Eternal Malediction (RE)

Once the laughter finally died down, the group lay scattered across the grass, catching their breath. The field stretched wide and open around them, the cabins visible in the distance, and the sky above slowly shifting from grey to a deepening blue.

Roy straightened up first.

”Alright,” he said, clapping his hands once. ”Campfire time. Let’s get everything set up.”

Everyone groaned in unison, still exhausted from the sprint, but they pushed themselves up anyway.

Roy pointed around the field like a general assigning a role. ”Rin, Mella. You are on stick duty. Get lots of them. Dry ones.”

Rin saluted dramatically. ”YES SIR!”

Mella copied him, her tiny hand smacking her forehead. ”YES SIR!”

They ran off immediately, already arguing about who could carry more.

Roy turned to Tanaka and Kieran. ”You two, your duty is to get big logs. Something we can sit on.”

Tanaka blinked. ”Big log?”

Kieran sighed. ”He means heavy.”

Roy nodded.

Tanaka groaned. ”Why do we get the heavy job?”

Roy shrugged. ”Because you’re the strong men in this group.”

Kieran muttered, ”He just doesn’t want to do it.”

Roy ignored that.

He pointed at Lys and Mira next, who were right next to the food. ”You two. You are on food prep. Bread, marshmallows, sweets. Make it look like we know what we’re doing.”

Mira nodded immediately. ”Got it.”

Lys gave a strong thumb‑up.

Tanaka squinted at Roy. ”Okay, but what are you gonna do?”

Roy didn’t hesitate. ”I set everything up. So, I’m free from duties.”

Tanaka stared at him. Kieran stared at him. Both frowned at the exact same time.

Tanaka pointed accusingly. ”So, you get off scot‑free?!”

Roy shrugged. ”Leadership has perks.”

Kieran opened his mouth to argue... then closed it. He looked at Roy, then at Tanaka, then at the giant log they were supposed to find.

He sighed. ”I’m too tired to fight him.”

Tanaka groaned. ”Same.”

Roy smiled, satisfied.

Half an hour passed in a comfortable rhythm.

Rin and Mella returned with an absurd number of sticks, far more than necessary, proudly dumping them into a pile like they’d just conquered a forest.

Tanaka and Kieran dragged a massive log across the field, both grunting, both complaining, both regretting every life choice that led them to this moment.

Lys and Mira arranged the food neatly on a blanket: sliced vegetables, bread, sweets, and a few marshmallow treats Mira had hidden earlier so the kids wouldn’t eat any before having proper food. Lys worked quietly, her movements gentle and precise. Mira hummed as she helped, occasionally glancing at her brother to make sure he wasn’t sulking.

Roy supervised.

By the time the sun dipped low, the campfire was lit, crackling softly, flames dancing in the cool evening air. The smell of burning wood mixed with the scent of fresh bread and roasted vegetables.

The sky above them was clearer than anything they’d seen in London. No light pollution. No city haze. Just stars bright, sharp, and endless.

They all gathered around the fire.

Roy, Tanaka, and Kieran sat next to each other on the massive log, shoulders brushing lightly, the warmth of the fire reflecting in their eyes.

Mira sat on the floor beside Kieran, leaning gently against her brother’s leg, her head resting comfortably as she watched the flames.

On the other side, Lys sat with Rin and Mella, keeping a careful eye on the kids to make sure they didn’t get too close to the fire. Rin poked the ground with a stick. Mella held a sweet in her hand, staring at the stars like they were magic.

The night sky stretched above them, vast and beautiful, far more beautiful than the world they had just walked through.

The fire crackled softly, the night sky stretching above them like a dark ocean filled with stars. The warmth settled into their bones, calming the last remnants of tension from London.

For a moment, everything was peaceful.

Then Tanaka ruined it.

He clapped his hands loudly. ”ALRIGHT. I say we use the fireworks.”

Roy didn’t even look at him. ”We just sat down.”

Tanaka pointed at the box beside him. ”We must start with THE BOMB.”

Kieran stared at him. ”Why would we start with the biggest one?”

Tanaka grinned. ”Because it’s called THE BOMB.”

Roy sighed. ”That’s not a reason.”

Tanaka stood up anyway, grabbing the massive firework like it was a sacred relic. ”Come on. It’ll be sick.”

Rin gasped. ”THE BOMB!”

Mella clapped. ”THE BOMB!”

Mira groaned. ”You’re all children.”

Lys simply blinked, unsure whether this was a good idea or a terrible one.

Roy rubbed his face. ”Fine. But if it explodes wrong, I’m blaming Tanaka.”

Tanaka saluted proudly. ”I accept full responsibility.”

Kieran muttered, ”That’s the problem.”

They all stood up and carried THE BOMB a safe distance away from the campfire. Tanaka positioned it carefully, adjusting it like he was defusing an actual explosive.

Roy handed him a firestick lit from the bonfire. ”Light it. And then run.”

Tanaka nodded seriously. ”I was born ready.”

He crouched, touched the flame to the fuse— Fssssssssssssss

The fuse hissed loudly, and everyone looked up to see a spectacular sight to behold. The firework made a rising whine, the kind that meant it was about to shoot into the sky.

Rin held his breath. Mella covered her ears. Mira braced herself. Kieran squinted. Lys leaned back slightly. Roy crossed his arms, actually curious.

The sound grew louder... FSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS—

And then... Nothing.

It was silent, with anticipation in the air.

The fuse went dead, and their eyes fell back on THE BOMB.

THE BOMB sat there, completely still.

All of their eyes fell back on THE BOMB.

Tanaka blinked. ”Uh...”

Roy frowned. ”Did it... die?”

Kieran stepped closer. ”Maybe it’s defective.”

Mira whispered, ”Should we... check it?”

Roy shook his head. ”No. Absolutely not.”

They all stared at THE BOMB.

For a full five seconds.

Then... The night turned into morning.

A blinding white flash erupted from THE BOMB, exploding upward like a miniature sun. The entire field lit up as if someone had dropped a star onto the grass. The sky vanished. The fire vanished. The world vanished.

Everyone screamed.

”MY EYES!”

”WHAT THE—?!”

”AAAAAAAHHHH!”

”WHY IS IT SO BRIGHT?!”

”THE BOMB IS EVIL!”

”HELP!”

”I CAN’T SEE!”

”MY RETINAS!”

They stumbled around blindly, hands over their faces, tripping over each other, falling into the grass, crying, moaning, swearing, and begging for mercy.

Even Roy was on his knees, clutching his face. ”FUCK YOU, TANAKA!”

Tanaka rolled on the ground. ”I DIDN’T KNOW IT WOULD DO THAT!”

Kieran shouted, ”WHY DID WE LISTEN TO YOU?!”

Mira screamed, ”I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING!”

Rin wailed, ”THE BOMB HURT ME!”

Mella cried, ”THE SKY EXPLODED!”

Lys sat perfectly still, hands over her eyes, quietly suffering like a dignified ghost.

It took a full minute before the light faded from their vision.

Another five before they could see shapes and another ten before they could see properly again.

They all sat down slowly, still rubbing their eyes, still blinking rapidly, still recovering from the trauma of THE BOMB.

Tanaka sniffled. ”Okay... maybe no more fireworks.”

Roy nodded weakly. ”Agreed.”

Kieran groaned. ”Never again.”

Mira wiped her eyes. ”I hate THE BOMB.”

Rin whispered, ”THE BOMB is scary...”

Mella hugged Lys. ”No more sky explosions.”

Lys nodded gently as she brushed her hair.

They all shuffled back to the campfire, sitting down in the exact same spots as before, still blinking, still recovering, still traumatised.

The fire crackled softly.

The stars twinkled peacefully above them.

And for the rest of the night... No one mentioned fireworks again.