Dark Forest

8.Night game

Hi! I have a short change of plans and so I decided that it would not hurt to give you a Halloween chapter at the Halloween night. And the 8 in the title is there on purpose, it is not a mistake, so don't get confused. I still have chapter 7 for you, but it would take a bit longer with it, so for now you get this one. Hope you will enjoy the game ;-)

Taking advantage of the fact that they were not yet dry, they decided to enter the lake once more. However, as soon as they managed to get out of the water, it turned out that it had already become noticeably colder, and the water that was running down their bodies was cooling them down, not warming them up.

"It got cold really fast, didn't it?" Elvis complained, rubbing his arms with his hands, as if he was hoping to warm himself up that way.

"That's because your hair is wet, Elvis," Arnold explained to him. "Here, dry yourself off," he added, throwing a towel at the surprised Elvis.

"You packed towels, and you're mad at me for bringing my ukulele?" Elvis asked, stunned.

"Towels are useful. And you didn't even bring a tent," Arnold repeated patiently.

"Please, we've heard this discussion like the hundredth time. Maybe you'll add something new this time," Ellie effectively interrupted them with her joke.

"I'm still cold," Elvis complained, tossing back a strand of hair.

"If you're cold, get in your sleeping bag, Elvis," Sam instructed him. "We're staying here for the night anyway."

"Why not sit by the fire?," Penny suggested, looking at Sam teasingly. "It's still pretty early, and we're far from trees and anything that could catch fire, so why not?"

"Good idea, Penny," Ellie agreed excitedly, as did Elvis, and even Arnold had to nod.

"How did I know you'd say yes?" Sam sighed grumpily.

"Because it's simply a good idea, Sam," Penny replied with a smile, walking over to Sam. "Don't worry, I'll help you light a fire," she added in a whisper, leaning over him.

"Thanks..." Sam was about to answer when Ellie effectively interrupted him.

"It'll be dark soon, so let's get to work," she suggested. "Me, Penny, and Arnold will look for some branches, and Elvis and Sam will light a fire."

No one wanted to argue with Ellie, so they all agreed to her proposal for a distribution of tasks. While Ellie, Penny, and Arnold disappeared into the shadows of the surrounding trees to look for suitable brushwood to support the flame, Sam and Elvis quickly collected single twigs that were supposed to serve as the seed of a fire. However, a fire could not be made without fire, and as it turned out, when they had everything ready, including a carefully arranged circle of stones, the only pack of matches they had also took a bath in the lake.

"What were those matches doing in your pocket, Elvis?" Sam asked skeptically, watching the drops continue to drip from the box.

"I must have forgotten about them," Elvis explained, embarrassed.

"Oh well. We'll have to resort to more traditional methods," Sam stated, sighing slightly.

While Elvis put the useless matches away into his backpack, Sam pulled out the flint and its strap from the front pocket of his backpack.

"I think it went something like this," Sam mumbled under his breath, trying to remember how to light a fire with a flint and steel.

"I've got some tea in the thermos. We could heat it up over the fire, what do you think, Sam?" Elvis asked enthusiastically, finally cutting off Sam's attempt to light even the smallest flame.