At Ends

Chapter Three: On the Road Again.... On Foot

We kept walking through the trees. I tried to distract myself, looking at the beauty around me.
Marra stopped and we fell in stride together.
"Lynne... You okay?" I nodded softly.
"I guess so." She didn't look convinced, and to be honest, I wasn't either. "The trees are pretty. That one," I point to a tree coming up on my right," looks like fingers sticking out of the ground, but giant." She laughed.
"It does doesn't it? Is this what you've been doing?" I shrugged and nodded.
"Its a good distraction. How do you think they're holding up?" I gestured to the teachers, walking a few feet ahead of us, not speaking. "I don't think they've ever exchanged words." Marra shook her head.
"Well, I hope they're holding. They don't seem any better than us, though." Marra said. I nodded.
"True."

After awhile, it started to get dark.
"We should stop," Mr. Caplyn said. The rest of us nodded in agreement.
We stopped in a small circle, the size of it a little bigger than a classroom.
"We need a fire," Marra said. I nodded. I half expected her to bend down and gather twigs to try and make one, however her and Mr. Baine automatically looked at Mr. Caplyn and I.
"Oh, you want us to make one?" I asked, gesturing to Mr. Caplyn and I. They both nodded. I rolled my eyes.
"Great," Mr. Caplyn sighed, walking a little ways to find good wood pieces to start the fire.
I racked my memory for a way to make fire without a lighter, and looked for two smooth-ish rocks. I found some, and took leaves and a few pieces of thin wood, and gathered them into a small pile. I sighed and said a small mental prayer to whoever was listening, and struck the rocks together at an angle. And created nothing. I sighed and realized Mr. Baine and Marra were both watching me. I rolled my eyes and struck it again. And again. The third time I smiled in approval as a small spark jumped out from between the stones.
I struck it another four times before I got a weak flame started. I gently blew on it and fed it small pieces until it grew to a small campfire.
A freezing, blanket sharing, Mr. Baine and Marra gladly took places next to each other by the fire. Mr. Caplyn came over and put down a good sized stack of wood to feed the flames.
I pulled a few cans of chicken noodle soup out of my duffel, and realized we had no pots, or pans to put it in. I mentally facepalmed, but remembered I at least stuck spoons and forks into the bag.
"Soup, anyone?" I asked, looking around at everyone, Mr. Caplyn having sat next to me. They all nodded.
"Well, we don't having anything but silverware so, I'm gonna wing this shit," I said tearing the labels off and positioning the cans in the edges of the fire, so they'd warm up a little.
"Adelynne?" Marra looked at me, quizzically. I looked at her as if to say what.
"How are we gonna hold them? If they're hot because you just stuck them in a fire." I laughed, and asked Baine if he stuck socks or gloves into the duffel and he nodded, taking out four pairs of gloves, handing one to each of us.
"There." I smile at Marra. I continued heating up the soup, and handed a can to everyone after a few minutes. We all zoned out, and ate our soup quietly. I couldn't finish mine, so I gave the rest to Marra, before zoning out again.
I snapped myself out of it and yawned loudly.
"Well, dudes, I'm exhausted and feel as though I'm about to pass out." Mr. Caplyn nodded.
"Likewise."
I looked at Mr. Baine and Marra. "Are you guys okay with first watch?" They both nodded.
With that, I curled into a ball as close to the fire as I could to keep warm, biting my thumb absentmindedly.

--------------Marra's POV-----------

I watched Adelynne curl up, and bite her thumb. It was strange to see her sleep without a plushie. She closed her eyes and fell asleep five minutes later, softly snoring. I smiled to myself.
After the soft sounds began emanating from Ade, Mr. Caplyn, who for some reason hadn't laid down when she did, laid back, crossing his arms under his head and crossing his legs, as though he were laying back in a hammock. His breathing evened out and soon he was softly snoring.
I sighed and look in Mr. Baine's direction. He looked troubled. "Mr. Baine, are you okay?" He jumped slightly at the sudden question.
"Please, dont call me Mr. Baine anymore. Just call me Jeff. And. Yes I'm fine..." He trailed off. I didn't believe him.
"You CAN talk to me, you know? About anything." I said softly.
"Why did you save me? I'm just the choir teacher. He," Mr. Baine gestured to Mr. Caplyn," he taught something way more worth while."
I shook my head. "There was no inferior class. Choir is just as important. And so are you. You're important, and loved, and you mean a lot to me. Adelynne too, just maybe not as much. She hasn't known you as long."
He nodded, blushing a little. "Thank you, Marra. You can talk to me any time you'd like as well." He said, smiling warmly at me. I nodded a thank you, and looked back at the fire.
A few moments later a random question popped into my head. "So... Mr.-" my eyes widened a little before I continued, "Jeff, how is your fiancée?" I looked down a little. He shifted in his spot.
"We were.. Okay. I guess..." He trailed off, and I didn't believe him.
"You sure?"
He shook his head. "She was cheating on me. And I was losing feelings for her kind of." I nodded.
"Ahh. That's screwed up, I'm sorry Jeff." He shrugged.
"Its okay I guess." I shook my head.
"No! Its not! You're an amazing person." He blushed.
"Well thank you, Marra." He then yawned deeply. I smiled.
"You should sleep." He shook his head.
"I'm not tired. Besides, someone had to keep you company." I laughed softly.
"Yes, but even men need their sleep, and I have insomnia, so sleep is out the window for me most days anyways. Get some sleep." He sighed reluctantly, and nodded.
"Fine." He later back on his clothing filled duffel bag. Soon his breathing became even, and he slept. I smiled and looked around at the faces around the campfire, and how I never would have thought that I'd he stuck going through the end with these people. Okay, Adelynne, maybe. But the other two? Definitely not.
I looked up and watched the clouds move, looking at each star, mentally naming them, knowing I wouldn't remember the names tomorrow, or even five minutes from now.
I rested my head in my hands, and watched the fire dance. Caplyn sat up, and yawned.
"Feel better?" He nodded.
"Oh yeah." I smiled.
"I'll take watch, get some sleep," he said after I smiled.
"Do you want me to wake Ade, so you're not alone?" He shook his head.
"I'm gonna let the girl sleep. She needs it." I nodded, looking at the bags under her eyes.
I laid on my back, knowing it would take me at least 20 minutes to fall asleep.
Just as I was dozing I heard Adelynne whimpering softly in her sleep. I heard Caplyn move, and gently shake her to wake her up.
She sat up a little, softly panting. She realized where she was and sighed, letting her head back down. And just then I fell asleep.