Growth and Lust Ch. 03 - Cold

“How longs the trek?” Bakaree asked as Perta began to walk towards an opening in the woods.

He didn’t look back to answer her, just shaking his head and saying, “Changes everytime.”

Bakaree wondered about the response and suddenly felt a crisp sense of relief as she felt the weapon in its holster and the knives sheathed on her back, no longer having any trace of guilt from bringing it.

Perta kept his vision down most of the hike, only looking up rarely to ensure they were oriented in the right direction. Every now and then stopping, turning 90 degrees in his track and then beginning to walk again.

Bakaree watched him do this and subtly felt that he might be lost, not speaking and acting odd as he seemed to sneak through the woods they were in. She heard him muttering to himself every now and then, trying to hear what he was saying and only catching a few curse words and what she guessed was him counting.

“How long have you been doing this, Perta?”

Perta shook his head slightly, “Maybe over a decade, I lead people in if they have a good reason and the chief asks me to. There’s not many who make the trek, but the village needs odds and ends from the outside world and the few of us that do this bring them what they need.”

He reached out and began to climb over some larger boulders that were in there way, huffing with the weight on his back as he did so.

Bakaree whatched him make his way up, easily clearing the obstacle with all four hands grabbing and pulling while her legs pushed her forward. She could feel the cold rock in her grip numbing her hands, getting to the top and beginning to walk again she felt the chilled wind bite at her neck. Cursing herself for not bringing a hat she pulled on her coller and tried to get it to blok the wind, the leather jacket and pants seemed to do little to help her. She glared and looked at Perta, seeing his body was unphased and not a trace of discomfort came through as he walked through the brush and snow.

“You’re not cold?” she asked absentmindedly.

“I don’t get cold.” Perta said as he stopped in his tracks and made another 90 degree turn in the opposite direction from before.

Bakaree observed the random looking movement, then heard him counting, “Don’t get cold? Everyone gets cold.”

“Watch out for low branches.” Perta replied as he ducked under a snow covered limb and kept moving forward.

Bakaree wondered what you had to do to be so resilient out here? ‘Cold showers? Cold food? Sell your soul to the fucking god of frost?’ she thought with the last one making her chuckle.

Stopping to rest she saw Perta pull two small bags from his pack, he handed her one and then took a bottle out and opened it. She watched him take a long pull from it, his head tipped back and the large gulps going down his throat, she traced his neck line with her red eyes for a moment. The glimpse was minimal but had her imagination fueled and delivering picturesque twists and stretches of his toned physique. She looked away and opened the bag to find a simple sandwich inside, looking back to him his eyes were gently watching her. Bakaree felt nervous for a moment before seeing the bottle in his hand being held up to her in offering, she took it and drank as well.

Perta had finished drinking but felt Bakaree watching him the whole time, wondering if she didn’t pack any water and was expecting him to provide it for her. He parted it from his lips and looked up to her, watching the snow and day light dance around her as she inspected the meal he gave her. Seeing a little spark of pleasure at what was inside, then watching her head turn to him. Inspecting her jawline, shaping the strong and kind face of the woman that seemed so confident in the new element she entered. Watching her eyes look down into his without judgement or pity.

‘Leave.’ he thought, ‘don’t stay in this place.’

"Are we close?" Bakaree asked.

"We're on schedule, but we need to make sure we keep this pace and concentrate on the path." He answered.

"Predators?" She asked as she took a large bite of her simple meal.

"No, there's just some things out here that can cause unease. But if you keep your head and vision down and follow me we'll be through it in no time." Perta said.

They finished eating and started hiking again, Bakaree focused on Pertas foot steps but couldn't shake an odd feeling. Every now and then she would hear movement around her, without thinking she stopped and looked up. She caught a glimpse of something black darting through the woods, trying to examine whatever it was that made the disturbance. Looking back to Perta her heart sank as she realized he was gone, she was sure she had seen him stepping in front of her. But now the snow in the direction he had them walking was fresh, not a sign of disturbance from where he should have been treading.

Bakaree spun around to search for him, "Perta!?" she said in a raised voice, looking back to the direction they came from. Her eyes were wide as the tracks they had left were gone as well, looking around she realized she was standing in a completely new and untouched snowy landscape. "Perta where'd you go!?" She yelled as she looked around. She removed her side arm and held it in her upper hand, feeling eyes on her as she pulled the slide back and ensured a round was chambered in the gun.

Perta walked as determined as he could, concentrating on his route as he kept his eyes down and in his immediate area. He had been walking and concentrating so much that it took him a moment to realize there wasn't a second set of audible foot falls. He stopped and listened, looking only at the ground a few feet in front of him.

"Bakaree?" He whispered, begging to hear her answer behind him. He stared at his feet, not daring to raise his vision to his surroundings, he slowly turned around then started retracing his steps. Wondering to himself how long he had been walking alone, and hoping Bakaree didn't try to find a way back on her own.

Bakaree felt something beckoning her, gently guiding her to the path she needed to follow as she purposefully stepped through the woods. As she trudged through the snow the direction to go would become clear, not turning or changing her pace, but the forest around her seemed to move and open. As if she was walking straight, and the woods were twisting around with her in the center, she didn't feel frightened, but at ease as this happened.

She broke through into a clearing, hearing a deep snow crunch under her foot she looked down at it. Studying the undisturbed landscape of the area around as the trees shielded it from the suns rays, then seeing the hut from her dream. She felt fear grip her again as she looked at it, the hut seemed darker than before, she could hear the howl of the wind tearing through but she didn't feel it touch her. She raised her foot to step forward but felt a hand grip her lower one and pull her.

Startled, she turned to see Perta holding her hand and him looking down at his feet, pulling her he whispered, "We need to return, put your weapon away."

"But I've been here before." Bakaree said as she holstered her side arm, "I had a dream abou-"

"No you haven't, the mountain is toying with you, you need to look down and retrace your steps with me." Perta said in a harsh whisper.

"But they're in there.” she said.

Perta bowed his head hard, “No...they’re not, they ...left... a long time ago.”

Bakaree could see a tremor run through Perta, his voice wavering slightly had her concerned. Turning to look at the hut she saw the thick skin hanging from the door swaying in the dim light, with darkness on the other side. She felt drawn to it again, pulling on his grip she felt she needed an answer to a question and it could be found through the doorway.

"I know what you think you see." Perta said in a raised voice.

Bakaree tilted her head, trying to see into the door as the wind swept the covering, something guiding her to walk towards it.

"It's not real, they're gone," Perta squeezed his eyes shut, "I don't know who you'll see in there, but you won't like them, Bakaree-"

Bakaree leaned forward as she stepped, not even realizing he was speaking to her.

Perta let her go, his hand falling to his side but never lifting his gaze,"... they're dead.”

Bakaree pushed the thick skin to the side with her right arm, feeling it break free she leaned away from it and watched it fall from the doorway. Heaping in a pile at the threshold, snow beginning to land on it. She looked inside for the warm fire and sweet smells, only to be met by darkness. A sickly scent of copper filled the air and stung her nose, she noticed crimson stains on the furs at her feet. The sight shook her core as she took it all in, shuddering and clenching her fist.

“mm-lllld.” a tiny voice said.

Bakaree watched a red blanket begin to move, a small figure underneath trying to bury its self deeper. She stepped closer to it, kneeling down she gently grabbed the intricate piece of fabric while remembering the designs. She closed her fingers around it and pulled slowly, her heart pounding and filling her ears with the sound of her own blood pumping through her.

Moving the blanket, Bakaree came face to face with the vacant steel eyes of a mother, the one she had seen before. Cold and stiff, dried crimson life that had once coursed through her veins coughed out and on her lips. Cracked and dried caking her chin and neck.

“Momma, I’m so cold.” the tiny voice whimpered.

Her heart pounded hard, shaking her ear drums as ice ran through her veins and fear sunk its feral teeth into her. She trembled as her brain and gut fought over whether her head should tip down and look into the blanket she had pulled away. Her eyes stretched so wide it almost hurt, she finally looked into the piles of blankets that once covered the mother. Seeing the hands of a child, his grip balling up handfuls of her blue flower pattern dress as he clung to her, tiny sobs echoing off the dusty walls of the hut.

Bakaree tried to get the gears of her conscious mind to spin and come to life, her train of thought derailed and left a burning mess. She felt the pricks of sweat beading along her forehead and back as every joint in her body became weak. The faint screaming inside her alerting her that something was wrong, that she wasn’t meant to be here.

The red blanket moved and the black void in the shape of a hounds head came out to peer into her soul. Never blinking, its white eyes seemed to ask her what her next move will be? What she feels and if she will join it in the hellscape she voluntarily walked into.

Bakaree shrieked and fell backwards scrambling and trying to separate herself from the scene, she felt something cold and soft under her. Spinning around she held herself up on her hands and knees, seeing the cold hand of a dead father holding a piece of wood. Inches away from the lifeless fire bowl in the center of the hut. Using his last moments before the end to try and feed the bowl before he coughed out his own crimson life, leaving it dried on his lips and the furs below.

She shrieked, trying to make it to the exit, seeing the other bodies lining the walls. Young and old faces that had been so real just the night before. Their mouths agape and lifelessly gasping, the pale canvas of their skin painted in the sickening scarlet blood.

Bakaree threw herself from the hut, crashing into the snow and tumbling around as she tried to get her feet underneath her.

‘All are welcome at your table.’ a voice said in her head.

She darted her head back and forth looking for the black hellhound, trying to find it so she could be ready as she yanked the gun out of its holster again. She couldn’t see it near her, she turned to look at Perta standing where she had left him. A black hounds silhouette disappearing behind him with a quick movement that she almost missed. She lifted herself and ran to him, hands reaching out, she grabbed his shoulders with her upper hand and grabbed at the collar of his coat with her lower ones

“What the fuck is this place!” she demanded.

Perta never lifted his face to look at her, “...Look down and retrace your steps…”

“PERTA!” she yelled.

“...we need to leave and get to the village before nightfall.” he said in a somber tone.

Bakaree, unsatisfied with the answer, took in deep and ragged breaths as she looked at him, wanting to squeeze the truth from him. She released him and fell to the ground, sitting on her knees in a heap a few feet in front of him as she tried to regain her composure. Long deep breaths hurt her throat as the cold air seemed to cut her inside. Visions of their faces bombarded her as she tried to push them out and back into the hut. Regretting her choice and wondering if she was being taunted, before her own demise. She glanced back to the doorway, feeling her stomach sink as she tried to find the hell she just threw herself out of. Seeing the hut was gone and the clearing was devoid of any structure.

She was on the verge of screaming in anger as she turned her head around and ran a snow covered hand through her hair. When she heard Perta take a deep and waivering breath, then try to speak again, looking up she now saw the face he was trying to hide. Burning eyes that struggled to hold the flood back, he turned quickly, hiding his shame from her.

“...Get up…”he said coldly, “we need to keep moving.”

Hiking with new purpose they rushed through the woods and arrived at the village just as the sun set. As the sky darkened they trudged up the main thoroughfare of the small huts, teaming with life and people. They nodded at them and many approached and greeted Perta, he returned the greetings and removed his pack. Bakaree watched as he pulled out small books and trinkets, handing them to the children who would run up to him. Bakaree watched the little ones' faces light up with joy as they accepted the gifts and ran off.

“So do people not usually leave often?” she asked him.

“No, and they usually don’t see too many new faces.” he replied.

Bakaree looked around and started to notice the people looking at her, cautiously curious but not unhappy that she was there.

“We’ll meet with the chief, then you can start collecting samples tomorrow.” Perta said.

“Oh my mountain child, how have you traveled?” a voice yelled out from further in the village.

Bakaree turned to face him, then looked down to see it was a teenager yelling the greeting at them.

“Chief, we travelled well, how have you lived?” Perta replied back as he bowed to him.

“I have lived well, come you bow to no one my friend.” he said as he patted his shoulders and smiled at him. “This is our guest correct?” he said as he looked at Bakaree and beamed a large smile.

“Yes chief, she is the guest and also a friend, please see to it that she is treated as part of the village.” Perta said as he gestured to her.

“Oh of course, anyone who can make it to the village shall have a bed to sleep in and food to eat!” the young chief yelled out.

Bakaree bowed, “Thank you for having me, in trust I sleep in your care tonight.”

The chief raised his eyebrows and laughed, “Oh my so formal, thank you and welcome!”

He spun around and stomped with glee further into the village, raising his arms and calling out for the feast of the night that had been prepared. Perta and Bakaree smiled and followed him as the crowd laughed and clapped around them.

“Why’s he so young?” Bakaree asked in a whisper while leaning towards Perta.

“The mountain picked him.” he replied.

She looked at him with even more confusion.

“What was that greeting?” Perta asked.

“It’s from my people, it means I sleep easily with your party as I trust you.” she said as she nodded to the villagers waving at her.

“I get a knife and he gets a royal greeting huh, talk about first impressions.” Perta said with heavy sarcasm.

“At least he didn’t ogle my tits.” she retorted back.

Perta shook his head before waiving her to go ahead of him and follow the chief, hiding a small smile at her joke.

They moved to the banquet table that had been set up, a large feast of bread, meat and veggies strewn across its broad surface. Bakaree was almost drooling at the sight of the meal, the smells causing her hunger to rage and her stomach to rumble. They quickly gathered plates and filled them with food, no lines being formed but common decency leading the tribe and making the entire process polite. Bakaree looked around amazed at how well the unorganized crowd gathered their meals and ensured everyone had a full plate.

Taking the first bite had her head skyrocketing with joy, devouring half the contents of the plate in a matter of seconds. A large man came up and clunked a hardy mug infront of her, sloshing some kind of golden elixir in it.

“A drink to wash it down with then?” He said with a laugh as he walked off.

Bakaree watched him leave, and looked to Perta who was sitting next to her, he also had a mug in front of him. She watched as he raised it and tipped it back, finishing the contents in seconds as he smacked his lips. Bakaree grabbed the mug and started drinking it, then found another mug, and another, mugs landing in front of her faster than she could drink. She slammed them back as another plate of food thumped down in front of her.

‘What is this all about?’ she wondered.

The chief slapped her back, “The tribe welcomes you for as long as you need Bakaree, please don’t hesitate to ask for anything!” He said with a laugh before continuing to the other tribesman.

She looked at Perta again, he caught her gaze and shrugged his shoulders, “Visitors are uncommon here.”

“Ya but, I thought that meant…” she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

“Anyone is welcome to come, but not everyone can make it through.” He took another drink before continuing, “Even I don’t know if I’ll make it through when I come or go, I told this to the other woman. But she seemed adamant that you could get here.”

“You mean Pura?” Bakaree asked as she grabbed another mug.

“Ya I think so.” he said.

‘Bitch.’ Bakaree thought as she slammed the drink back.

The night drifted off into a blur, Bakaree took her fill of food and drink and laughs. Enjoying every second of the large group that sang and drank around her. The night got darker and colder and she felt Perta start pulling her away from the crowd, following the chief as he bumbled around through the paths between the huts.

“This’ll be yours for your stay, please enjoy!” he said excitedly as he waved them over.

Bakaree was the first one to throw the skin door to the side and stumble in, she looked around at the quaint hut and sniffed the air. Sad to find no scent of herbs and food, but happy that there was a fire bowl with logs inside it already lit. She untied and kicked off her shoes and dropped to her knees then stomach, running her hands along the soft furs on the floor and relishing the warmth of it all.

Perta entered, stumbling and mumbling to himself as he kicked off his boots, he walked to the left of the round hut and pushed on it. The wall gave way and showed a small commode inside, he entered and drew the skins closed behind him. Moments later he emerged and went to a large bowl that had legs on it propping it up off the ground by only a few feet.

Bakaree watched as he pulled a valve on the wall and water flowed out and into the bowl, then she noticed the piping on the bottom of it and realized it was a large sink. She saw Perta hold his hands underneath it, scrubbing them with soap and then rinsing them, cupping the crystal clear water and then splashing his face. She stood from the furs, stumbling slightly as her feet got tangled in them before she made it to the opening and looked inside. “Wait, this village has plumbing? And fucking toilets!?” she asked with a twisted look of confusion.