Genesis

Opinions and Loyalties

     I'm not sure how long we spent talking around the big campfire. I didn't even notice the occasional person or two that disappeared between the stories that were shared of previous lives, good friends, and a funny clip of this one cat playing the flute. Hours seemed like minutes, and minutes seemed like seconds, as even though I hadn't shared any stories of my own, I failed to notice that the sun was starting to set until a cloak of darkness had fallen all onto the camp, being deterred only by the dancing flames of the bonfire.

     It was just Mayanna and I left chatting about TV shows and music, and pretty soon, I wasn't sure exactly when, she had left too and it was just me, poking a blackened stick at the embers of the bonfire. The little sparks of red, orange and white, peered at me from the fallen ashes that covered the fiery glow, like a blanket of thick white snow covering a sapling in the birth of spring.

     I found myself drawn in by the embers, and perhaps engulfed by memories of my own from long ago: my mom's glistening smile when I started my first fire; the funny ghost stories she told; lying on the forest floor looking up at the stars. Sometimes we'd play the hide and quiet game, when she'd put me up in the tallest tree she could find, and I'd hear the loud voices and the bangs, but I had to stay quiet until she came to get me later. She always told me I was so brave for being so strong and so patient. Her glistening smile.

     I didn't even notice that Dorian was sitting next to me when I saw some movement to my left. I turned my head suddenly, only to find him staring into the embers too. I think I stared a moment too long because he turned to look at me.

     Why is he here? Should I say something?

     "Hi," Dorian said first.

     "Hi," I said quietly, and slightly confused as to why he was talking to me. He looked down and chuckled lightly after a moment of silence.

     "I'm glad you're out here."

     I was intrigued, and the silence of the forest was beginning to get uncomfortable, so I asked, "Why is that?"

     He half shrugged his shoulders and drew his lips in a way that was almost a smile. Certainly not the serious expression he always seemed to wear.

     "I... I guess it becomes unbearable. To stay up by myself every night in this silence."

     "You stay up every night ?" I asked him.

     "Yeah," he closed his eyes peacefully and listened for a moment, "I figured someone should. Because of the ragers."

     "There are ragers here?" 

     "I mean, it's not impossible that they're out here too," he stated nonchalantly before continuing, "I thought about putting a group together to take turns staying up, but I don't really know who I can trust... what do you think?"

     I paused for a moment, then realized, "Wait... are you asking for my opinion?"

     "Well, yeah."

     "Why?"

     "Why not?" he said, looking at me. He saw I wasn't contented by his answer, so he continued, "Quinn, I can see that you're smart. And you obviously know a lot about the ragers. You're capable of taking care of yourself, and you seem to be getting along well with everyone you've met so far at the bonfires and all. I know you, at least well enough to trust you, and I know you can help me sort this situation out."

     "You just met me," I stated, perhaps slightly more aggressively than I had intended.

     He ran his fingers through the back of his hair, "I guess." And with that, there was the torturous silence again.