Maybe it was worth it

by Lewis

The air was porridge thick and seemed to press down on Jac as he lay in the baking morning sun. The thin tent canvas seemed to amplify and bounce the heat around him like a pizza oven. He hated camping. He tried not to move. He could hear the others talking outside, the sizzle of breakfast burning and Sandy laughing. He should get up, he knew that but it was soft and too hot and Sandy wouldn't care anyway. I don't care, he told himself. Sure, he thought.

He looked down at his cheap watch, like the rest of him it just about did the job but any sort of pressure and it would just fall apart. So really why did he bother. The Flapper. As nicknames go it wasn't the worst. ‘Shits’ got that honour and had done for the past 6 years despite many protests, so really he shouldn't complain. True he’d had a few panic attacks recently. But that's ok. It's good to talk mental health. He just wished things went his way a bit more.

“Flaps,” came a voice from outside. “I'm coming in”. That was Sandy's voice. He was terrified, excited and panicked in an instant.

“Uh huh,” he mumbled. An instant later the zip was down and she was tumbling inside. All elbows, scraggy hair and crop top.

“Its boiling out there,” she panted, collapsing next to him, followed quickly by. “It stinks in here”.

“That was probably shits,” Jac said. He had forgotten how to breathe since she spoke. She laughed and punched him.

“You're so funny.”

She had a laugh like angelic pate. It seemed sweet but you didn't really know what was in it or how you made it.

“Why you hiding in here then?” she said.

“Not hiding, just chilling out” He had to breathe soon. “What, what are you doing in here?

“Oh. I was just wondering where you were is all. Um well, breakfast is ready. Well it's burnt but there's bread.”

Before he could reply she sat up and darted outside again.

He gasped for breathe all lethargy was gone from him and he could feel the adrenilin causing through him.

She had come to find him. HIM.

Holy. Shit.

This was big. He had to find Shits. Tell him about it. He had to get out of bed. Then wash. He really had to wash. Man he lloved camping.

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