Barn Trip

As her elbow had begun to throb from resting atop the car windowsill, Luna slipped her palm out from under her chin and sunk back into her seat. She inhaled deeply before letting out a discreet soft sigh, so as to avoid alerting her fellow passengers to her antithetical state of boredom. Next to Luna sat childhood and family friend Amelia. Amelia was Luna’s only association with this group of individuals, who, without Amelia, Luna knew only through passive observation from the low profile she had established at their local Viroqua high school. Although Luna and Amelia had grown to disparate ends of the high school persona-spectrum since their inaugural elementary school relationship... Luna wasn’t about to turn away an opportunity to avoid the apprehensive state of affairs that had permeated her home life. When Amelia offered her to join the group on a weekend, psychedelic, rundown old barn venture, Luna accepted without second thought. Despite the fact that she had no interest in dismantling her misanthropic approach to relationships, nor did she care for the recreational use of hallucinogens.

The group was comprised of what appeared to Luna to be, a rather dissonant mismatch of individuals. A group that she presumed would lack the harmony required to successfully embark on an intense magic mushroom trip together, gathered from what she’d heard about others’ experiences with the fantastical fungus. On the other side of Amelia sat her boyfriend Carter. The latest on one of the most exhaustive lists of partners in the Viroqua high school chronicle thought Luna. This was in some part true. While Luna had refined her proficiency for inconspicuousness, Amelia had focused her energies toward scaling the social ladder and reaching the pinnacles of small town popularity. Making her way through many of the local bachelors she deemed eligible along the way. Differences and thoughts of ridicule aside, Luna actually admired Amelia for this feat. Not for the indulging in cliché teenage narcissism part, but rather for the resilience required in the face of antagonising rumours and the attracting of nasty individuals that typically go hand in hand with one’s ascension to high school validation. Luna knew how horrible some of the gossip going around was about Amelia, yet somehow Amelia remained kind and bubbly on the exterior. Luna did not share the same admiration for Carter however, despite his prevailing status among the high school riff-raff. It seemed as though he had found his way to validation through the consistencies of douchebaggery, or so Luna believed anyway. In the front passenger seat was Carter’s friend Owen who surprisingly unlike that of Carter and Amelia, didn’t strike Luna to be concerned with the affairs of the popular kids. Owen like Luna was more of an introvert around the schoolyard, although his connection with Carter appeared to work in his favour when it came to parties and other social events around the high school cliques. His accolade of ‘school drug dealer’ didn’t hurt either. Lastly, in the driver seat was a girl named Riley. Luna knew the least about Riley. Only that she graduated high school last year, and it was her parent’s property on which the rundown old barn aspect of the trip resided.

- - -

After passing over rolling green hills on roads encapsulated by a blend of forests, grasslands and farmlands, the group reached Riley’s family farm.

“Just up here, its behind that shed at the top of the hill.” Said Riley as she pointed to an old decrepit shelter atop the grassy knoll. They continued to the foot of the hill before Riley parked the car. Everyone hopped out and stretched their legs.

“It’s so beautiful out here. Away from the town out in fresh air.” Said Amelia as she stretched up onto her tippy-toes and reached skyward.

“Son of a bitch! My asshole is so sore from that car ride.” Declared Carter as he swung his leg back and forth with one hand propping him up against the car.

“Yeah it sure is lovely out here, especially at this time of year.” Agreed Riley, bypassing Carter’s crude remarks and meeting those more pleasant from Amelia.

Meanwhile Owen was opening up the boot of the car and quickly retrieving a black cross-body bag that he equipped with eagerness. Luna suspected the forbidden goods yet left her curiosities unresolved as to what other contents may have been enclosed within the bag.

“Okay grab your sleeping bags, we’ve only got the afternoon light so let’s get moving.” Said Owen grabbing the rest of his things.

“Good call!” Said Riley and followed suit.

“Who put the candy-man in charge?” Jeered Carter, his comment again failing to find any mutuality of humour within the group.

“If we unpack our stuff now we can trip in the light, also I don’t want to miss golden hour.” Responded Owen. The group gathered their sleeping gear and plodded their way up the hill.

- - -

Luna looked down at the mushrooms. They appeared shrivelled and dry like little flower petals in fall.

“Bottoms up.” Said Riley as she munched down the handful that Owen gave her.

“Bleh. Tastes like shit.” Carter grimaced as he chewed them down.

“Yeah not the most pleasant of flavours.” Added Owen.

“I don’t mind it.” Amelia appeared to be the only one who thought so. Luna still held her handful in contemplation. For a second her nerves got the better of her, a fear of the inability to control her mind while tripping intruded her thoughts. She remembered her parents, the reason she was so willing to join in on the mischief in the first place. Their relationship had become strained, and Luna was beginning to see character flaws and pettiness seep through the cracks of what once seemed like a healthy and functional marriage.

Maybe they put on an act for us, she thought to herself.

Maybe dad knew about mom’s affair the whole time and held back his frustrations for our sake. The idea seemed redeeming. But Luna had seen enough of what her parents had pushed as an idealistic way of life. Stay in school. Don’t do drugs. Go to university. Find a good partner. Settle down and have kids. Their own step by step guide on how to end up like them.

Let’s see where this takes me instead decided Luna, and she gobbled up the mushrooms like a handful of candy.

The group spread out atop the hill next to the old barn. Dipping in and out of conversation, looking around, taking in the view. Luna wasn’t sure what side effects she was supposed to be feeling, but she was sure that Riley’s scenic farm was a charming place to spend the weekend. Mushrooms or not. As time passed she began to notice a subtle change in her consciousness. This change became rather unsubtly clear when her brain whirled into a spiral of thought, as Carter Stated:

“I’m not sure I like this. My thoughts are like, racing.”

“I’m not too sure how I feel about it either.” Amelia reinforced.

“Relax you pair of worrywarts, let the fungi do its fing.” Riley reassured with a comedic accent. Luna tried playing it cool, but she too was finding a sense of unease, similar to that of Carter and Amelia. She looked to Owen who was the only one standing up. Everyone else was laying at this point. He reached into his bag. This averted Luna’s attention successfully, as she was about to find out what he had retrieved so keenly from the car earlier on.

Owen pulled out an old film camera. Odd thought Luna. I wouldn’t have picked that. He proceeded to take pictures of the barn, the hills, the flowers and occasionally the group. Luna felt that her inquisitive side would keep that feeling of unease at bay.

“That’s an interesting thing to do while taking mushrooms.” She blurted out, now joining him in standing.

“Really? Honestly it’s the main reason I do them these days.”

“What do you mean?” Luna found that her curiosity seemed to resonate with the mushroom’s influence, which was now making itself rather apparent.

“Well, look around. I feel them kicking in so I assume you will soon too. I feel as though they allow me to look at the world in a different light. You know. They uncover some layers of thought and perception that the sober eye can’t identify.” Owen’s words fascinated Luna. She nodded and proceeded to look around with those words in mind and was delightfully surprised by what she could now see. It seemed that before this moment, Luna had only been capable of viewing life as if a low resolution video, deprived of the whimsical details she’d only once recognised as a child. And now as she stood there, captivated by the moments vibrancy as it engulfed her, it were as though everything had rendered into the highest of definition. And she was a part of it all. One with it. Bestowed the privilege of insight into the wonders of a world she had occupied unknowingly this whole time. Luna turned and no longer saw an old rundown barn, but rather a wooden entity of history and life, inhaling and exhaling with the rhythm of the world. The flowers tessellated. The clouds popped in stark contrast to the sky that embraced them, a sky now coated in the deepest of afternoon blues.

Owen was readjusting the focal length of his camera, trying to capture the moment with a landscape shot of the undulating terrain. He looked to Luna and smiled with empathy for her state of awe.

“Hey Luna.” He called to her. Luna turned and he snapped the shot he was looking for.

“Enjoying your first time over there?”

“It’s amazing. Everything looks so unreal!” She giggled, Owen followed suit and the pair continued into an unruly, albeit pleasant, fit of laughter. They continued to embrace the ethereal wonders of nature into the golden hours of the afternoon. And golden hours they were indeed.

- - -

The group migrated to inside the barn to get cosy for the night. A lengthy gap in the barns roof worked like an aperture, allowing a cast of moonlight to cut through and illuminate the space. Owen, Riley, and Luna had enjoyed the trip up until this point. Unfortunately the same could not be said for Amelia and Carter, who only managed to perpetuate each other’s bad trip all afternoon. Now all sharing the same space, the bad vibe emitted from the high school power-couple inflicted a mental space of doubt upon Luna. She encountered a blockade of introspect. Its edges expanded beyond Luna’s wit and her incomprehension allowed only for the confrontation of the topics it encompassed. Carter had experienced a similar blockade earlier on in the trip, only he chose to scale its edges. This tactic proved unsuccessful, and only provided him a new vantage point from which he was able to turn around and observe his small self. His inability to cope with the trip. The fact that he was indeed, no better than anyone else in the barn beside him. Luna became entangled by thoughts of home. Thoughts of her parents. How her ego was entwined with the dynamics of their relationship. How it would remain a part of her no matter where she went. A spider’s web faintly twinkled in the moonlight. Luna starred at it and pondered its relevance in this moment. An omen maybe? She considered the spider whose web it was. Had it watched them all afternoon from this vantage point? Was it so patient? She felt akin to this personification and turned her attention to the agitated power couple. Luna felt for them but decided she could not help them at this time. They reminded her of her parents. Helplessly entangled within the complex webs of their lives, yet only concerned with the superficial. Maybe she could help?

She took a deep breath and let the thought pass.