**Natalie is a character from my first Higher Ground story. ________________________________________________________________________

Sophie sat in the kitchen of her and Peter's house. She was waiting for Peter to get out of the shower, so they could leave. The telephone rang and Sophie picked it up.

"This is Mrs. Young from the adoption agency," the person on the other side said.

"Hello, Mrs. Young," Sophie said pleasantly.

"I have some good news, you and your husband have been approved to adopt," Mrs. Young told her.

"Thank you. When is the earliest we can come a get our child?" Sophie asked.

"Today," Mrs. Young said.

"Is next Saturday around noon all right?" Sophie asked.

"That's fine," Mrs. Young answered.

"We'll be there," Sophie said, and she hung up the phone. "Peter!" she screamed.

Peter came running down the stairs in a towel. "What?" he asked.

"I just got off the phone with Mrs. Young. We were approved," Sophie told him.

"That's wonderful, but I thought you wanted to stay home for the first few months?" Peter questioned.

"I do, this is my notice," she told him.

"You'll be hard to replace," Peter said.

"I know," Sophie replied. "You'd better get dressed, or we're going to be late."

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"Camping in January; he is out of his mind!" Shelby exclaimed. The cliffhanger girls were in their dorm packing.

"I'm not going," Adrienne said.

"Peter will make you go, unless you're dead," Daisy told her.

"There is no way I'm going. I don't hike, I don't camp, I stay inside," Adrienne said.

"They only reason he's doing this, is because Sophie is quitting," Juliette stated.

"Don't care who's quitting I'm not hiking anywhere," Adrienne responded.

"I'd pack anyway," Juliette warned.

Adrienne climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over her head. "I'm sick," she stated.

The others continued to pack, and then they headed outside. The guys, Peter, and Sophie were already there.

"Where is Adrienne?" Peter said in a slightly irritated tone.

"She said she was sick," Shelby answered.

Peter immediately began walking towards the girls' dorm. Once he reached it, he opened the door without knocking.

"You have two minutes to be outside, or you'll be on shuns for two weeks," Peter told her. "I'll be waiting by your door."

"I'm sick," Adrienne started to say.

"Two minutes," Peter said, and with that, he left the room.

Adrienne grabbed her backpack that was already packed. She opened her hollow book and poured six pills into her hand. "This should be enough," she said to herself. She put the bottle back into the book and headed outside.

"That was quick," Peter told her.

"Whatever," Adrienne grumbled. Peter had really been irritating her the past few days.

A few moments later, the hike commenced.

Adrienne shivered, as they walked along. The icy wind seemed to be blowing right through her jacket. She tucked her gloved covered hands into her pockets.

Sophie smiled at Peter, and he returned the gesture. The cliffhangers noticed this, and they stared to giggle.

"What?" Peter asked them.

"Nothing, it's just maybe you two should get a room," Shelby responded.

Peter didn't reply to that comment. He did say, "In a few minutes, I'm going to split you guys up into three groups. Each group will be given a different map, to a different campsite." "Where will you be staying?" Juliette asked.

"There is a cabin, within a half mile of each of the camp sites. Sophie and I will be there, if anyone needs us, but we will be checking up on each group," Peter stated.

"The groups, are Auggie, Scott, and Adrienne; Daisy, Shelby, and Ezra; and Juliette, David, and Natalie," Peter told them.

Sophie handed each group a map. The maps had the group campsite marked, and written directions to the cabin.

The groups went in the direction of their campsites. Juliette, David, and Natalie had no problem finding their site. It didn't take Daisy, Shelby, and Ezra much longer either but the other group as a different story.

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Adrienne asked. "The map didn't say anything about having to cross a stream."

"This isn't a stream, it's a river," Auggie corrected.

"What are we going to do?" Adrienne asked.

"I don't know," Scott answered.

"Hey, there is a log over there, we could walk across it," Auggie told them.

"I guess, but aren't we lost?" Adrienne questioned.

"No, we aren't lost," Scott said, "we just were given an incorrect map. Let's just cross the river and look around. If we can't find the campsite, we'll go look for the cabin."

"Sounds good," Auggie replied.

"Adrienne?" Scott asked.

"It doesn't matter to me," Adrienne answered.

"All right then, let's go," Scott said.

Scott went across the log first, then Auggie. Adrienne climbed up onto the log and started to cross. When she was about halfway she lost her balance and slipped into the cold water.

Auggie and Scott rushed towards the edge of the river.

"Do you see her?" Auggie asked.

"No," Scott replied.

The two looked frantically for Adrienne.