Three Brood Instigators

51. Ancient Art of Photography

"PHOTO OF THREE BANK ROBBERS JUMPING ON THE ROOF IN KINGSTON—ESCAPING WITH $6.5 MILLION—IGNITED GRILLING OPINIONS"

"ALEX TILLMAN SELLS FOOD PHOTOS, WITH 20 MILLION PHOTOS TAKEN SINCE 1991, AND $2.5 MILLION IN SALES"

"LOCAL IDIOT IN TAVERNIER SAYS PHOTOGRAPHY IS A USELESS JOB"

"Rob," Clayne called as he awoke. "Can't the heater be hotter or something?"

"Uhm, it is 75 degrees already, Clayne, it is hot enough for me," Rob said.

"Great, New Year is gonna be a cold disaster," Clayne said. "Say, where is Ben or Herman, I saw them before."

"Herman is helping Ben with his favor... or the opposite, I guess," Rob remembered. "Febby will be here, she said she wanted to give us some tiramisu cake she got from a gig with Van."

"Us?"

"Well, if you are still here, I guess you are counted," Rob considered.

"You are one lucky, kid," Clayne called. 

"Speaking of which, I wonder if this town will celebrate with fireworks," Rob wondered,

"Yeah, well," Clayne rose up, wearing his jacket. "It would be a miracle if they did, be right back."

Clayne left the cave, to find another room temperature. He started with that rock he liked to rest on, usually as the most viable third option to get away with everything. Still, it was quite cold for him, he didn't want to sleep in the underground like Drock, didn't want the likes of Eli in his sights. He'd always slept on the outside most of his life, on any assert of situation, but ever since Tavernier came into his eyes, he often wondered how far he have gone to deserve to live and cooperate with such a cursed town.

"Hi," he suddenly disturbed Clayne's introspection.

"Oh, uhh, Wilkes?" Clayne reacted.

"Uhh, that's right," Wilkes said. "How are you, Clayne?"

"Uhh, good, I guess," Clayne said, standing up. "What you want?" he asked. "Uhh, I mean, why, why are you here? Uhh, sorry, I... I never really talk..."

"Oh, no, no, it is ok. I, I am supposed to be sorry," Wilkes took it back.

"Uhm, for what exactly?" Clayne confused. 

"Uhm...I know this is a lot to ask, but I need your crew's help," Wilkes stated.

And so Febby heard his proposition and the acknowledgment that Clayne knew him for quite a number of coincidences, and nonetheless, considered him a friend while giving him a piece of the cake.

"Thank you, I am sorry if it is too much," Wilkes craved the Tiramisu.

"Sure," Febby tolerated.

"I love tiramisu," Wilkes craved.

"I do too," Febby said. "Robert?"

"Of course, anything coffee, I like," he said.

"Clayne?" Febby asked.

"Meh, too creamy, not my style,"

"Look at you," Febby implied. "You used to like these."

"People change, it is a long time ago," Clayne stated.

"You are young, it is not so long ago, you haven't even passed a real decade, yet," Febby said.

"I understand," Wilkes said. "Wow," he giggled

"Uhh, why wow?" Robert asked.

"Oh, it is uhm, this is a nice cave," Wilkes responded. "Uhh, you know, the decorations, the... setup, the colors, the vines around the rocks, it is quiet, and quite... authentic—even for a photo, I say."