Hatchet #9

Hatchet

Chapter 9

Tuesday February 14, 2012

            Producing fire from sparks presents a much greater challenge than Brian had anticipated. This knew knowledge required him to make several modifications before he succeeded. He finds some birch bark to ignite the sparks, but needs a finer and more effective type of material. The fire is still dying after many efforts, and Brian becomes frustrated. He thinks back to his science classes, and remembers that fire also needs oxygen to thrive. Brian decides blows on it, and, after adjusting the strength of his blows, the sparks burst into a flame. Feeding the fire with more kindling and reveling in his accomplishment, he considers the fire a friend as well as a guard against animals and mosquitoes. All alone in the wilderness, he cries out in joy at his fire, longing to share it with someone. Brian wonders what his parents are doing at that moment, and if his mother was seeing the strange man he had seen her kiss.