“our last winter”

“It’s a bit chilly, don’t you think?” Stacey Callaine murmured to her boyfriend, as the two lounged upon the gazebo railing.

“Almost winter,” remarked Jack, dropping his jacket on his girlfriend’s shoulders. “Next week, there’ll be snow.”

Stacey hummed. “With snow, there’ll be sledding. Hot cocoa. The holidays…” She latched onto Jack’s gloved hand. “I can’t wait to spend Christmas with you.”

“Me too,” Jack replied, uncharacteristically somber. He stared out onto the park landscape, at the barren trees. Their dead leaves clung to the wet ground.

In a few months, he and his buddy would be out in the Atlantic, searching for the mythical Angel Flame. He wondered how Stacey would react when he told her. Jack really didn’t want her to leave him. But, he supposed, he was more worried that he would have to leave her, and not in a temporary, I’m-going-on-an-expedition kind of way. Jack was afraid he’d leave for good. After all, no one had discovered the Angel Flame and lived to tell the tale.

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Word count: 170. For this photo prompt. Read the corresponding flash fiction here: “adventure on the angel flame” (prequel? sequel? either way). First time doing this particular challenge. ’twas nice.

✪ Angie