#FlashFictionMagic: The Elements (fire)
The fire crackled at the center of the circle as Carter led the campers in the nightly sing-along. Olivia stood behind the girls from her cabin, watching as they giggled mockingly at the director’s rendition of Red River Valley. “Shh!” she kept saying, annoyed at their lack of respect for a man who devoted his whole life to this place.At her side, Amelia, a fellow counselor, complained too. “He’s just so dorky. Couldn’t he at least try to learn some new songs? I think my grandma knew this one when she was eleven.”
Olivia shot her a look and resumed singing along, raising the volume of her enthusiastic voice to help balance out the reluctant drone of the kids.
“You’re a big nerd too, aren’t you?” Amelia teased. “You love this.”
Olivia smiled a bit around the song lyrics, gently shaking her head. Then, across the fire, she locked eyes with Carter.
The orange glow of the flames illuminated his worn-out camp sweatshirt and Olivia instantly felt a grin spread across her face. He never looked more relaxed, more at home, more content than he did on these cool summer nights in the mountains, reliving the best of his childhood and trying to help the next generation build their own indelible summer memories.
Carter’s eyes danced as he gave Olivia a little wave and then made a quick gesture beckoning for her to join him.
“Wait— ” said Amelia, eyes widening as she looked back and forth between the two. Her jaw dropped open just a bit.
“It’s not this that I love,” Olivia said softly as she brushed past, her eyes fixed on the man who would, in just a moment, take her hand and kiss her cheek and rekindle once again the flame of the torch she would always carry for him.
Olivia shot her a look and resumed singing along, raising the volume of her enthusiastic voice to help balance out the reluctant drone of the kids.
“You’re a big nerd too, aren’t you?” Amelia teased. “You love this.”
Olivia smiled a bit around the song lyrics, gently shaking her head. Then, across the fire, she locked eyes with Carter.
The orange glow of the flames illuminated his worn-out camp sweatshirt and Olivia instantly felt a grin spread across her face. He never looked more relaxed, more at home, more content than he did on these cool summer nights in the mountains, reliving the best of his childhood and trying to help the next generation build their own indelible summer memories.
Carter’s eyes danced as he gave Olivia a little wave and then made a quick gesture beckoning for her to join him.
“Wait— ” said Amelia, eyes widening as she looked back and forth between the two. Her jaw dropped open just a bit.
“It’s not this that I love,” Olivia said softly as she brushed past, her eyes fixed on the man who would, in just a moment, take her hand and kiss her cheek and rekindle once again the flame of the torch she would always carry for him.
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