***
A great fire blazed before us, igniting the emptiness of the night sky. Somberly, I gazed upon it, entranced by the glistening embers as they danced in a silent ritual. Alec had suggested we dispose of the body by burning it, as if we kept it, it was sure to lure predators in our area. Also, he had added, we didn't have the proper materials for burial, and we had to focus on getting home. Deep down, I knew he was right. We couldn't possibly take Cecilia's remains back with us. And yet, every impulse, every nerve in my body detested the idea. I wanted Celes to have a proper burial.
Thus, we watched the fire ripple before us, looming against the shrouded twilight. Our chests ached of emptiness, so much so that I could hardly bare to watch. Yet, I forced myself to. Silence pierced the night, and even though the warmth lapped through us, I knew that we all felt the same. Chillingly cold. Finally, I spoke amidst the enchanting blackness.
"I think that even though Cecilia's gone, we should continue to remain friends. We should stand together through this. It's what she would have wanted." My words stood in a shrill mist upon the darkness, as they seemed to embed within the embers themselves. No one spoke. They simply gave a brief nod, biting their lower lips and appearing consumed by the flames.
Alec then whispered something I will never forget.
"It's like she said. If one of us falls, we all fall together."
YOU ARE READING
A Perfect World
AdventureJay is a normal kid. Normal town, normal school, normal life. Or so he thought. When embarked on a field trip off to the middle of nowhere, he and his close childhood friend, Cecilia, manage to get stuck with the craziest bunch of lunatics since the...
