Free Eye on Orion by Laura D. Bastian

the bag of chips to them then put my can on the ground. I grabbed my plate off the chair, then sat down and reached for my drink. I leaned a little too far, and my camp chair started to tip over on its side. I slapped my left hand onto my plate to keep it from falling off my lap and caught myself with my right hand on the ground.
    Then I felt the coal under my palm.
    I got my feet under me and pushed my chair upright. A gasp escaped me. I pulled my hand back in pain then held it to my chest for a minute. I looked down and saw a little glowing red and black coal. I examined my palm, clenching my teeth at the sting of the burn. Dirt and black soot covered it. Underneath, an angry red spot across the palm of my hand shouted out the burn’s location.
    Jai and Amira both sat up straight and spoke as one. “What happened?”
    â€œI burned myself.” I sucked in my breath as the pain came again.
    â€œJai, help her,” Amira said in a voice full of command.
    Jai went to the ice chest and grabbed a small handful of ice out of it. When he took my plate off my lap then placed my hand in his, I relaxed. The touch of his hand felt incredible.
    He examined it closely then rubbed his right hand lightly across the blisters. I felt relief immediately. He then rubbed my skin with the ice, but the burn was gone. I only had the memory of the pain.
    â€œWhat did you do?” I didn’t think I was so awed by his touch that it would cause pain to leave me. He ignored my question and continued to gently rub the ice across my palm. I only felt the cold from the ice. No sting or throb from the burn. He held my hand tight in his grip, preventing me from pulling it back.
    I tugged again and he said, “You should let me keep the ice on it longer. It does not look bad. The ice will take all the burn away.”
    I stopped tugging and stared at him. He wouldn’t meet my eyes, giving me the impression he was talking to Amira in his mind. What were they saying? Amira looked at him then at me and smiled encouragingly. The worry in her eyes gave her away.
    â€œI don’t need the ice anymore,” I said. “Let me have my hand back.” I tugged at it again. I didn’t mean to sound angry.
    â€œIf you wish.” The politeness of the words was at odds with his tone.
    The water from the melted ice had cleaned away the black soot. I touched my hand. The developing blisters were gone. The last time I'd burned myself anywhere nearly as bad it had taken days for the blisters to heal. Even then, they had cracked and oozed for a day or two.
    I looked at my hand in disbelief then at Jai who watched me closely. “What did you do?”
    â€œNothing. I merely put ice on your burn.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
    â€œYou aren’t supposed to put ice directly on a burn. It can damage your skin,” I insisted. “And you did something before the ice. The burn was gone before it touched my hand.”
    â€œThat is ridiculous,” he scoffed, making me feel unsure. “What could I have done to fix a burn? It must not have been bad.”
    â€œI saw the blisters forming!” I shouted, feeling defensive myself. I wasn't going to give in again. I wanted answers. “I felt the pain. I’ve done it before in the oven at home while making dinner. My oven mitt had a hole in it. It was a bad burn,” I insisted again. I looked at my other hand and found the scar. “See this. That was like this burn was 'til you did something to it.”
    I looked him right in the eye and saw his eyes flicker toward Amira. I had forgotten about her for a moment. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears. I could see she was panicked. My anger at his stubbornness faltered, and my resolve to find out the truth completely crumbled. She looked so afraid.
    I sighed. “Let me guess. Another secret?”
    I saw relief wash over her. “Yes,” she whispered.
    â€œFine.” I tried to