A red, orange and yellow ball of rage roared upward, eating its way through the wooden pyramid at its base. Plumes of grey were buffeted into the night sky, carried aimlessly by the wind. Ashen debris glided away from the smoke onto the throng of talkative girls that sat at the side. The moon hung full and hazy beneath an eclipse of stars that shone in the sky like sugar spilt over black marble, glistening in the sun.
We had left the estate through the front gates so we didn't exactly sneak out. We were only allowed to leave once the town patrollers gave the guards at the gate an all clear.
Cassandra had gone with Caldwell on the scouting run. Zeke was meant to be on guard duty but he had begged Ezra to take his place so he could sneak out with us. Alison had taken Jack with her to a sleepover at one of her friend's place. It was only Cassandra that didn't know we were sneaking out because she would have given us a definite 'no' if we had asked.
Daniel had told me that he had gotten a couple of weird questions from some of women on his way back home from the guard post about me praying in the shower. I had also gotten a couple of weird questions and remarks in the kitchen while we were making lunch.
"Are you really that scared of your family that you can only pray in the bathroom?"
"Aren't Daniel, Ezekiel and Ezra Christian names?"
"You could get a separate house if you don't feel comfortable with them."
"I hold Sunday Services at my place. You can come over."
When I had told Daniel about it, he actually found it funny and didn't seem bothered. I didn't find it funny and I was bothered. I was grateful that Cassandra and Ezra had the night shift and not the day shift so they didn't get pelted with questions like Daniel was.
Clareta had apologized again and offered to cover my shifts at the livestock pen for a month which was excessive but it made me quite happy because at least I get time off. Laleh had told me not to worry about it because the women would find something else to gossip about before Caldwell comes back from his scouting run, which was probably tomorrow.
Wesley plopped down next to me and stretched a bottle out to me. I leaned away from it as the smell of alcohol wafted up my nostrils before shaking my head.
"Alcohol isn't my thing," I muttered and he shrugged as he brought the bottle up to his mouth.
The only thing they'd been doing since we got here a couple of minutes ago was drinking and talking. Daniel had gone to check if there was soda with the people who packed the drinks, though I don't think they packed anything that wasn't alcoholic because that's the only thing I've seen people holding.
Zeke swayed unsteadily with a bottle in his hand as he talked to Hae In and Laleh. I hadn't stopped thinking about what he wanted to tell me. Sick like what? I'd asked him about it when we got her but he brushed it off.
He made rapid motions with his hands and their eyes were trained on him like they were entranced by what he was doing. They were all drunk. I let out a laugh as he stumbled and crashed into Laleh, sending them both of them to ground.
Clareta was sitting by the fire with her pool buddy, Liam, and they had drinks in their hands. They had gotten quite close and were always hanging out.
"Enny," Wesley placed a hand on my shoulder and I turned to face him. "I said do you drink soda." I could smell the harsh scent of alcohol on his breath.
"Oh, yes. Daniel went to check if they brought any," I responded as someone called Wesley's name.
He muttered a 'be right back' before he got to his feet and walked over to some guys by the school's double doors. Daniel was headed back with a can and a bottled water in his hands so I guess they didn't pack just alcohol.
"They only brought alcohol, love. Sorry," he said as he handed me the bottled water.
"Thank you." I smiled at him and unscrewed the cap before drinking it.
Daniel sat down next to me and opened the can. "They said we're going to play hide and seek."
I let out a cough as I removed the bottle from my lips. "What?"
"Hide and seek." His eyes were trained on me to gauge my reaction.
"Wow," I cleared my throat as I looked away from him. "That's so lame."
I was actually quite excited because I had been looking forward to the game. Laleh had already told me we'd play it in the high school and I was psyched because it was going to be totally awesome. Awesome because it was night and the high school was quite big. We were going to play a lot of games but I was more interested in hide and seek.
Daniel was still staring at me and I bit the inside of my cheeks to keep from smiling.
"Huh-uh," he slowly said and I couldn't hide the smile anymore. I shoved him when he let out a laugh and the liquid sloshed out of the can in his hands.
I shoved him again and grimaced when the can slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. He snorted as we watched the can quickly empty its contents onto the ground while the scent of alcohol filled the air before he got up.
"I'll go grab another one," he stated before he walked towards the direction he had gotten the drinks from earlier.
Faye was in the process of getting a drink but when she saw Daniel approaching, she quickly walked away. Today was the first day I had seen her come out of her room since we got to Goldcrest. She hadn't said anything to us but she had been avoiding us all night, especially Daniel.
Daniel came back with a bottle in his hand but instead of sitting down, he outstretched his empty hand to me.
"What?" I asked as I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet while smirking.
"Your game is about to start."