preview

Essay On The Epilogue To Build A Fire

Decent Essays

Jakob Clay hadn’t been very lucky lately. He sat on a log, tapping his right leg, a nervous habit. The log was a rich brown, only visible when the flames of the fire licked the air near it. It was slightly damp out, but it was nice enough for Jakob—not that he had very high standards. “I’ve never won anything before,” he quietly informed his friend Mason, who was also seated on the log. There were twenty other people in the clearing, all whispering among themselves. Wood was being chopped. Water was bubbling. Everyone was on edge, all waiting to find out who was going to win the lottery. “Don’t worry too much,” Mason comforted, even though he was in the same boat as Jakob and just as anxious. “I’m sure everything will work out fine.” Jakob wasn’t so …show more content…

They were well concealed, the bottoms hidden behind his left hand and the tops all the same height. “I believe it’s time.” A few murmurs could be heard, then absolute silence. Only the crackling flames of the fire continued. “I couldn’t find any straws,” Killian continued matter-of-factly, “so we’ll just have to make due with these.” No one bothered to object. The objects they used didn’t matter, only the result. Killian commenced walking around the group, allowing each person to choose a stick. By the time he was halfway across the circle, Jakob could see people comparing their sticks, sombre expressions on all of their faces. Jakob was next. He picked the stick right in the middle. He held it in his palm. He could only hope it was the right size. “Bring them up,” Killian instructed everyone. They all did, showing their sticks to one another. Jakob knew immediately that he had the shortest stick. He was the winner. Mason offered him an encouraging look, but Jakob could see the sadness in his friend’s eyes. Killian shot Jakob an apologetic look, before addressing the others. “Dice him up and put him in the pot. He’ll be ready to eat by

Get Access