“Good,” he muttered.
“Damn straight,” I added.
Lacie: I heard that!
His arm returned to my waist. I wasn’t going anywhere.
FLAMING ARROWS DENIED
“Can you make a flamethrower?”
“What about a bomb?”
“Why would he make a bomb?”
“What if a moose attacked?”
“You want to use a bomb on a moose?”
“Yeah. The flamethrower is for bears.”
How many times would I hang my head while listening to these tweens go on a tirade? It started as a demonstration on stacking firewood, and somehow, we had turned it into a conversation about pyrotechnics. I’m pretty sure Ronnie would be in prison by thirteen. Jeff wouldn’t be far behind him. At least they could share the only cell at the county sheriff’s office.
“Are you done?”
Ronnie and Jeff shrugged. Matt, on the other hand, continued paying attention. The gremlins had warmed up to the idea of survival training. I don’t know if I’d ever let them into the wild without adult supervision, but at least they might make it through the night… if they didn’t blow themselves up.
“If you two are done, we can start.”
I expected this to go sideways. My morning had been rushing from Valhalla, getting to the house, grabbing my rucksack, andmeeting the boys. I should have been in full-on survival teacher mode, but my mind continued drifting to the extremely long shower we took this morning. I had seen Nick naked and wet before, but scrubbing his back had been a new experience.
Shaking my head, I snapped back to reality. If I didn’t focus, I’d be pitching the wrong kind of tent. The gardeners were hard at work preparing plant beds. Harvey and Walter were at one of the cement tables playing chess. Firefly’s green was filled with retirees keeping themselves busy. Every now and then, I spotted their prying eyes. If last night didn’t start a rumor, I’m not sure what would.
What did the woman with an oversized hat and gardening gloves know? What whispers did Walter exchange with Harvey as they glanced in our direction? It was hard to bask in the sleepover afterglow while Firefly attempted to wedge itself into my business.
“Are you okay?”
Matt, my favorite gremlin, had a look of concern. While the others would have run into the forest for fun, he had been the reluctant of the three. He might be curious, but the fear read on his face. It’d take time to build up his confidence, but I’m sure with each victory, he’d be one step closer to being a Firefly mountain man.
I nodded.
I pulled the flint from my left pocket and Pops’s knife from the right. Holding them up, Ronnie tried to grab the knife. “Back up before I hogtie you.” I held them up for each of the boys to inspect. “Never go into the woods without these.”
“When do I get a knife?” asked Ronnie.
“Never.”
“But—” I flipped the blade open, and he froze.
“This is going to require patience.” I moved over to the grill, where we had set up our mock campfire. “The big logs arefor once it’s burning. Kindling is the small, easy-to-burn stuff. Always make sure it’s dry.”
“What if it’s raining?” asked Matt.
“That’s another lesson.” I could see Matt had already found a reason to be worried. His brow furrowed with worry. “Don’t worry, there’s always a solution if you know where to look.” It eased the lines, at least for now.
“This side is for scraping.” I tapped it with my knife. “Other side is for sparks.” All three leaned in as I scraped the flint, letting it fall into the bundle of dried grass and leaves. Flipping it over, the first spark hit, but didn’t catch. Fourth try, and still no luck.
“How about you try?” To Ronnie’s dismay, I offered it to Matt. I guided his hands, showing him the motion. “If you get this on the first try, I’m quitting.”
