Page 54 of Protecting the Flame

“Actually, no, that would be Mattie,” Will said.

“C’mon, she’s a kid.”

“What did you have in mind?” asked Emma.

“Well…”Scott had sucked on his teeth. “We can’t bury him.”

“No.” She’d looked around in mock dismay. “Really?”

“Emma,” Will warned.

Scott ignored her. “Could pile rocks, but that’s a lot of work.”

“Yeah. Work,” she said. “Perish the thought.”

Scott rounded, a fist already bunched. “Listen, bi—” He stopped, shot a glance at Will, and jammed the fist into a pocket. “You got a better idea? Maybe leave ’im out for the animals? Oh yeah. I bet Rachel would love that.”

“Eskimos did it.” Hunter shrugged. “I mean, look, wolves already got my dad. It’s not like they can kill him more.”

“That’s sick.”

“No, it’s an option,” Will said. “But I don’t think it’s one we should take either. Once the bodies are gone, it’s not as if there isn’t more meat for the taking. I don’t think I want to chance wolves and a couple mountain lions sniffing around.”

There was one other option no one had mentioned. “What about cremation?” In answer to the men’s collective stare, she said, “It’s an option. There’s wood.”

“Wellll.”Will rubbed the back of his neck with his good hand. “It takes a fair amount of heat to burn a body. That would mean a lot of wood burning at high heat for a long time, like two or three hours. It’s so cold, I don’t see how that would work.”

“What about the extra fuel?”

“You mean, squirt ’em like charcoal briquets?” Scott laughed. “Barbecue!”

“It’s not funny.” God what an asswipe. She looked at Hunter. “I’m sorry he’s such a jerk.”

Scott flushed purple. “Who the fuck you calling a jerk?”

“You. Stop being one, and I’ll stop saying it.” She looked at Will. “What do you think?”

“It’s a good thought, Emma,” Will said, “but I still think you have the same problem of maintaining the right amount of heat for a long period of time. Constructing a cairn’s probably better.”

Scott frowned. “A what?”

“A rock mound, only it’d be a tomb. Yeah.” Hunter rubbed his mouth with a gloved hand. “Better than leaving my dad out in the open to get chewed on.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Will nodded. “Scott can get a start while I work on you, Hunter.”

“Oh, right. Like I got the energy for this?” Scott protested. “Why me?”

“Because I have a bum arm I can’t use much, and as much as I like Emma, I’ll take a pass on her relocating my shoulder again,” Will said, calmly. “Scott, we’re all hungry—”

“Yeah, fuck with this,” Scott flared. “You want me to work, I got to eat! And where the fuck are those rescue planes, hunh? It’s been five days.”

“The storm only let up day before yesterday. You have to give rescuers time.”

“That’s supposed to make me feel better? We’re going to starve to death, man, unless we start eating each other—”

“Scott, are you always this much of an asshole,” Emma asked, “or do you only practice in front of the mirror when you’re alone?”

“Emma, stop. And you.” Will put a restraining hand on Scott’s shoulder. “Cool off.”

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