Warmth

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Jeff looks at his friend Bible who seems  in his element at the moment. They've been walking for two hours, the scenery is breathtaking and so different from what they are used to.

Bible is on survivalist mode, Jeff feels strangely safe around him. If it wasn't for Bible probably he wouldn't have agreed to go camping in the wilderness like this.

They walked another couple of hours, with some short rests from time to time for a quick snack and a drink. Now they have reached their destination, a flatter area near the summit. There is a clearing with some stone ruins and a place to admire the panoramic view.

Bible had a wide smile on his face:

-We did it Jeff, look at this!

The sun is setting and both start putting up the tent up and preparing some warm dinner in the small gaz stove.

Bible found a fire pit bowl by the stone ruins and wants to make a fire.
Jeff offered to bring some wood from the nearby woodland while Bible finishes setting up their camp by the fire.

The sky was dark blue, there were a lot of unfamiliar noises in the forest and Jeff started to feel a bit uneasy.
He concentrated on the task, selecting broken sticks and pinecones from the woodland's floor.

The temperature was dropping fast and his ungloved fingers were soon reddish and sore.

"Fuck! Time to go back to warm up", he said to himself. He saw his own breath when he blew warm air on his hands.

He started his way back to the camp but now all the trees looked the same. The shadows were quite large and the atmosphere in the forest was a little bit spooky.

He tried to remember his steps and in the end took a faint path running parallel to the mountain. He shouldn't be too far from Bible and the camp so he wasn't really scared.

Meanwhile Bible was wondering why Jeff was taking so long... After another 10 minutes he put on a thicker coat from his backpack and with a torch went on the direction Jeff had left before.

Jeff stopped after some time walking. This couldn't be the right path or he should have been already back at the camp by now. He decided to walk back. Now his teeth are clattering with only a fleece over his t-shirt on. He can see thanks to the moonlight filtered through the tree branches so he advances very slowly in the darkness.

He remembers his phone and starts using it as torch, but not all the time to avoid using up all the battery. In the end he calls Bible.

The call goes through and Jeff hears the reassuring voice of his friend on the other side. Bible makes him describe the place where he is and his previous steps...

After a few minutes talking, Bible finds him, and surprises Jeff giving him a back hug.

-Here you are - he whispers on his ear.

He realised Jeff was freezing cold so he takes his coat off and helps Jeff put it on.

They are back at the camp and Bible has made a fire but Jeff is still pale and his teeth clattering, despite being wrapped up in Bible's coat.

-Let's try something else - said Bible -,  come inside the tent.