He had hoped that he had figured out the whole hand thing; that his hand problem was synonymous with him getting upset or stressed but they were not even red; no tingling, no shaking, nothing.
“What are you waiting for?” interrupted Malick with a slight grin.
“Nothing,” he grudgingly responded. Nathan looked up at Malick and dreaded having to work with him. He secretly wished that his hands would shake uncontrollably around Malick’s neck.
Malick froze for a second and glared intently at him as if he knew what he was thinking. “Is that the guy?” he asked, looking away and then pointing to a tall slender man approaching towards them.
Nathan rolled his eyes. He found it hard to even think about anything else other than his current frustration with not being able to solve his hand problem or the mystery behind his dreams. “Oh, and let’s not forget the mysterious dog,” he mumbled aloud.
“What?” asked Malick, appearing puzzled. “What dog?”
“Nothing,” Nathan responded quickly, while shaking his head to focus. “That must be him – who else would be out here stocking the bonfire pits?”
Malick chuckled as he walked past Nathan and headed towards the silver-haired man. Nathan kicked a few of the small round pebbles that filled the shoreline before following behind him.
As they approached the middle-aged man, he looked up at them and his eyes squinted as if they were focusing to see something. Once his eyes connected with Nathan’s, he smiled. “You must be Nathan,” he said with a grin, while reaching out to take his hand. His striking blue eyes were warm and youthful and his weathered tan skin suggested he’d frequently worked outside in the sun. He was a silver-haired man with a long pony-tail and his hands were slightly bigger than normal and strong-looking. Nathan also caught a glimpse of what looked like a red colored tattoo on the man’s’ right forearm.
“Yes, yes,” the man continued, while shaking his head at Nathan in affirmation. “Let me show you and your buddy here what to do.”
“Buddy?” Nathan chuckled to himself. He wouldn’t consider Malick a friend, let alone a buddy. He glanced over to find a grin on Malick’s face. He too found the comment a far stretch. “So – I guess you’re Argus?”
“Ha-ha,” laughed Argus, “the one and only!” He gestured with his head. “Come now; follow me while we still have sunlight.” He continued to laugh to himself. “I’m sure LaDonda is keeping you boys hopping.”
Both Nathan and Malick glanced at each other. Nathan found Argus both fun and a little strange, but decided to just keep quiet.
“He probably doesn’t get a lot of visitors,” whispered Malick with a grin. Nathan tried not to laugh at his comment.
“Okay, boys,” said Argus while keeping a watchful eye on Malick. They stood by a large and old wood bin. “I did you guys a favor by stocking the bonfire pits already, but the ones at the end there – may need a little more wood.” He placed his hands on his hips and suddenly had a grin on his face. “Unfortunately for you, I completely emptied out the wood bin doing so.”
“So, you need us to stock all the wood bins for you?” interjected Malick.
“Close, but not exactly,” said Argus. “There are smaller ones around the beach, but I need one of you to stock this one while the other sets the fires. It would be best to do all this while the sun is still out. If you do this separately, you should be finished before it gets dark.”
“Well, I volunteer to set the fires,” said Malick quickly.
“What?” complained Nathan. “Why do you get to do the easy job?”
“What?” responded Malick with a sly grin. “It’s not hard.” Argus left briefly and returned with a wheelbarrow. In the barrow, lay a small white bottle. “And look there’s even a wheelbarrow!”
Nathan reluctantly took the wheelbarrow from Argus. Why do I get the feeling Argus only stocked the pits so that he didn’t have to do the work of stocking the wood bin himself?
“Okay,” said Argus. “Now, the wood is stored in the large bin next to the Hiking and Camping Center over the top of that hill.” He pointed the way. “And I’ll be there finishing up some invoices if you have any questions or problems.” He reached down to pick up the small white bottle. “Oh, and you will need this.”
“What’s this for?” asked Malick, staring curiously at the bottle.
“Exactly what it says on the bottle,” responded Argus. “Lighter fluid.” He glared and appeared to be scrutinizing Malick. “How else do you expect to set the fires?”
Malick paused with the small bottle in hand and looked out at the fire pits. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he exclaimed. “There’s got to be at least fifteen pits out there.”
“Well, you’re really only set up for twelve,” retorted Argus.
“This little bottle for twelve fires?” mocked Malick.
Argus shook his head while raising one eyebrow. “Oh, and you will need these,” he continued, reaching into his pocket and handing over a single book of matches.
Malick stood there with a look of disbelief across his face as he stared at the small bottle of lighter fluid and book of matches in his hands.
“What?” chuckled Argus as he headed to the path that led up the hill to the Hiking and Camping Center. “You didn’t expect me to leave a blowtorch with some teenagers?”
“Teenager?” yelled a frustrated Malick, so that Argus could hear him. “I’m twenty-one!”
“I thought he was older,” Nathan confirmed to himself. He turned to gawk at the wheelbarrow. “Look, Earth to Planet Malick,” he said in a demanding tone. “Wheelbarrow or no wheelbarrow, you’re crazy if you think I’m going to stock this wood bin from way up there all by myself.”
He waited impatiently as Malick continued to stare at the book of matches and bottle of lighter fluid in his hands. He had a weird, frustrated look on his face. “What’s the problem?” Malick finally responded as if springing back to life. His eyes had a gleam to them now that made Nathan nervous. “A strong guy like you should have no problem bringing the wood from up there.”
“Yeah – probably so,” responded Nathan cautiously. “But the question is do I want to?”
“Well, before you put on your grumpy pants,” continued Malick with a grin, “I’ll make you a deal.”
Nathan cocked his head and stared at Malick suspiciously. “Okay, go on; let’s hear it. What’s cooking in that head of yours?”
“Now, that’s not fair,” said Malick in a half-hearted way as if offended. “You haven’t even heard what I have to say.”
“Believe me. I wish I didn’t have to.”
“Anyway,” continued Malick with a grin. He was holding up the items in his hands now for Nathan to see. “How long do you think it will take me to start all twelve fires?”
“Well,” said Nathan, taking a pause, “I would say at least fifteen minutes.”
“Fifteen minutes!” blurted Malick, almost dropping the items in his hands. “It will take that long just to soak the wood with lighter fluid!”
“Okay, okay,” responded Nathan with a shrug. “Twenty minutes.”
“You got to be kidding me, right?” asked Malick, while waving the small white bottle in his hand. “I probably will use this entire bottle on the first pit alone and then I’ll have to try and ignite the other pits from it – without lighter fluid!”
“What’s your point already?” groaned Nathan.
Malick paused shortly before speaking and his eyes had that same flicker in them like before. Nathan’s stomach began to twist in knots as Malick opened his mouth to speak. “Would you agree that the Hiking and Camping Center with wheelbarrow in tow is about a five-minute walk from here?” he asked, with a grin.
Nathan glanced up the hill and then nodded. “I would say less than that,” he responded confidently.
“Good,” Malick responded; equally confident. “I’ll make you a deal. If I fail to have all twelve of these bonfires burning bright before you return with your first
load of wood – I’ll help you stock the wood bin.”
Nathan glanced up the hill again. He had been up there plenty of times before over the years and he was pretty sure that he was familiar with the area. It should take me about five minutes total to run up there, fill the wheelbarrow, and race back, he thought. And even if it takes a little longer, there is no way he will have all twelve fires set by then.
Nathan extended his hand. “You’re on!”
“Nothing like a little competition,” responded Malick, shaking Nathan’s hand.
They grinned at each other before quickly parting ways. Nathan grabbed the wheelbarrow and pushed it as fast as he could up the path leading to the Hiking and Camping Center. Sweat beaded on his brow as he reached the top of the hill. Lungs laboring, he figured it must have only taken about two minutes.”
At the top of the hill he could easily see the Hiking and Camping Center in front of him, only a few yards away. In back of him, he couldn’t see the fire pits down below, but a trickle of smoke began to appear in the blue sky. Wow, that was quick, he thought. Malick must have gotten the first fire started.
Nathan approached the Hiking and Camping Center and the large storage bin was right where Argus said it was, which was exactly where Nathan remembered. With a full wheelbarrow in front of him, he quickly descended back down the path. It wasn’t quite evening yet so the sun’s rays continued to beat across his sweat-drenched brow. Nathan’s heart pounded against his chest as he ran. He was sure that he’d gotten a splinter or two from grabbing the wood so fast. Coming up the hill and filling up the wheelbarrow took a little longer than he had expected, but he guessed he was only approaching five minutes. He wasn’t exactly sure, but he didn’t want to risk losing time by stopping to pull out his cell phone to check the time.
Why am I so worried?” he mumbled, through laboring breaths. “There is no way Malick can light twelve fires in under fifteen minutes; let alone ten.”
Half-way down the trail, a gust of cool air with the scent of burning wood passed over him; providing a welcome relief. As he hurried down the path, something about the sky caught his eye. To Nathan’s surprise, the evening’s blue sky wasn’t so blue anymore. Darkening the sky was what looked like one mass of black smoke. As he got closer, twelve continuous pillars of smoke began to emerge out of the once huge mass.
He can’t be done. Nathan pushed himself down the hill harder and faster now. He couldn’t believe his eyes and had to see for himself. “He can’t be,” he murmured.
As he got closer, he could definitely tell the smoke was rising from the shoreline; right about where the fire pits would be. When he reached the bottom of the hill, he abandoned his wheelbarrow in astonishment. All twelve fire pits had been set ablaze with a continuous burning fire in each pit. Only the first pit had begun to cinder as its flame flickered in and out.
“Looks like that first one might need some lighter fluid,” joked Malick as he approached him from the side.
“Umm,” stammered Nathan, his words escaping him. “How did you – and you still have lighter fluid?”
“Yup,” he boasted, “and with plenty to spare.” He had a smug look on his face and shook what sounded like a half-empty bottle. “And how did you make out?”
“What do you mean?” asked Nathan, with an obvious look of frustration. “I don’t know how you did it but I obviously lost.”
Malick smiled wide and his eyes continued to gleam.
“So?” asked Nathan as he wiped the sweat from his brow and on to his dirty shirt. He couldn’t help but notice how relaxed and clean Malick was; not one speck of dirt or one drop of sweat.
“So – what?” he asked.
“So, how did you do it?” demanded Nathan. “How did you finish so fast – I mean it should have taken you at least fifteen to twenty minutes.”
“Nah, it didn’t take that long,” he smiled. “Five minutes tops.”
“Whatever,” responded Nathan. “You must have gotten help or something.”
“Are you implying that I would cheat?” he replied sarcastically.
“Give me a break and drop the act. You aren’t necessarily playing for the good guys.”
“Well, I guess I should leave you to your work then.”
“I don’t understand why you’re upset,” said Nathan while reluctantly walking back to the wheelbarrow. “I mean – I’m the one that lost.” He raised his eyebrows and impatiently waited for a response from a quiet Stephen Malick.
“Okay – well – umm,” stuttered Malick, “I guess since you will be here for awhile filling the wood bin, you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on the bonfire until everyone else arrives.”
“Sure – of course,” responded Nathan sarcastically. “Anything else?”
“Nope,” said Malick with a shrug, “I figured there is no reason for me to wait out here with nothing to do.”
“Really?” snapped Nathan. “Well, you can just sit back down – over there – and watch your bonfires!”
“Fine!” replied Malick, and he stormed away.
Nathan sighed. He decided to just ignore Malick and to get to work. As far as he saw it, he had lost the bet and wasn’t going to be a sore loser even if he thought Malick cheated. About the third trip down the hill, he noticed that the wood bin was filling up faster than when he first got started. He looked up after emptying another load of wood to find Stephen Malick standing next to him with his own cart.
Confused, Nathan asked, “What are you doing?”
Malick unloaded his cart of wood and had a wide grin across his face. Nathan was surprised to see he had a smudge of dirt across his forehead. “Helping you, of course.”
“Why?” Nathan asked, sounding shocked and confused.
“Well, I couldn’t just sit there and watch you do all the work, so that when Lafonda arrives she can rave on about how hard of a worker you are,” he chuckled. “And besides, I don’t think sitting on the sidelines would win me many brownie points – I know she is already planning my downfall. I don’t have to add fuel to the fire.”
Nathan shook his head and laughed. “All right,” he said, “I owe you one.”
“Nah, let’s just call this one even,” he said with a smile.
Nathan and Malick continued to stock the large wood bin as the evening sun gradually fell from the sky; settling behind the cliffs. The reddish-orange flames from the fire pits provided enough light along the beach as they finished filling the wood bin.
“I can barely smell any trace of lighter fluid,” said Malick.
“Good,” said Nathan with a smile. He paused to brush off the dust and chips of wood from his clothing. “I noticed the smell earlier and had hoped that it would burn off.”
“You think we have time to head back to the dorm for a shower?” asked Malick.
Nathan kneeled down by the water’s edge and splashed water on his face and arms before responding. “Nope,” he said, “I expect everyone to arrive at any minute now. Malick grinned and kneeled down next to him. “I guess this will have to do,” he chuckled, after cupping his hands and placing them into the water.
“Well, good luck with that,” grinned Nathan, while taking a look at the silver necklace now visible around Malick’s neck.
“What?” asked Malick, with a confused look now upon his wet face.
Nathan laughed. “I don’t think the water can help you,” he responded.
“Why?” he asked, innocently.
“Because you smell,” he laughed.
“Ha-ha,” chuckled Malick while taking a whiff under his arm. “You don’t smell too hot there yourself buddy.”
Nathan stared at him and then grinned. “So – are you going to tell me how you finished so fast?” he asked.
Malick let out a big laugh. “I told you,” he said. “It really didn’t take that long.”
“Okay,” responded Nathan sarcastically. He paused for a second before asking his next question. Malick had responded so defensively the first t
ime he questioned him about wanting to be called by his last name, but Nathan was still curious and decided it was worth a try to ask again. “So,” he continued carefully, “Why Malick instead of Stephen?”
Malick’s eyes connected with Nathan’s as if he was about to say something, but he stood up and walked over to one of the bonfires instead. Nathan followed suit as Malick sat down and stared blankly into the fire. “Because my father is a self-centered manipulative jerk!” he blurted. “And I don’t want anything to do with him – let alone be named after him.”
There was silence and they both stared into the fire. Nathan was surprised by the guy’s response and didn’t want to irritate him more by asking questions.
“I only signed up to be a counselor this summer to get away from him,” Malick continued. “Being at home always makes things worse. And if it wasn’t for my grandmother, I wouldn’t be here either.”
“What do you mean?” asked Nathan, trying to fight his urge to pry.
“My grandmother and LaDonda know each other,” he said. “LaDonda told my grandmother that she was looking for more counselors and I decided it was a good way to get away from my father, as well as piss him off.”
Nathan had a confused look on his face. “Why would he be mad at you for being a camp counselor?” he asked.
He huffed. “He wanted me to take an active interest this summer in – one of his organizations,” he said, hesitantly. “He said it would be good for me and the family…tradition. Yeah, like I would be interested.”
The tranquility of the lake was interrupted by the sounds of approaching chatter and laughter from the forest. Nathan and Malick both turned their heads towards the entrance to the lake. Through the dark, Nathan saw glimpses of campers on the trail as beams from their flashlights bounced off of them, creating shadows amongst the trees.
“I believe it’s show time,” said Malick. “And oh – I think I see LaDonda.”
“Yeah,” added Nathan, “and I know I hear Lafonda.”
They both laughed.
8
THE FALLEN ONES
The Legend of the Firewalker Page 10