Stranger Spirits

Inventory [Chapter Two Part Six]

 I opened his pack to see that he had gathered some pine nuts earlier. I grabbed a small handful and began to munch on them. I'm not really into the taste but it's better than nothing.

"Alright," Atticus gnawed on a piece of jerky. "Show me what you got." I handed him my pack and with one hand he took out my quilt and laid it flat on the ground. Finishing his strip of jerky, he licked his fingertips and wiped his hand on his jacket. He then proceeded to take out the rest of my items and place them gingerly on the quilt.

"So, you have a canteen, hunting knife, some rope, your pack, one other outfit, and your quilt...you really don't have much else. How were you planning to survive?"

I gasped in a haughty manner. "Well I have enough common sense to know to not bring my whole household on my person when I travel!" I wrinkled my nose. "Let's see what you have in here." I mimicked what he had done with my personal items. Laid on his quilt was a small pocket knife, two other outfits, a larger hunting knife, three balls of string, a slab of wood with carvings on it, a pack full of jerky strips, a now empty pine nut pack, and a small yet peculiarly heavy pouch.

I picked up the wooden block upon noticing that there was a myriad of strange symbols etched onto it. The only symbol that I recognized was the one carved the deepest into the wood. The symbol was the same as the one that the Elders had stitched onto their robes.

"What is this?"

"That's a talisman...that the Elders forged for me to give me protection." He lowered his gaze and for a couple of moments we didn't speak. It stung a little knowing how much the Elders didn't like me, as if I had chosen for this all to happen.

Clearing my throat, I hurriedly swapped the talisman for the weighty pouch. I unraveled it to find a plain old rock. "What's with the rock?"

Atticus lifted his gaze. "That's a chunk of flint, a stone that can be used to make fire." He took the stone and picked up the small pocket knife. He turned the pocket knife in his hand so the back of his knife was touching the flint. "You strike really quick to make a spark that will light your kindling." He struck the flint and a couple of sparks flew startling me.

"That's amazing!" I shrieked. "Do it again!"

"How about I teach you later once we set up camp. How did you make the campfire the other night?"

"A stick and kindling." I lowered my gaze and began to trace the talisman that laid beside me.

"That's pretty impressive Vaughn." I shifted

"Thanks."

After we completed inventory we continued to move south and we eventually made camp in a shady area. In these lands, there were some pocket woods so we camped out among the trees to keep cool.

"Now, before we lose sunlight, let me show you how to make a fire using flint rock." I nodded my head in agreement and crouched beside him. "What you will do is simply strike the flint and make sure to aim the sparks onto the kindling so it will catch fire." He quickly demonstrated and I watched as a couple sparks flew away from us.

"Sounds simple enough." I took the small pocket knife and the lump of flint from him. I scrapped the flint with the back of the knife a couple of times and nothing happened.

I lifted my gaze to Atticus. "How come it's not working?"

"It's because you're not striking the flint hard enough." Atticus spoke as he moved behind me. "Let me help you." He held my hands in his own and guided my hands through the motions. Sensing my hesitation towards striking the flint, he inched a little closer to me so his head was beside my own. As he spoke softly to in my ear his lower lip lightly grazed against my ear. The sensation of his lip on my ear caused the hairs on my neck to stand. "You don't need to be afraid of the sparks Vaughn. You're in control."

"Umm. Okay!" I stammered. With his hands still pressed onto mine; I was able to strike the flint directing the pour of sparks towards the kindling and got the fire started.

"Good job, Vaughn." Atticus moved away from me to grab a fire stick. "Now that you know how to use it. Feel free to use my flint whenever you make the campfire." I told him that I would as I handed him back his items.