The Grumpy Jerk

Chapter 41

[This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.]

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A pile of woods is stock in front of us. My group together with Dae this time is standing in a circle waiting for our adviser to give us a signal to start the bonfire challenge.

The challenge is about whichever group makes fire first will be the winner and will be awarded before the camp ends. No lighters or matches were provided. You need to make a way to make the woods blaze using other means and that is up to you.

"Are you ready?" she starts and we respond with a big yes. I look at my watch and it's exactly 5:35 p.m. and it's getting dark too.

"When you hear the whistle you can start with the challenge," she instructs and everyone gets ready.

"I'm excited to light these woods and feel warm," Namida expresses her excitement. It's getting cold already so we need to make a fire. We have prepared mallows on sticks. We will make toasted mallows later.

"Ready, set..." and she whistles. We start forming the woods in triangular form leaving a small space below to give way for the fire.

"What should we do now?" Dae asks when we finished forming the woods.

"You guys look for stones. Medium size will do," I tell them and they collect stones.

"Here," Chocho drops the stones on the white ground and I pick two from them and start rubbing them against each other. Good thing I told them to get some tinder near the forest.

"Friction creates heat. You rub stones together and put a piece of tinder on top of it until smoke appears," I tell them and they follow my instructions.

"Rub! Rub! Rub!" Chocho utters and a moment later, smoke appears. Her force is incredible.

"Good job Chocho!" my teammates rejoice when smoke slightly appears. The tinder lights up and fire appears.

"Move it to the woods and put more tinder so the fire will expand," I command and they hurry to put the remaining tinder to the woods.

"I think we are the first," Wasabi exclaims in joy.

"All right, the woods are burning!" I yell and we hug each other in pleasure. We are the first! Thanks to the tinder we got from earlier.

"All right, we have a winner!" our adviser announces and we give each other a high-five. The others light up their woods and are still happy despite not winning the challenge.

"This is what you get when you have a genius in the group," Dae compliments me I guess and I slightly blush.

"No way, we worked together you know?" I say and they smile at me.

"Let's toast these marshmallows already," Chocho says and we sit down facing the fire and we start toasting the marshmallows. I try to cool it first by blowing off air from my mouth before taking one inside my mouth.

"How sweet!" I yelp after I tasted the caramel flavor-like of the toasted marshmallow.

"It's truly yummy," Wasabi agrees with me and we enjoy the taste of burnt marshmallows. I look around and most of the students toasted marshmallows too and some just keep themselves warm.

I love how the heat gets into my flesh in a place covered with ice. It feels like home with a burning chimney.

Namida takes out her mobile phone and she aims to get us a group photo.