The Fire Is Burning Down

The fire had burned down to a low pile of glowing coals. The loud crackling of the flames had grown quieter with each log that collapsed. The group had thinned out—most of the boys and girls had already gone to their tents. But the diehards remained. They sat huddled together in the golden-red glow of the campfire, feeling relaxed from the wine and the warmth.

Noah sat cross-legged on a rock by the fire, lazily strumming his half-out-of-tune guitar. He sang a few lines from a folk song in his deep, resonant voice until Tasha groaned in exasperation and threw a pine cone at his head. “That's enough,” she cried, laughing. “You've played that song twenty times today.”

Noah caught the pine cone in midair and grinned. “I only do it for you.”

“Be careful,” Marcus muttered, his mouth hidden behind his metal cup, “she scratches and bites when you tease her. I know what I'm talking about.”

Lena just giggled softly. She sat wrapped in an oversized sweater, her legs folded beneath her, staring dreamily into the remains of the fire. She hadn't said much all evening, but when she did, it was sharp and point-blank.

Carol leaned back on her elbows, the dry pine needles beneath her still radiating the warmth of the day. The lingering effects of the wine coursed through her limbs, making her thoughts soft and sluggish. She hadn't intended to drink so much – “Just one glass to toast, Carol, you're the responsible one.” But somehow her cup had never been empty. The young people had made a game of constantly refilling it. She hadn't really paid attention and completely lost track.

She stretched, letting her tank top ride up a little and reveal a strip of her stomach. Despite three children, it was still flat and smooth. And she was proud of it. No reason to hide it. She deliberately left it where it was and didn't pull it down again.

Noah was sitting across from her. His gaze darted over and then quickly back to his guitar. He pretended it was an accidental movement of his head, but Carol knew better. His eyes had lingered too long on her stomach, then darted to her breasts, which were clearly visible under her thin top, and then wandered down to her shorts and along her long, bare legs. Maybe it was the flickering fire, but Carola thought he blushed. Not wanting to embarrass him further, she turned to Marcus.

“Do you go camping often?”

He shrugged. “Sure. My parents have a trailer. We go camping every summer. But you don't seem like the camping type, Carol. I bet you'd rather check in at one of those spa resorts.

Carol laughed softly. “What? You don't think I can last a few nights on an air mattress?”

Marcus looked at the ground and grinned. “I could see you doing that. But I bet you packed a big, soft pillow.”

“Guilty as charged,” she laughed, raising her hand. “And hand sanitizer. A spare roll of toilet paper. And a power bank.”

Lena leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. “Yeah, but that tank top looks better on you than anything we're wearing. Pastor George spent the whole evening trying not to look.”

The group burst into loud laughter—happy, shrill. But some glanced nervously behind them to see if the guard had heard the cheeky remark.

Carol blushed. Only partly out of embarrassment. She glanced at Lena, pretending to be indignant. But inside, she had to admit that the girl had struck a nerve. She had noticed the looks too, and in a way she had enjoyed them. The attention felt good. To hide her feelings, she waved them away casually and said in a conversational tone: “Oh? The holy man wouldn't even notice if I danced naked under the stars. He's too busy praying.”

Lena coughed and pretended to have swallowed some wine.

Noah played a chord and smiled. “I don't know. I think he sees more than he lets on.”

Carol leaned forward, rested her chin on her knee, and said mischievously, “Oh, I think Father George is a very observant man. He sins first and confesses later.”

Silence. Just for a moment. But long enough for everyone to realize how weird that comment had been.

Then Tasha whistled through her teeth, and the tension dissolved into laughter. But this time it was thinner, less lighthearted. The mood around the fire had changed.

Carol laughed along, but her skin tingled. She didn't look over her shoulder. She did not need her eyes to know that he was standing behind her. In the darkness beyond the fire. And that he had heard her.