“Ouch.” On my way to the table, I stub my toe on a stack of wood by the fireplace. It’s a miracle I don’t fall flat on my nose. I take a seat at the table and light the candle next to the notebook. Under the light, I see not only pages and pages of the book filled with new entries but also an old map. Okay, it looks like catch-up time with what the Tribe has been up to yesterday.
After I’ve read the last entry, I shut the book and lean back. My head is buzzing from a story that sounds too fantastical to be true. This is good, old, laid back New Zealand and not The Fugitive where Dr. Kimble is stumbling from one disaster to another for four years. A murder suspect? A planted gun? The resurrection of a childhood abuser? The flight to the mountains? And how could they lose Prince? I feel naked without him, naked and unprotected. What are we going to do now?
This wild-goose-chase into the hills as a first response might be a workable tactic, but as a long-term solution, it’s ridiculous. I will not allow the Tribe to push me aside again and put me on ice for twenty-four hours. This time I’ll be ready and have a say in what we will do and where we’re going. For that, I need to stay energized and alert. The four walls of this two hundred square foot hut are too close for my taste. I need vision and for that I need space.
If someone would look through the window, that person would think I’m panicking and fleeing but I’m not. All I need is fresh air and room to move. Outside, I chose a boulder next to the hut entrance and sit, waiting for the cold mountain breeze to blow the last remaining cobwebs out of my mind.
The 360-degree view from the hut is spectacular. Forest-covered mountains turn into rocky giants in the distance. In the valleys below, blankets of fog have spent the night in the crevices, holding on to them like a lover reluctant to leave his beloved in the morning.
The first rays of the rising sun lap at the snow-covered peaks of the Alps. Peace. That’s what it is. Out here I find peace amid undisturbed nature with nothing other than the ever-present breeze, the sound of the waterfall cascading from the rock face behind the hut, and the occasional awakening birdsong. If I could, I would live here, away from money-hungry people and their mindless busyness, their wretched fights for power, and their loveless lives. It’s an unrealistic Pollyanna dream but I like it anyhow and it puts a smile on my face.
I straighten my back and take a deep breath. I can’t afford to drift off into some fantasyland. My aim is to stay alert and not get lost in my thoughts. A dip in the ice-cold pool at the foot of the waterfall will give me the jumpstart I need. I take off my t-shirt and panties and run toward the pool. With no other person around for god knows how many miles, running around in the nude is yet another level of freedom and carefree living I treasure.
The moment my feet touch the water, I already regret my spontaneous move. It’s freezing cold, and that’s not a metaphor. I’m thrashing frantically with my arms and legs, otherwise I might turn into an ice block.
One thing is sure, I’m in and out of the water quicker than a person can count to ten. Another thing is certain too. I’m awake now. Every inch of my skin is tingling as if a colony of stinging ants is attacking me. I bend down and pick up my clothes to re-purpose the t-shirt-come-nightie as a towel. At that moment I’m thrown to the ground by a big, strong beast that whines and yaps and licks my face.
“Prince! You’ve found me.” My hands close around Prince’s head and I pull him against me. “I missed you, buddy. How did you get away?” My hands are trembling from the cold and from the excitement. I’m no longer alone. Bent over, I stroke Prince’s head and search for the sign of other pursuers. Nothing. Not a single person, not a single sound. Prince must have snuck up while I splashed about in the pool.
I hurry to the hut with Prince racing ahead, barking, and then coming back. Still wet from my dip I turn the corner of the hut and… freeze. I’m not sure whether it’s because I’m surprised to find Scott sitting on the boulder next to the door or because I’m naked. In the half-light of dawn, I see his discomfort. His face is pale with a flush of crimson working up his neck. He blinks, swallows hard, and looks down. I bet, whatever he thought he’d find, it wasn’t a nude woman prancing about.
Without acknowledging my state of undress, I brace myself and march past him into the hut. I have nothing to be ashamed of. He snuck up on me. He could’ve warned me. I put on fresh underwear and t-shirt, slip into my cargo pants, and brush my wet hair. Then I’m ready to face the unexpected visitor.
“Hello, Scott. What a surprise. How did you find me? And how did you get Prince?” I try to give my voice a matter-of-fact tone and I think I succeed. Nothing happened. He saw me naked. I wouldn’t have been the first person he saw naked, and if he’s lucky enough, I won’t be the last.
“Prince scratched at my door around midnight. I took him to your house, but you weren’t there. He then followed your trail, and here we are.” Deep frown lines are carved into his forehead and
