A Crazy Excursion

'Have you gone mad?' Nathalie snapped her head in his direction with gawking eyes.

"I'm beyond alright, so thank you for that."

She looked at his visage remained unperturbed, then at the smoking pillar; she'd been at it several times, back and forth.

Which she thought it's not as simple as it is...

'You've lost your mind, I'm convinced.'

"That's a community bonfire."

"Oh hell, no."

In a single spot, the smoking pillar grew fiercer than earlier; as they got closer, it grew bigger and turbulent as it got blown by the wind.

'Do you take me for a fool? Look at—'

When some of its ashes flew towards them, she tugged his robe and covered at least the lower part of her face but it didn't save her from coughing on it.

Despite muffling her coughs, her ears caught the drums beating alongside the rowdy cheers echoing in the forest.