31-Day MCSM One Shot Challenge - July Edition 2018

Spirit

Generated word for the final day: Spirit

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Jesse stared into the slowly dying coals of the camp-fire. The light that's reflecting off of the cave walls were starting to dim as the embers faded.

Jesse sighed softly, turning to look at the open door. It was dark outside, and she could hear the wind howling. She didn't like the fact that Petra was sitting out there in the cold.

Jesse hesitantly got up, picking up Petra's jacket that was lying beside the dying camp-fire to take it to her friend. Petra probably didn't want to speak two words to her, but Jesse didn't want her friend to catch a cold on her account.

Petra was sitting outside on the grass, looking out in front of her with an expressionless stare. The cold wind was tugging at her clothes and hair, her pale skin covered in goosebumps and her lips blue.

"Jesse." Petra said softly when Jesse stepped up beside her. "Please just leave me alone."

"You've been out here for too long." Jesse replied softly, draping the jacket over Petra's shoulders. "Why don't you come inside?"

"No." The reply was simple and blunt.

Jesse sighed softly, sitting down on the grass beside Petra. She knew she was doing exactly what Petra didn't want, but she wasn't giving up on her friend that easily. Jesse hated seeing Petra that way – her gaze distant and her eyes expressionless.

So different from the strong, confident warrior Jesse knew a while back... so much more broken.

"I know you just want me to leave." Jesse said softly. "But it's not going to make anything better."

"Really?" Petra snapped, all of a suddenly glaring at Jesse. "How would you know?"

Jesse looked down at the ground, hurt by Petra's remark. The redhead's shoulder's slumped and she looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry."

Jesse didn't reply, only giving a small nod to show that she accepted the apology. Petra slowly slipped the jacket off her shoulders, properly putting it on, before returning to her former position – staring out in front of her lifelessly.

Jesse turned her head, following Petra's gaze. The lake beautifully mirrored the starry sky, reflecting the millions of silver dots back up. Petra sure had picked a beautiful place to set up camp.

"Why did you come?" Petra asked softly after a while.

Jesse looked over at her. It was the first time in days Petra had directly spoken  to Jesse, out of her own will.

"You said that day in the cabin... that you would wait for me in Beacontown..." Petra kept pausing throughout her sentence, seemingly in an attempt to stop herself from bursting into tears. Jesse's never seen the warrior that fragile. "Why did you come, Jesse? Why?"

"I thought... I thought that's what you would have wanted." Jesse replied softly.

"I did." Petra whispered softly, reaching up with one hand to wipe her eyes. "More than anything..."

She turned her head towards Jesse, her blue eyes glazed over with tears. "But not like this."

"I didn't want things to go the way they went either." Jesse said softly, tears pricking at her own eyes. "I just.. I just want you to be happy."

Petra blinked a few times, turning her head away from Jesse. She lowered her gaze to the ground, and Jesse watched a single tear roll down her friend's face. Jesse hated seeing someone as strong as Petra in such despair. Even more knowing it was all her fault.