OTHERS (Formerly The Scarlet Effect)

11 - R A N G E

Emmie sets the table by clanging forks and bowls down onto it. As assumed, there was no butter or syrup. But she had fun, and that's all that really mattered.

"It's ready!" Emmie and I announce together, which brings Travis out of the bathroom.

He finds his shirt I was wearing and check it over. "I can't believe you wore this. It's gross," he admits.

I laugh. "It sort of standard nowadays. Being gross. Although I will say Emmie and I sanitized our hand before making breakfast."

Travis tosses the shirt back onto the bed and pats Emmie's head. "Look at these. You did a great job, bud."

Emmie's dimples come to life as she smiles up at him. "Try them!"

We all sit down and fork away at the pancakes, them two chatting up a storm as I fall back into my memories. I miss Sunday mornings with my mom and dad. Usually, Mom would cook up a fabulous array of homemade foods for breakfast, and Dad would come in after working in the yard to eat with us. We all talked about silly things, the work week, my school. Things that burn at my hear now, knowing none of it exists anymore. Life like before will never return. Prom, graduating, and going to college are milestones I never even thought about losing out on because I knew they would just happen; they'd fall into place the same way getting married and having kids would.

Emmie won't get the chance to experience even half of what I have.

Once everyone finishes licking up the last bits of their meal, I retrieve all of the bowls, crumple them up, and shove them in the garbage to be burned at the next fire.

I scoot out from the table and clean up.

Travis arms swing around my hips. "Want some help?" he asks.

I gnaw on my lower lip. "You've helped plenty. Take Emmie up, I'll be out soon," I tell him as I finish wiping the counters off and collecting all the reusable dishes.

"So much for laying low," Travis jokes, keeping his hold around me. "I knew that it would be a lost cause." He lets go of my waist and kneads my shoulders. "What do you say I teach you to shoot today? That'll give us something to do. And maybe possibly give you a skill."

I spin halfway around to meet his steel-blue eyes. "It'll be pretty loud, don't you think?"

"Maybe. But we are out in the middle of nowhere. If anyone comes to investigate, BAM! It's over. What do you say?"

Travis makes a good point; it might help somewhere down the line, who knows. "Sounds intriguing. But also terrifying."

He sighs. "How about, 'It sounds fun'?"

I bite my lip again, unsure.

"Stop that. You're turning me on," he murmurs.

I break into laughter and shove him off of me. "Shut up. Okay, we can. Just go away."

"Alright, cool." Travis grabs his gun in one hand, takes Emmie's in the other, and ascends the steps, leaving me in the shelter alone.

Eventually, I meet them up above in the center of the yard where they are running around playing tag. The sun peeks a little out of the clouds, but it's already pretty warm and humid. I bet rain is coming soon.

Emmie jogs over to me and Travis's eyes follow her. "Tag, you're it!"

I put my hands over my face. "You got me. You win!"

Emmie slows to a walk and her face falls a little, realizing the game is over now. Travis grabs his rifle and meet my side. He puts his hand on the small of my back and asks, "I say we practice by the field. Bust open some corn?"