the last ember (3)

“Okay, let’s do this,” Sam said, kneeling by a cluster of kindling they’d scavenged. He carefully placed the ember onto the dry twigs, holding his breath as he blew gently, coaxing the tiny flame to life.

It flickered weakly, threatening to extinguish at any moment. Jake leaned closer, the desperation in his eyes reflecting the urgency of their situation. “Come on, come on…” he urged, as if willing the fire to grow.

With a careful hand, Maya placed dry leaves around the ember, and soon a small flame caught, flickering into existence. A collective sigh of relief escaped them, but it was short-lived.