Page 41 of When The Noise Stops

I let go. Stepped back.

"Try again."

She licked her lips. Looked away.

She struck another match. Held it the way I'd shown her. Nothing.

"Ugh," she dropped the match.

"This is stupid."

"You're rushing."

"I'm not rushing. The fire is stupid."

I opened my mouth to respond, but she was already turning away.

"Ronny!" she yelled across the campsite.

"Ronny, come here."

Ronny looked up from over by the RV, where she was arranging something on a folding table.

"What?"

"Come here. I need you."

Ronny sighed. Walked over.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm bored. I can't do this," Lila gestured at the fire pit.

"It won't light. I'm over it."

Ronny looked at me. Then at the fire pit. Then at Lila.

"You walked away from me five minutes ago. You've been at this for what, five minutes?"

"Five minutes too long. Anyway. Did you remember the thing? The—the whatchamacallit. For the s'mores."

"Your attention span is childish, Lila."

She rolled her eyes.

"What are the things called, Ronny?"

"The skewers?"

"Yes. Those. Did you bring them?"

"I brought them. They're in the RV."

"Okay, because I was thinking—" Lila's whole face changed. Lit up.

"What if we do s'mores but with the cookies I brought? Like, instead of graham crackers. And we use the dark chocolate. The good kind. And—"

"Lila."