Read Online Judgment Day -03 by Arthur Bradley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Arthur Bradley
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“Here?”
“Why not? The ground is flat, and it even has a fire pit.”
She looked at him with furrowed brows.
“What good is a fire pit without a fire?”
“Ah,” he said, giving her a knowing look. “Do you still have that chocolate bar?”
The question surprised her. She pulled the candy from her pocket. It felt warm and soft.
“It’s melted,” she said, being careful not to squeeze it.
He took it and carefully set it on one of the stumps.
“Gather us some wood. I’m going to see if I can build us a fire.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you one of those survival experts who can start a fire with two sticks?”
“Believe me, that’s harder than most people think.”
“Then why should I bother with the firewood?”
“Because I’m going to show you a magic trick.”
She looked doubtful.
“Get going,” he said, waving her off. “We need wood. Lots of it.”
She reluctantly turned and began gathering sticks and twigs from the campsite’s perimeter. Tanner continued talking while she worked.
“Shelter, heat, food, and water. If we can get those, we’re golden.”
“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you,” she said over her shoulder, “but we don’t have any of those.”
Tanner stacked several small twigs, dry grass, and pine needles into a small teepee structure. Then he spit on the bottom of one of the beer cans and wiped it clean with his t-shirt. When he was satisfied, he unwrapped the candy bar, pinched off a piece of melted chocolate, and smeared it on the bottom of the can.
Samantha watched him as she continued picking up firewood.
“What in the world are you doing?” she asked.
“I told you. Magic,” he said, as he began to rub the chocolate around with the tips of his fingers, like he was polishing a pair of jump boots.
She snorted and wandered off to pick up more sticks. When she returned with an armful of wood, Tanner was examining the bottom of the can.
“Come see,” he said.
She hurried up next to him.
“What is it?”
He tipped the can so she could see the convex bottom. It was as reflective as any mirror she had ever seen.
“Wow, it’s really shiny.”
He nodded. “Now watch.”
He held the can near his teepee structure and tilted the bottom up to reflect the sunlight. A bright spot appeared on the pile of dried tinder.
“I get it,” she said. “It’s like a magnifying glass.”
“Exactly. The shape of the can reflects and focuses the light. Make the surface shiny enough, and the spot gets real hot, real fast.”
They both watched the bright spot illuminating the tinder. In less than a minute, a thin trail of white smoke started streaming up from the grass. Seconds later, a flame flashed to life.
“Whoa!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands.
Tanner quickly knelt down and blew softly, nursing the fire to life.
“Don’t blow it out,” she warned.
“My breath gives it a little more oxygen to burn.”
Samantha looked down at the flame and smiled.
“That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“It is, isn’t it?” He glanced over at the small pile of firewood that she had gathered. “Get some more wood. Bigger branches, if you can find any on the ground.”
“Right,” she said, hurrying away.
When she returned the second time, it was nearly dark, and she found a good-sized fire burning in the pit. Tanner was breaking off leafy branches from nearby trees and tossing them back toward the campsite. She dumped the wood beside the fire pit, exhausted.
“Is that enough?” she asked in a tired voice.
“No,” he said, without even looking. “Get some more.”
Unable to take her eyes off the fire, she slowly turned and went in search of more branches.
By the time she returned, he had constructed a simple shelter by tying one of his shoestrings between two trees and leaning the green foliage against it. He was busy weaving in smaller branches, leaves, and dried grass to create a thatched roof.
“Not bad,” she said,
“Here?”
“Why not? The ground is flat, and it even has a fire pit.”
She looked at him with furrowed brows.
“What good is a fire pit without a fire?”
“Ah,” he said, giving her a knowing look. “Do you still have that chocolate bar?”
The question surprised her. She pulled the candy from her pocket. It felt warm and soft.
“It’s melted,” she said, being careful not to squeeze it.
He took it and carefully set it on one of the stumps.
“Gather us some wood. I’m going to see if I can build us a fire.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you one of those survival experts who can start a fire with two sticks?”
“Believe me, that’s harder than most people think.”
“Then why should I bother with the firewood?”
“Because I’m going to show you a magic trick.”
She looked doubtful.
“Get going,” he said, waving her off. “We need wood. Lots of it.”
She reluctantly turned and began gathering sticks and twigs from the campsite’s perimeter. Tanner continued talking while she worked.
“Shelter, heat, food, and water. If we can get those, we’re golden.”
“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you,” she said over her shoulder, “but we don’t have any of those.”
Tanner stacked several small twigs, dry grass, and pine needles into a small teepee structure. Then he spit on the bottom of one of the beer cans and wiped it clean with his t-shirt. When he was satisfied, he unwrapped the candy bar, pinched off a piece of melted chocolate, and smeared it on the bottom of the can.
Samantha watched him as she continued picking up firewood.
“What in the world are you doing?” she asked.
“I told you. Magic,” he said, as he began to rub the chocolate around with the tips of his fingers, like he was polishing a pair of jump boots.
She snorted and wandered off to pick up more sticks. When she returned with an armful of wood, Tanner was examining the bottom of the can.
“Come see,” he said.
She hurried up next to him.
“What is it?”
He tipped the can so she could see the convex bottom. It was as reflective as any mirror she had ever seen.
“Wow, it’s really shiny.”
He nodded. “Now watch.”
He held the can near his teepee structure and tilted the bottom up to reflect the sunlight. A bright spot appeared on the pile of dried tinder.
“I get it,” she said. “It’s like a magnifying glass.”
“Exactly. The shape of the can reflects and focuses the light. Make the surface shiny enough, and the spot gets real hot, real fast.”
They both watched the bright spot illuminating the tinder. In less than a minute, a thin trail of white smoke started streaming up from the grass. Seconds later, a flame flashed to life.
“Whoa!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands.
Tanner quickly knelt down and blew softly, nursing the fire to life.
“Don’t blow it out,” she warned.
“My breath gives it a little more oxygen to burn.”
Samantha looked down at the flame and smiled.
“That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“It is, isn’t it?” He glanced over at the small pile of firewood that she had gathered. “Get some more wood. Bigger branches, if you can find any on the ground.”
“Right,” she said, hurrying away.
When she returned the second time, it was nearly dark, and she found a good-sized fire burning in the pit. Tanner was breaking off leafy branches from nearby trees and tossing them back toward the campsite. She dumped the wood beside the fire pit, exhausted.
“Is that enough?” she asked in a tired voice.
“No,” he said, without even looking. “Get some more.”
Unable to take her eyes off the fire, she slowly turned and went in search of more branches.
By the time she returned, he had constructed a simple shelter by tying one of his shoestrings between two trees and leaning the green foliage against it. He was busy weaving in smaller branches, leaves, and dried grass to create a thatched roof.
“Not bad,” she said,
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