But Love Is Overrated Anyways

Chapter 20: But They Had To Stay

Hour 5

Dan hefted the bucket onto his shoulder, sweating as he carefully poured it out into the cauldron. A fire burned underneath it, and once this water was boiled and distributed he’d have restocked the entire camps water supplies.

 A few meters away, PJ stirred a similar pot, only the water also had clothes mixed in. They didn’t get to fully wash their clothes often, usually just rinsing and wiping them off. Once they had soaked in the hot water for long enough, they’d be hung up to dry and everyone would go and collect their respective clothing. The downside was that that meant they had to stay in the city for at least the rest of the day. The decision had been made without speaking it, but no one objected. They were tired, and sleeping in real beds had made going back to tent lives all the less attractive. They would let Mandy’s old friend come to them.

 That morning Mandy had gotten up early, but the two boys stayed in bed as long as they could, just laying together, not even pretending to be asleep.

 "Mandy doesn’t know the extent of your powers,“ Dan said, not looking at Phil. "She thinks we’re defenseless just because most of us don’t show off our powers. We’ll be able to handle whatever comes just fine.”

 "I’m sure you’re right.“

 So they spent the day getting their things together, refreshing their supplies and mentally preparing for what would happen the following day. They didn’t know the powers or even the identity of what was chasing them, they only knew what Mandy had told them, but that was still hardly enough to go by. They estimated that they could have the morning to gather themselves, then by mid-afternoon be packing up.

 Dan found himself yawning as he worked. As much as they’d wanted this to be a break, it seemed more and more like they would not be getting much rest.

 At one point, after the water had come to a boil, Phil came over. "Hey. Almost done?”

 "I think so,“ Dan replied, his hands in his pockets. "I don’t think the water’s hot enough yet.”

 Phil hummed, coming closer. He put a hand on the rim of the cauldron and stuck his other hand in, dipping a finger in the boiling water like it was nothing. “Yeah, it needs a little more time. How about you back up, give it some room?”

 Dan cracked a small smile, playing along and backing up. Phil went around the large pot and leaned against it casually, careful not to tip it.

 Underneath the pot, the fire burned a little brighter. “So… how’re you liking city life?”

 Dan snorted. It was technically a city, but not in the way the word used to mean. When Dan was young, a city meant huge skyscrapers, buses and crowded streets and all sorts of official business people. This was hardly a city. It had streets, but they were all stone, most of which were too narrow for a car to fit through. Small houses, little connection to the outside world, not to mention that one of the main aspects of a city was always that they were crowded. This city was empty.

 Dan rocked a little. “I like it. I forgot what sleeping in a real bed felt like.”

 Phil cocked a smile, looking at his feet. “Yeah, I know what you-” he leaned back too far against the pot and before Dan could warn him, it tipped over. The entire pot of boiling water knocked backward and poured out, with Phil falling right on top of it, the water hitting him full force. If it was anyone else, it would’ve been deadly. But with Phil, it was just funny.

 "Phil!“ Dan tried to be serious but he couldn’t hide his giggles. "You klutz!”

 Phil was laughing too. He laid down, his chest shaking with laughter. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”