Camping
The fire crackled in the makeshift put as a new log burnt up. The orange blaze flickered on the faces of the boys and their father as they peered over it.
They spoke in between mouthfuls of soup or dripping bread but the conversation never strayed far from the subject of food.
They had been out in the mountains for almost a week and they had another three nights to go. They were up the highest they had been and the freezing cold winds whipped horridly at their faces. They were grateful for the warms soup and the fire to keep the worst of the chill away but they were all in deep agreement that a pizza and central heating would be a much more preferable scenario.
"Well I don't know about you lot but I'm just happy to be here." Ever since their grandfather passed away their father had been a lot more hands on. They didn't often see him aside from their weekends with him and this was a nice change that they all enjoyed.
"Us too dad." Brandon, the eldest, was always the first to speak.
"Thanks boys." They say in silence for a minute or so as they chewed and slurped not their soup. "Right, I've gotta take a leak. Anyone want anything from the tents while I'm up. Brandon, Will, another beer? George, a coke?"
"No thanks dad."
"You sure Will?"
"Yes dad."
As their father trudged off into the distance Brandon ripped off a bit more bread and started pointing it at Will.
"What's your problem with him?"
"Nothing." His brother muttered back, avoiding eye contact.
"Yeah you do, you've been off with him the whole trip and it's really starting to get on my nerves a bit."
"Leave it Bran," George chipped in. All he got in return was a sharp look from his brothers.
"I just don't like the way he springs all this on us and expects us to drop everything cos he wants to make an effort with us."
"So this is all because you can't be with Megan. What worried she'll run back to Derren if you're not there every second of the day?"
Will stared hard into the flames.
"BOYS!" They heard their fathers voice off in the distance. Behind the rocks and from across the valley. His voice bounced across the empty surroundings like a Ping pong ball. A few seconds of silence and then again "BOYS!" There was more urgency in his tone when he called again and all three of his sons went running to his fathers aid.
The ran off in the direction he had headed knowing that he wouldn't have gone to far.
"I swear... If he..." George panted as he tried to get the final words out in one hit. "If he has done another poo and he's calling us to show us it again.... I'm not gunna be happy!" The three of them laughed as they ran but as they clambered over a low rock their laughter stopped in their throat.
In the horizon, the sky burned red. Darker than any sunset and more sickly than any colour on Earth. The sheer sight of it reduced George to his knees.
Their father was a little way ahead of them, arresting himself on a rock lest he collapse like his youngest son.
"Dad..." Will began.
"...what is that?" Brandon asked. Just then the sky flickered and the red light became the sky. Suddenly Brandon was sweating as though it were a summers day.
"Run..." Their father said. Almost inaudible at first. "Run." He repeated and the boys knew he wasn't joking. They had only ever seen their father scared once before in their lives and that was when their mum had kicked him out of the house. This made that time look like the happiest he had ever been. "GO!" He bellowed.
They turned and ran but they ha no idea where to. The only way was down and their car was at least an hours hike down treehouse pathways and slippery slopes.
The burning sky was on them before they moved an inch.
Before they knew it, everything was black.
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