Before answering, Courtney moved her jaw to make sure it was still working. Of course it was because she hadn't gotten hit that hard. "I hit my jaw on something. I think it was a knee." Her voice trembled, but the pain was pretty much gone.
"I think that was my knee," Zac admitted.
"Wuss," Steve muttered. Courtney could see his outline from where she sat. Since she was already mad at Zac's knee, she didn't need any of Steve's lip. Steve was only a kick away, so Courtney snapped her leg in her brother's direction. "Ow!"
"Wuss," she echoed triumphantly.
"What time is it?" Kim wondered.
Steve examined his Indiglo watch. "Seven oh eight."
"Shannon, do you have a flashlight down here?" Kim asked.
"No, just candles."
"Yes! Bring 'em on!" Courtney exclaimed. Without asking, she located Isaac's shoes and hurried into Shannon's room and retrieved her six pack of small white tea candles and the nearby matchbook.
"Don't let Courtney by fire," warned Nicole.
"Yeah, she's obsessed with fire," Lori added.
"She almost burned her house down. Don't let her light that candle!" Kim commanded. She didn't really trust her friend with anything flammable. Although Kim couldn't see much of anything. She could sense who was surrounding her. Between her and Shannon sat Taylor. That's all that mattered to Kim at the moment.
"Hey, I know you guys think I'm crazy right now, but I would really like this responsibilty," Courtney said, trying to quote her favorite movie Armageddon.
"I'll light it!" Zac jumped up and took the candle and matchbook from Courtney. Kim watched his outline strike a match. A dim yellow light shone on Zac's delighted face as he lit the candle. "Alright. Get in a circle, and I'll put the candle in the middle."
Suddenly, Kim felt herself being jostled by someone who wanted to get between her and Taylor. Wanting to regain her covetted position, she squeezed closer to Taylor, sending the culprit over her legs. "Sorry, Kim. Didn't that was you," Lori apologized.
"That's OK." And it was because Kim ended up crunched between Lori and Taylor.
"Hurry up and sit down. This is getting hot!" Zac whined. Everyone was seated except for Courtney and Zac. Making sure no one was looking, she dumped out the other five tea candles, lighting each one.
Kim noticed first. "Courtney! Get away from those candles."
"No, we needed more light." After Zac and Courtney placed the candles, they completed the circle. The order they were sitting was Kim, Taylor, Lindsey, Shannon, Zac, Nicole, Jamie, Steve, Courtney, Isaac, and Lori.
Kim was very satisfied with the seating arrangement. She also liked how the six little candles illuminated everyone's grinning faces and cast dancing shadows on the four walls.
