride while we wait for the brownies to kick in,” Dax suggests.

Lyka raises his eyebrow. “Backroads?”

Dax nods. He walks over to a workbench, grabs two helmets, and passes one to me.

Lyka helps me adjust the straps and ensure the helmet securely fits me. As I stand between them, a silent question hangs between us. My eyes dart between them, not knowing whose bike to choose.

I decide to walk over to Lyka’s bike. Dax scoffs and shakes his head. I can tell he is a bit annoyed by my choice.

Lyka smirks as he holds my hand, helping me mount the bike. They both start the engines and they roar to life. I feel the bike vibrate underneath me as I straddle it.

“Hold tight,” Lyka states.

I wrap my arms around his waist, feeling his muscular body under his T-shirt. He glances back at me, his eyes meeting mine through the visor, and gives a nod.

Dax pulls out of the garage first and Lyka follows closely behind. We speed down the gravel driveway to the backroads.

I can feel the cool air against my skin, the wind rushing past us as we pick up speed. The trees on the side of the road start to blur.

I tighten my grip around Lyka’s waist. I start to feel the brownies kicking in and my senses start to heighten.

The back roads are deserted. There isn’t a person in sight, only nature and the night sky.

Dax leads the way as the road twists and turns. Lyka handles each corner with ease.

The brownie's effect deepens. When I look up at the sky, the stars sparkle and everything seems more alive. It’s breathtaking.

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