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Ehd places one hand on my shoulder and wraps his arms around my back, encouraging me to lie back against the fur-lined depression we use as a bed. I don’t have the strength to argue with him though my back and hips are sore from lying down for so long. He touches my cheek once more before shoving himself back up and moving toward the fire pit.
My mind races through additional memories of my time here as if I need to relive it all just to remember my predicament. I look over at Ehd. He’s shoved his hands into the ash lining the bottom of the fire pit and he’s moving frantically. It takes me a moment to realize he’s not getting burned because the fire has gone out.
How does he start a fire?
In all the months I have been here, I’ve never seen Ehd start a fire from scratch—he always has a hot coal or two to get it going. Does he know about rubbing sticks together to make fire?
I’m reminded of when I was in Girl Scouts and how we had spent hours trying to make a fire by rubbing sticks. Even with all the proper materials at hand, we never managed to get a spark until we were given an actual fire-starting kit.
Ehd appears at my side with dried meat and acorns, which he smashes with a stone so I can get to the bitter meat inside. He places his lips on my forehead all too briefly before racing back to the fire pit.
“How are you going to get that going again?” I ask. “Too bad I didn’t have a lighter in my pocket when I got sent here.”
Ehd doesn’t look to me. I watch him gather up bits of bark and other tinder before using his flint knife to cut a depression in another piece of wood.
“You have flint, but that’s only half of what you need,” I say. I try to remember if I have seen anything metallic around. Pyrite would work, but I don’t recall seeing anything like that near the streams by the lake. What else can I use that works with flint to get a spark? It’s not like I’m going to find forged iron around here.
My skin chills as I sit completely still for a moment, and my mind races.
The button on my jeans is steel.
After the incident with the boar, and Ehd pulled off my jeans, the button had flown off. I remember finding it in the cave later, but I have no idea where it is now.
I jump up and head to the back of the cave, drop to my knees, and start sifting through the dirt floor. There is nothing but dust and a few twigs. I keep searching, and eventually my finger brushes against something hard, and I grab at it. A moment later, I stare into the palm of my hand where a small, round button with raised letters spelling “JORDACHE” sits.
I let out a sharp whoop, startling Ehd. He drops the stick he’s been spinning, and the look of anguish on his face is painful to see.
“It’s all right, Ehd!” I let out a laugh of relief, and he glares at me. “I found the button! I can start a fire!”
He’s visibly upset. No, not just upset; he’s devastated. He stares at the round stick in his hands and moans as he rubs at a blister. He grips his hair and moans again as the wind picks up and blows a cold gust through the cave.
“It’s all going to be just fine,” I say, trying to reassure him. I smile and nod a lot, since I know he doesn’t understand my words. “This is steel, and if I use your knife for the flint, I can make a spark. I’ve done it before. You won’t believe how easy it is, and you won’t get any more blisters!”
He stares at my face as I babble on.
“You know, most girls don’t know anything about this shit. When you grow up with a scientist and an archeologist, your vacations are not the Disney World kind. We went on digs, and my dad would drag me into the woods to learn about the plants and animals—rocks and minerals, too. That’s how I know your knife is flint and that flint can produce a spark if it just has the right metal catalyst.”
I smile at Ehd
and then laugh at the confused look on his face.
“Give me your knife, and I’ll show you.” I point at the knife secured at the waist of his fur wrap and then at the tinder he has next to the fire pit. “We’ll be nice and warm in no time at all!”
I point at his waist again, and Ehd stands. He approaches me quickly, holds my face in his hands, and runs his nose along mine.
“Ugh!” I cry as Ehd tries to lead me back to the sleeping furs. “Not now! No, Ehd.”
He stops immediately and takes a step back. “No” is the only word he seems to truly grasp. I hold out the button and reach for his waist.
“I want your knife, not your dick!” I snicker as I pull the knife from his waist and hold it up next to the button. “This is all I need for now.”
I take his hand and lead him back to the edge of the cold, fireless pit. I kneel down and take a deep breath, trying to center myself. Though I have done this many times before, it’s not exactly as easy as using a lighter. It takes a little practice.
“Watch, Ehd.”
“Beh.”
I shake my head slightly and focus again on the flint knife and button in my hands. I hold them both over the tinder and hit the button against the knife.
