Lucas revelled in his own hilarity as he headed back to the campsite to start the campfire for their evening meal of beans and pot noodles. They’d been running low on water and he’d left Timmy with the water purifying tablets and two plastic ten litre containers, which he had to fill and bring back to camp.
Timmy toyed with a number of things he could and should have said to Lucas as the other went crashing back through the foliage. Still, at least getting the water was a good excuse to stay away from that tree a little longer. Its disturbing form had continued to creak in his mind - its monstrous branches stretching out to seize him in the moonlight of his imagination.
Timmy had just filled the second container when he heard Lucas shouting. He knew something was wrong even before he saw the trail of smoke rising over the hill.
An urgent panic possessed he was propelled through the long whispering grasses. Startled butterflies tumbled upwards as he blundered through their resting places. Nettles and thorns scratched his bare legs but in his haste he wouldn’t notice them until later.
Bursting through the woodland Timmy was strangely disorientated. He’d either taken a wrong turn and entered the campsite from a different direction. Or else the twisted tree had actually moved! From where Timmy now stood, the tree was no longer on the edge of the clearing; it now rose halfway between the treeline and their tent.
Timmy registered this inconsistency in a split-second. There was no time to dwell on it because of the more immediate concern of the fire that had engulfed the hideous tree. Lucas, evidently, had had enough of the tree as well and he’d stupidly decided to burn it to the ground.
The tree’s decayed timbers must have gone up instantly. Its dry twigs and branches crackled loudly in the heat. Lucas was rushing around frantically shouting for Timmy to help.
Timmy lugged the water bottles as fast as he could, almost tripping over himself as the heavy containers banged against his thin legs. Smoke stung his eyes and he blinked away tears as he lumbered forwards to tackle the blaze before it got out of control.