Axel and I were both up here for a reason – to get away. We might do the same work, separately, so dropping in for casual visits defeated the purpose.
Besides, I had enough on my mind with Angela on my hands. And a woman like her was a whole lot to handle.
Angela
“We’re leaving,” Viktor said gruffly.
“I’m almost ready,” I said, looking under the bed. Where the hell was my phone? I must have misplaced it since I wasn’t using it. This cabin was so small, though, surely it would take just a moment to find it.
“Let’s go,” he said from the door.
“I can’t find my phone,” I told him, glancing at him. “Have you seen it?”
“No.”
I sighed and nodded. Since it had taken some effort to convince him to see a doctor, I wasn’t going to let him wriggle out of it again. I didn’t know him well, but I certainly didn’t want him sick with infection after saving me.
“Come, Malen kiy,” Viktor said. He used the same pet name he always did, but there was an irritated tone to his voice.
I gave up the search for my phone. I wanted to call my mom as soon as we got to town, explain what had happened, where I was. That I wasn’t dead in a ditch or something. I was merely stranded and would be back in a few days, hopefully. Hopefully, I could find a payphone in town.
“Can I get to Grizzly Falls from Snowmass?” I asked as we walked through the door.
Viktor eyed me skeptically. “I suppose you could.”
“You seem unhappy about the idea,” I commented curiously.
“A lot of the roads might be affected by the storm.”
“Might?” I asked.
Viktor was acting strange. He wasn’t great at communicating, but he seemed reluctant to let me go home. It would be flattering if he wanted me around, but he could just ask for my number or say he wanted to see me again.
“We’ll see when we get there,” he answered. His eyes were stormy, his jaw set. He looked different than usual. Pensive. A little scary.
We set out through the woods in silence. I let him brood.
Snowmass was a small town, smaller than I’d imagined, but it felt good to be back in civilization. I’d heard of it, but I’d never visited. I’d grown up in Grizzly Falls and was always surrounded by the tourists who travelled, who saw places, explored. And I’d never set foot out of my little hometown.
The town was decorated for Thanksgiving, which was the next week. My plan had been to use the week of Thanksgiving to pack and get ready for Chicago. I frowned, wondering if I’d be home in time. Certainly the roads would be repaired quickly. I pushed aside my concerns and breathed in deeply, smelling fall in the air.
“Don’t you just love this time of year?” I asked Viktor.
“Autumn is nice,” he commented.
“I mean Thanksgiving.”
He frowned and asked, “What’s that?”
I laughed. “You’re not from the U.S.”
“No.”
“Thanksgiving is a celebration of when the pilgrims came to this land and settled here,” I explained. “We eat turkey and spend the day with family.”
He only glanced at me. I guess when you lived in the forest, all year round was exactly the same. My mother popped into my head, and I sighed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked me.
“I miss my mom.” I glanced around, looking for a phone. “I need to call her.”
“Let’s find you some decent clothes first.”
I nodded, glancing down at myself and snickering. My jeans were ridiculous, and I was a little chilled. When we walked into the store, air conditioning blew on my face. It wasn’t as fresh or as crisp as the air around Viktor’s cabin, but it was something I knew.
We had walked through the trees for some time to get to Snowmass. It had been quite a trek. The exercise had been invigorating, though, and I had loved being surrounded by nature. Viktor had pointed out birds above us in the branches, recognizing them by the sounds they made. And he’d pointed out one or two small creatures scurrying by in the underbrush. I’d never noticed it before, but when I was between the trees without any modern technology, the world came to life. Without a car and loud music, or even a phone to distract me, it was as if nature suddenly sprang to life and I saw things I didn’t realize were out there.
It was a damn shame how fast the world had started moving forward. Out in the woods with Viktor, it all slowed right back down. And I couldn’t deny that I liked it.
Being between real brick buildings and walking on asphalt was a different sensation, though. I was very aware of the contrast between this world and the one Viktor had made for himself. Why did he stay in the woods like a recluse? I didn’t want to ask; it seemed rude since I didn’t know him well. And he was grouchy about being in town.
Viktor was serious about getting me something to wear. And even though I didn’t want to put him out, I was glad to have something other than his t-shirt and my ripped pants. In the mudslide I’d lost the truck with my wallet in it, so Viktor had offered to pay. I chose a new pair of jeans, a shirt, a pair of socks. Pajamas. My shoes were fine. I grabbed some underwear; it was certainly past time for a change.
“Look,” I said when I found Viktor close to the cashier. I held up the shirt I’d found, a big smile on my face. “A turkey dancing! Thanksgiving themed!”
He snorted. “Cute.”
“Right?” I asked gleefully, hoping to break his bad mood. Viktor shook his head, but he was smiling.
After he paid, I went back to the dressing room and changed. I felt so much better now that I wasn’t wearing torn clothes. I dumped the old clothes in the trash can and smiled at Viktor when I joined him where he was waiting for me outside.
Viktor hungrily dragged his eyes over my body. I blushed, and heat sparked at my core. But now wasn’t the time or place.
As we walked through town, I spotted a payphone and hurried to it, leaving him behind. I could call my mom and boss. I picked up the receiver and pressed it against my ear, glancing stiffly over my shoulder to ask Viktor for small change to make a call, but the disconnected tone sounded in my ear.
“The line is down,” I said with a frown.
“Phone lines washed away or something,” Viktor said with a shrug.
“Maybe…” I felt stranded, and panic filled me for a moment.
The doctor’s offices were a couple streets over, and I insisted we go there next. I noticed how people looked at Viktor when he passed. Everyone stared, caught themselves, tried not to keep staring. Viktor continued stoically, looking like he didn’t give a damn about what they thought of him.
What would I have thought of him if I’d seen him in the street? He sure was scary as hell. Especially with that scar and the scowl he wore to complement it. And he stood out among the crowd no matter what he did. A man that big just couldn’t blend in.
We entered the doctor’s office, and I was glad for Viktor’s sake that we were out of public sight. We headed to the reception desk, and Viktor announced that he needed stitches. The receptionist glanced up and did a double take when she saw him, her eyes trailing up, up, up.
“How serious is it?” the receptionist asked after remembering herself.