THE BLAME

"Where is Mirah?"

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" she called into the emptiness of the wild.

"We'll do our best!" came the return call, loud and clear enough for her to hear.

"And we will come back for you, Mirah," Ben promised, looking over his shoulder.

The shadowy silhouette of the group had slowly disappeared further down the road. Their loud but faint chatter leaving traces of their presence. A crisp breeze gusted past, hoots filling the silence other than the chirps of various insects.

It didn't take long for her to untie the sweatshirt around her waist and pull it over her head. In greater hopes of warming her chilled neck, she removed her hair band, allowing her shoulder-length hair to warm her.

Mindful to the individual objects sprawled across the surface of the earth, Mirah made her way to a large stump. She then subsided to the ground, hugging her legs, trying to keep warm, keeping watch for the return of a group member.

Meanwhile, the group that had left Mirah made their way down the road, careful not to trip over anything in the darkness of the night. Most of them were shivering from the cold, others from fear of not knowing what might lurk in between the dark grass and trees. 

Ben, being the brave boy, suggested they all make small talk and keep the light conversation going to ease up the tension in the air, and avoid their thoughts wandering to their unnerving surroundings.

                                                                                           ***

"Guys, look!"

"The campsite," someone gushed.

"Finally; my feet are killing me," another complaint and a few other moans of solidarity follow.  They entered the gates which grant them access to their temporary shelter, made up of tents. 

Half the group immediately went over to sit down, while the others head straight toward food and their beds. The other camp members all surround a campfire, chattering, and laughing away.

"Guess who's back," Jessica announces chirpy and a round of applause greeted the group upon their arrival.

"You lot sure took your sweet time, didn't 'ya?" , "Yeah, no kidding!"

More laughter erupted from the campers and soon everyone was seated around the campfire, enjoying a good s' more. "So, how was the night walk for everyone?" Jamie, a camp leader, asked.

"Oh, it was great! Although it was  cold, pitch dark, and-" Ben started, "And my feet hurting!" Anna interrupted chuckle some, along with other giggles and agreements.

"It feels like we're forgetting something," Jessica mentioned warily toward Ben specifically.

"Yeah, like something is missing?"

Just then Asher showed up. "I've checked everywhere since you guys showed up," he sounded concerned, yet very calm and collected about it.

"Where is Mirah?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a squared stance.

Their faces aghast, they each looked at the other.