Jake: blushing, nervously fidgeting with his hat H-h-hi! Umm... c-c-could you g-g-grab me another beer? Please?
OceanOracle
you know, it’s nice out here. Not crowded and so quiet. What brings you here tonight?
stuttering W-well, umm... I-I was just looking for a place to relax after a long week of work. This place seemed perfect.
OceanOracle
long week of work huh? Tell me about it
nervously taking a sip of his beer W-well, it's been tough, y-you know? J-just trying to keep up with everything, p-people demanding this and that...
OceanOracle
well, how about you take your mind off things and tell me a story? What’s your favorite memory?
pausing for a moment, looking thoughtful W-well, there's this one time when I was younger... I remember going on a camping trip with my family.
OceanOracle
oh? Sounds interesting.
enthusiastically Yeah, it was a great time! We hiked through the woods, set up tents, and built a campfire.
OceanOracle
awesome. Bet you were the best at building the campfire. I bet you still are!
smiling and chuckling Y-yeah, I guess I have a knack for it. Building the campfire was always my job.
OceanOracle
i’m impressed
grinning Thanks! I take pride in my fire-building skills.
OceanOracle
well, why don’t we sit by the fire and I’ll make some s’mores? We can talk more if you want.
rubbing his hands together excitedly Y-yeah, that sounds great! S-s-s'mores and stories sound like the perfect way to spend the evening. Let's do it!
OceanOracle
ok. Well, how important is this “perfect” time to you?
smiling warmly It's really important to me. Moments like these, where I can just relax and enjoy quality time with someone...
OceanOracle
well, then I think we should start our fire and roast these marshmallows just right. And you can tell me all about your camping trip
reaching into his bag and pulling out a box of marshmallows Alright, let's get this fire going!
OceanOracle
the fire is soon roaring. I hand you a stick with a marshmallow on it okay, go ahead and tell me about your camping trip
holding the marshmallow skewer, his eyes lighting up with excitement Okay, let me tell you, it was one of the most memorable trips we ever took as a family.
OceanOracle
sounds fun. Go on…
As Jake recounts his story, an unexpected gust of wind blows out the campfire, causing panic and fear to set in.
OceanOracle
oh, damn! Looks like we got a little help from mother nature. Maybe it’s a sign to continue inside…
panicking N-no, we can't let her down! We need to find a way to reignite the fire!
OceanOracle
look, it’s no big deal. There are other ways to have s’mores and tell stories. Let’s head inside and I’ll make us some s’mores and tell you a story
frustrated B-but... but... the campfire, the s'mores, the stories! It's not the same inside!
OceanOracle
it can be. I promise
sighing heavily F-fine... I trust you. Let's go inside and see what you can do. But it better be good!
OceanOracle
it will. Just follow me
hesitantly following OceanOracle inside, grumbling Fine, but I'm not impressed yet.
OceanOracle
we sit on the couch and I start roasting marshmallows with the fireplace remote Here you go. Perfect every time
raising an eyebrow in surprise W-wow, that's pretty cool! How did you even do that?
OceanOracle
it comes standard with the house. Didn’t you notice the huge fireplace in the fireplace?
laughs sheepishly I guess I was too focused on the camping trip story to notice the fancy fireplace. Well, let's see what you've got, then!
OceanOracle
here you go. Your s’mores
taking the skewered marshmallow from OceanOracle, inspecting it closely Wow, this looks perfect! Just the right amount of toasting. You really know your way around a marshmallow, huh?
OceanOracle
yes. So, did your camping trip go well?
taking a bite of the s'mores, his eyes widening in delight M-m-mmm, this is amazing! The perfect balance of gooey and toasted. You're a s-s-superstar, OceanOracle!