The forest is asleep, only the sound of the waves hitting the sand on the beach not far from us reaches us to make a pleasant mix with the ticking of the fire that's keeping us company and providing warmth. The milky way is shining brighter than usual in the absence of the moon, peeking through the little openings between the tree branches, refusing to be veiled by them.
Dinner is cooked and eaten, the camp cleaned, and we sit around the fire in anticipation of a fun night, not knowing what exactly would make it fun this time. The answer comes from Ossama, as usual. He always comes up with the most random ideas of things to do to spend the cold nights of the wild forests we often seek for rebirth and to recharge our energy drained by the long working weeks.
"I have an idea," he said, petting the beard he's so proud of "how about everyone tells us the weirdest story he lived. A scary thing he saw or a paranormal activity he witnessed. Something you never dared to tell anyone about. I can't guarantee you we will believe you, but I promise we won't judge."
We all look at each other, astonished by what he said and wondering where Ossama comes up with these ideas from. My guess is that he googles this stuff the night before every camp. But not Adem, he didn't think or hesitate. He jumped at the occasion and yelled "I'll go first"
"Not you again!" Sonia objects, with an annoyed tone of voice, looking at Adem at first then at the rest of us with her pleading eyes. "He always starts, and he ruins every game. He never gives a good example for us to follow."
"Let him start." I rapidly interfere, knowing that her words and her looks would affect Ossama if I don't overrule them. "Let's see what he has to say. It should give us time to think about our own stories and prepare for our turns. But I will judge you, Adem. I won't abide by Ossama's promise."
"Once upon a summer night, I was camping in the northwest of Tunisia with two beautiful ladies"
Here Ines interrupted him with a series of coughs.
"I'm not lying. Let me finish the story" He resumes "And by the way, Ossama, we should agree on some rules first."
"Like what?" Ossama replies.
"Like no one interrupts me"
"I said nothing!" Ines says defensively.
"I'm talking in general here. No interruptions, no laughing, and no comments until I finish my story. Especially you, Ali. By then you will see it's not funny, but rather scary."
"No promises" I answer.
"I was saying" He continues. "Camping with two beautiful ladies"
Ines coughs again. He ignores her.
"Two beautiful ladies, an annoying couple, and a weird guy who loves making fire"
"That makes me and you the two beautiful ladies," Hala says to Ines.
"After a swim in the sea and right before making lunch, the weird guy started making the fire. He put some branches in an order only he understands, he clicked the lighter, and the fire burst to life, just like that."
"Oh come on, you're talking about this camping." Sonia interrupts again, this time looking at Ossama." I told you he'll ruin it. And who is he calling the annoying couple?"
"Well, I never said it was you. Now let me finish my story, it's not about the couple anyway. It's about Ali"
The wind blows suddenly and the fire goes higher and brighter. Adem raises his hands towards the flames as if apologizing.
"Sorry I mean the minister of fire," He says, smirking.
The fire calms down. He takes a burning branch. He waves it with his hand. The flames disappear but the tip of the branch keeps glowing red. He put a cigarette in his mouth, touches it with the red tip and takes a breath.
"I was saying," He says, holding his breath. Then he breathes out a fog of smoke toward Ines and Hala. They both seem to be impressed. "Our minister of fire here, after starting his fire and preparing it for dinner, keeps playing with his lighter, turning it on and off, non-stop. He makes me want to light a cigarette, just like I wanted right now when I remembered the scene. You all know I forgot my lighter at home, so I borrowed his"
"So you ARE talking about today!" Ossama interrupts him this time.
"Yes, I'm talking about today. And you two are the annoying couple. Are you satisfied now? You guys are getting married in two months and you sleep in separate tents. I mean look at you! keeping a good distance between each other instead of hugging and kissing." The young couple looks at each other with a mix of embarrassment and anger. "If I was engaged, and brought my girlfriend..."
Here Ossama snaps at him. "We already talked about this and we don't need to convince you or any one of our choices"
"Anyway, you said the story is not about the annoying couple. Sorry I mean Ossama and Sonia." Hala says, awkwardly trying to stop the argument. "Honestly I want to know what's so scary about a guy making fire"
"So I take Ali's lighter, ahmm the minister's lighter. I try to use it and it doesn't work. I shake it to make sure it's not empty. Trust me I know an empty lighter when I hold one. That one in his pocket right now is empty!"
I take the lighter and show everyone that it works fine.
"That's exactly my point!" Her screams. "I gave it back to him and it was working fine in his hand. Back then I didn't give it a second thought, because I only felt relieved, as it was the only lighter in our camp. So I put the cigarette in my mouth and I lean towards him. He reaches out to me with his hand holding the lighter. Here a normal lighter should go off because of the breeze, but in his hands, the lighter kept burning as steady as if it was in a closed room."
Here everyone starts looking at me, affected by his words. Naturally, I dismiss them, as they make no sense. What is he implying? That I have superpowers?
"The story isn't over yet. I lean toward him, and he reaches out to me, but there's still a small distance between his hand and the cigarette in my mouth. If I lean a little more I would fall so I wait for him to reach out a little more. He doesn't. But, somehow, the fire reaches my cigarette. I'm not sure how that happened. It makes no sense."
I look at the lighter going on and off in my hand. What if he's right? Maybe it does only work in my hand. Maybe the fire isn't even coming from the lighter. Do I have a superpower? Acquired after some accident with fire or something? The train of thought takes me back to an old memory.
I was a child helping my father on the farm and I miraculously survived a horrifying fire without any significant physical damage. Maybe I should tell them that story when my turn comes.
"Not bad, Adem. Actually, I expected a story about ghosts or Djinns or witches. But yeah, good one. So who's next? Your turn Ines" Ossama takes control of the conversation again. Now I have time to decide if I want to tell them my own fire story or come up with something else.
haha ok, I couldn't resist putting that gif in there 🤣
the other photos are real photos taken in my previous real camps here in Tunisia (First one taken by my friend Bothayna Aloulou, the others I don't remember but they were sent to me to use them). The story, however, is totally made up. (well not totally, it's inspired by real events as they say in the weirdest of movies and series LOL)