"You're sure they aren't here?"
"They won't be back until spring to open the campgrounds again. Should we try going over the gate or around it?"
I stared at the metal fencing in the darkness. I wondered what kind of fines trespassing carried. I saw a gap on the left side of the fence -- just big enough to squeeze through, if I could get over the chain and lock halfway up.
"Around," I pointed. He nodded and proceeded to step over the chain, careful of the signs telling visitors to check in at the office. I followed, a little less gracefully, but we made it into the abandoned campgrounds without too much trouble. He led me up a path away from the dusk-to-dawn lights of the main offices. We held hands as we made our way through the trees and up the slight hill.
"Want to go see the lake?" he asked.
I nodded and we headed off down a gravel trail between tall pines. The eerie quiet around us made me forget we were less than a mile from the main highway. A small bird or squirrel or breeze would make us jump, it was so silent.
We neared the water and I could see lakeside homes across the way. I realized how cold it was looking out over the still and dark mirror reflection of the sky. "It's beautiful," I sighed.
"Are you cold?" he asked. I looked at him like he was crazy if he wasn't. He pointed up the hill at a small shack, probably installed for a watchman or the kids visiting the campground to hang out in. Instead of windows, it had openings in the wood sides, but the door and walls seemed sturdy enough, it would probably be pretty cozy once we got inside.