The Legend of the Firewalker, Book #1

Chapter 7.2

Author Note:

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Chapter 7.2

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 taken only about two minutes.

From the top of the hill he could easily see the Hiking and Camping Center only a few yards away. And behind 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 it to be. 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 in his hands 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.

"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."

Halfway 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 continuously 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.

"Um," stammered Nathan, his words escaping him. "How did you —? And you still have lighter fluid?"

"Yup," Malick 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.