Silent Night

Chapter Six

Chapter six

"You're not going to join them?" Jackson asked, making himself at home next to me on a log.

I watched the fireless pit as if I expected it to suddenly spark up with a combination of yellow-orange flames. Everyone's tents had been set up, ready for sleepy people to climb in them and get a good night rest.

"Nah." I poked the wood in the pit with a stick I found on the ground. "Too damn cold for swimming. I don't see how they haven't turned into blocks of ice yet."

The sun was hidden as the sky turned from a light orange with pink swirls slowly into a navy blue, making the forest seem darker than it was.

"I'll keep you warm." His remark made my cheeks warm up as if there was a bonfire going on. I kept my head down and away from him seeing my cheeks. It was getting dark, but that didn't mean he wouldn't see my bright blushing cheeks.

Quickly wanting to change the subject, I brought up whatever my mind could conjure up. "The forest was so pretty and full of life when we came in, now it's just terrifying. I'm pretty sure the boogeyman would keep away from this place." I looked around in the forest, outside of the camping circle seemed like a danger zone, inside was my safe zone, well until it gets too dark to not be able see anything. "As long as we stay inside the circle and don't go adventuring in the forest while it's dark, I think we're good."

"I'm sure anything that can kill you outside of the circle can kill you inside in the circle."

"Yeah, I guess my theory is pretty ridiculous." Still poking the non-existent fire, I began to wish more and more there was a real one.

"No. Everyone has their way of making themselves feel safe. If making up a theory about a protective circle makes you feel better, then so be it." He set his hand on my thigh, chills went through me. Even through the jeans I could tell his hands were cold. "How about we make this fire?" He took out a lighter from his bag, not the kind of lighter someone would use to light a cigarette with, the one someone uses for a grill. With a small flame coming from the top, he put the flame close to the firewood. Within seconds the wood caught fire along with the other wood and trash left behind by previous campers.

"Thank you. Um, hey Jackson.." I paused, rethinking what I was going to say. His eyes found their way over to me, flames from the bonfire reflecting in his eyeballs. He looked nothing but content. "Are you afraid of anything?"

He looked away from me, eyebrows knitted together as he thought of my question. "Being forgotten." He answered, letting out a sigh. "I know there are some people who wish they could just fall on the earth and disappear without anyone noticing, but I don't want that. I want to be remembered when I leave this earth." His voice cracked, but he quickly recovered acting as if he needed to clear is throat. "Stupid, eh?"

I didn't know what to say to that, I felt my heart tighten at his words, feeling selfish for the times I wished I could disappear off of the earth. Shaking my head, I finally found my words, "No.. That's not stupid. If you die before I do, I'll make sure no one forgets you."

He smiled, the vibe seemed to get happier than from a few minutes prior. "I'm sorry for making the mood kind of depressing."

"It's okay." I shrugged my shoulders.

"And I wouldn't be too sure about you outliving me. You are the one who almost fell off the side of mountain, not to forget about the other times we all had to save you from getting hit by cars." He laughed.

I laughed along with him, only my laugh was more out of embarrassment. "I'm starting to think I have a magnet inside of me that only attracts cars."