Duantless Book 8: A Cold Journey

Chapter 5: Campfire Tales

Although the thought of Naoki, Ayame, and Shaffer making it to their rondevu point occupied Aiko, John and Amarie's thoughts and other one came into play. With their world now setting into a dark silent atmosphere, they concluded that setting up camp in a large clearing of trees was the best course of action. The surrounding area enclosed them with jagged rocks providing coverage from the forest and the gentle winds rolling over the snow-covered mountainside. They quickly erected camp, finding themselves in a peaceful setting as the clouds above gave way to a star-filled night. The area surrounding their campground was almost dead silent giving Aiko and John a feeling of uneasiness since they were not used to such a peaceful atmosphere being that they had spent most of their lives in the city.

Aiko found herself feeling outcasted from the group as she sat on her backpack, unable to stop thinking about the kids and Shaffer. She sat close to the blazing fire in the center of their triangled tents, feeling the warm heat against her face. She played the moment they fell through the floor over in her head and had an overwhelming feeling of regret from bringing them along. Aiko held herself a little tighter as all she stared into the fire, completely ignoring almost everything around her, including John walking up to her.

"You're stressing me out just by looking at you," John said as Aiko looked up to see him holding two metal cup filled with warm soup steaming in the night air. He gave her a friendly smile and passed her the cup. "Here."

"I...don't really feel like eating," Aiko said with a slight tone of melancholy in her voice as she turned away, looking at the ground.

"I didn't ask if you felt like eating." Aiko looked back at him and could see that he was not wavering from his position as he brought the cup closer towards her. She looked at the soup and then back at John, taking it with a meager smile, instantly feeling the radiating heat through her thin cotton gloves that she wore under her regular gloves that she had taken off just a moment ago. "Thanks, sorry. I can't help but worry."

"What? Do you mean the kids? They'll be fine."

"How do you know? What makes you so certain?"

"I know the kids, and I know Shaffer." John walked over to his backpack only a few feet away from hers and sat down, taking a small sip of his soup. "And I know you." Aiko lifted her head with surprise that he was so content about their situation. "With how the kids are and from what you've provided for them in their packs, I'm sure a couple of nights like this is a cakewalk."

"I do have to agree with your husband, Aiko," Amarie said as she stoked the fire a bit with a long piece of wood. "You guys did come prepared."

Aiko and John glanced at each other, and then without saying a word, came to a decision. "Amarie," Aiko said. "We have another confession. We're not...actually married."

Amarie let out a small chuckle as she threw her wood piece into the fire and then looked at them both only to see that they were not joking. "You're serious?" Aiko and John both nodded their heads. "Whoa, now that is a surprise."

"Why do you say it that way?"

Amarie stepped back to her backpack that also doubled as a chair and sat down. "Well, that was one lie I thought was true. I mean, it's just the way you two interact, is all. I really thought you two were together."

"Well," John interjected for a moment. "We work together, but that's it."

"Ok, ok. Look, I'm just saying that sometimes people can easily get lost up here, but your friends have one hell of a chance to reach the rendezvous point, especially with the provisions you packed. I mean, you put almost everything in there that they could need, even some stuff I don't have. Maybe I should be taking tips from you."