Hmm.
No one seems to be here.
You inspect the fire. Nothing appears to feed the flames, but you hear loud hisses and pops as if logs are crackling away somewhere.
You watch the flames for a minute, then rise to leave.
Y-
Hey, Cas?
Oh, hi! I didn't realize you were still looking around. Have you met Cas yet?
No?
Well I need to talk to him so you can come with me if you want. He really can’t be lighting fires like this. I know it’s pretty empty around here, but he’s 8! He shouldn’t be trusted with fire anywhere at that age!
C’mon
Ez knocks on the tent. Or rather, her knuckles hit the canvas and make a “fwum fwum” sound, causing ripples in the fabric like a stone in water.
Hey Cas, you in there?
yeah . . .
There’s someone out here who wants to meet you, if that's okay.
More muffled speaking comes from the tent. Neither you nor Ez can make out what was said.
What was that?
I don’t feel like it right now
Alright, Maybe later then?
Maybe...
Casper, I bet they'd love to see your sketchbook.
Really?!
Definitely!
A pause, then in a shy voice:
What if they don't like it?
...Well then they can shove that opinion up their ass.
You hear a shocked gasp, then a whisper shout:
Ez! Thats swearing!
I'll let you in on a secret, Cas.
It's okay to swear when defending your little brothers artistic ability.
Really?
Even for me?
Yup, even for you.
... Ez? I don't have a little brother.
Ez heaves a very fake sigh
I suppose you can never swear then, a tragedy, truly.
Sketchbook?
She grabs the book but Cas doesn't let go.
Maaaybe I can give you the sketchbook if you bring me some hot chocolate? Please?
Ez raises her eyebrows.
Maaaybe I won’t take away hot chocolate for a week for lighting a fire indoors if you let me put it out right now.
Oh.
I forgot about that.
Y-you Forgot about it?
Uhhhh. . . yes?
Ez rubs her temples, groans and whispers quietly to herself.
Of course, naturally, why not? How many times have we gone over fire safety in this household??
Ez addresses the tent entrance.
Okay well I am putting it out and we are going to talk about this later.
I wanted to make a campfire to tell stories but then I started drawing the stories so I went in my tent to draw and then... forgot. About the fire. I'm really sorry.
You don’t need to be sorry, Cas, you need to be careful. Fire doesn’t care about “sorry,” it only cares about spreading.
Okay, I will be.
Ez turns to the fire and stares at it, the flames reflecting in her yellow eyes. She holds one hand over it, and breathes in. On her inhale the fire seems to stretch towards her in an unseen wind. She breathes out sharply and The flames burst out in multiple directions before vanishing.
Hey, do you still want to show them your sketchbook?
Yeah!
His hand pops out of the tent again and he hands Ez the sketchbook. This time he actually lets go.
Thanks, Cas!
Ez stands and hands the book to you. You look at the book in your hands.
(Click the sketchbook to open)
background art is from here