by Marian Stack
“But you had stated before that your mother had left you and your father to fend for yourselves, how is that going to help me?” She aggressively reverted back to her damaged self.
Understanding the sensitivity of this conversation Turtle allowed the last statement of aggression pass without notice. “My mother’s leaving had nothing to do with a lack of love. She was drowning in sorrow from our lifestyle. And she made a very difficult choice. My father and I were devastated but knew that her leaving was important to her and her happiness.”
Dead silence filled the night sky as Blair heard Turtles’ words of strength.
Allowing for thought time to develop Turtle stood and walked over to the low burning fire, squatted down allowing the constant shadow changes to reveal her naked back and buttock as she gathered their travelling cups to fill with boiled water. Then as she stood and walked back over to where her silent partner remained lying in the same position, she offered both the cup of hot water and extra additive that she was not willing to assume was wanted. “Would you like a small amount of encouragement?” She asked as she reached into her bag to retrieve a bag of, now somewhat dried marijuana leaves.
“Yes please.” Blair held up her cup to invite the additive.
For whatever reason Blair decided that enough time had passed and that her guide deserved the honest and fair response, “Turtle, honey you are absolutely correct in asking and assuming that I live a totally different life style than you, and it has nothing to do with geography.” Allowing her head to fall downwards towards her chest, she was suddenly filled with shame and remorse.
“What?” Turtle asked as she was stunned by the display of her wilderness lovers’ melancholy.
“Turtle I was raised in a family of great wealth and education and sadly with that comes a level of arrogance that we or some of us believe and deserve only the best from every walk of life. And that includes staying within our own kind. We do not date outside of our social circle and we most certainly do not date butch, regardless of sexuality and…” she stopped talking because she hated the words that were being vomited from her mouth.
“And that’s me. A butch, that cares very little about appearance and…”
Feeling the need to interrupt, “Yes, but that was before your kindness and love changed my way of thinking and now I’m filled with revulsion towards myself and ‘my kind’.” Again, finding no other words of explanation, she just stopped talking.
With both women unable or unwilling to continue with this line of conversation, they allowed the night time silence to fill the air rather than more words of prejudice.
Turtle moved as if she was invisible and placed her travelling clothes back on as she suddenly felt wronged by all of their sex and love making. The word confusion didn’t begin to express her disposition.
Blair on the other hand wanted to feel exposed and naked and chose to remain vulnerable, and weak from the sting of the shame she was feeling. “Turtle please come and lay beside me again.” She asked with such shame that Turtle couldn’t resist the plea and gently placed her fully clothed body directly beside her travelling companions’ without touching.
“Please forgive all of me.” Blair gently cried out as she turned to embrace the statue like posture Turtle displayed.
Without statement Turtle moved her arm to allow Blair to rest her head on her chest as she allowed her arm to cradle Blair’s vulnerable body.
Both women fell into a state of numbness, for Turtle, she could only stare at the night sky and rehash the last hour and for Blair she could only stare at the woman she was being comforted by, as her mind went towards her other life.
Chapter Ten - Dangerous Shelter
After stirring the ashes to introduce oxygen back into the ash covered ambers, Turtle was pleased that her recently constructed tepee style starter sticks ignited immediately.
After securing the contained fire in the well dug pit surrounded by a ring of gathered rocks she stood to observe the clear sky above their tiny campsite and glanced as best as possible through the tree tops for any sign of rescue. Allowing only for a momentary thought of when rescue would arrive, she placed her energy back into survival mode. Extremely pleased with their possible travelling weather she announced to her furry charge, “Well kiddo, now that we have secured this fire, let’s go and see if we can gather some greens for some hot tea before we start off towards the hunters’ cabin,” then she changed her voice to express doubt, “providing of course it still remains in one piece.” Turtle softly spoke her concern to Rain who played beside her with some of the brave summer flowers that had covered small patches of the ground around their camping spot.
Before their departure she quickly took a side glance towards her sleeping companion to ensure that she remained under the spell of restful sleep, then feeling satisfied that when Blair awoke she would understand the reason for their escape, she slapped the side of her leg instructing Rain to follow, pleased again at the pups well performed newly acquired skill, set off to complete their task.
After only walking for a short time Rain had other ideas as the reasoning for the walk and decided to stop and play in another wild flower patch. Unable to resist the playful nature of the wolf pup, Turtle felt it necessary to allow the natural activity to play out. In doing so she turned to sit on a large rock that seemed to offer the perfect vantage spot to watch the pup play and the mind to wonder.
Her mind wandered to the hunter’s cabin and its possible safety, and if heading in this direction was an intelligent move. She thought about the destruction to her mountain and the clear fact that they could be walking towards another disaster that would not offer a good outcome. Should they be travelling more towards the east, and take their chances? She knew that if they continue travelling in this slow upwards climb and that if her memory was correct the cabin was just off to the north of their position. She remembered that there was a stream and an extremely large grouping of unusually shaped boulders that would indicate that they were heading in the correct direction.
Her memory then took an immediate curve towards a conversation her father had had with her many years ago about this cabin and the reasoning for the cabins’ location. “You can get so lost so quickly in the wilderness so having good markers always allowed hunters to find shelter, regardless of weather conditions.”
With her mind in the past and her eye on her playful pup, she was unaware as she watched that the pup suddenly stop all forms of play and cocked her head to the right as if trying to block all other sounds out and keenly listen. She watched without understanding the movements of her pup as she stood and began to smell the air. Impulsively Rain immediately secured her tail between her legs as she began to slowly expel her newly found deep throat low growl warning system.
Surprised by the sudden posturing change and different sounds coming from her pup, she herself suddenly found her head being controlled by sound. Her body froze as her mind found the word to describe the distant sound. “Rain… it’s a helicopter! They have begun the search.” She shouted with elation in her voice. “We have to get back to Blair as fast as we can run. Come… Rain…come!” Turtle commanded the pup to obey as she forcefully slaps the side of her leg after her feet hit the somewhat soggy ground.
As both human and wolf ran towards the camp site, Turtle noticed the sound of the helicopter engine fade as if the sound was moving in the opposite direction.
Blair opened her mind and senses to the smell of a recently stirred fire pit. Keeping her eyes closed she allowed her mind to float towards what now seemed to be a normal morning aroma. Without moving too much from her sleeping posture she began to stretch and move her body to allow for an easy transition from sleep to being fully alert. As she lay in her resting position she looked around for signs of her travelling companions, and then naturally assumed that they were off gathering herbs for their morning hot beverage, so in doing so she decided to get her body in gear to begin the process of boiling water for the antic
ipated drink and hot oatmeal. As she stood to gather some more fire wood she remarked aloud how truly easy it seemed to her that remaining alive in the wilderness only took a little extra work and ingenuity.
The dangers for Blair seemed to have passed, and that her going back to the city and her life could wait a little longer.
She naïvely stated aloud as she tossed another log on the fire. “This isn’t that much different than living in a city.” Her voice showered in self-gratification, completely misrepresenting her guides’ role in keeping her safe and alive.
As she sat back onto their sleeping place she stared into the newly rejuvenated fire and allowed her mind to travel. She began to think of her life with her fiancée and how this little adventure had thrown a wrench into their, her wedding plans and the complete renovation of the penthouse. A penthouse Blair always hated and never wanted.
As she continued to stare into the fire she mentally began to visualize her entering the penthouse and freaking out because she absolutely hates everything about the redo. It was Megan’s paranoid idea not live at the family estate and to have their own home away from the ever watching eyes. She on the other hand only agreed to the purchase of the penthouse and complete renovation just to keep the peace between her fiancée and her brother.
As her mind played with her real life she was suddenly brought back to her present living location, due to a familiar sound that she had heard many times in her life. She definitely recognized the sounds of a helicopter.
Then…and quite suddenly, she heard screaming and obvious crashing sounds coming from the forest just ahead of her position by something coming towards her with great speed.
“Blair… Throw the water on the fire. You need to put the fire out. Toss the water on the fire. We need smoke.” Turtle’s unusual booming voice broke through the air as she appeared from the trees, distressing Blair to the point she began to cry.
Suddenly, and somewhat aggressively Turtle attempted to grab the jug of water from Blair’s hand but to both of their astonishment Blair poured the water on the ground.
Without saying a single word, Turtle franticly attempted to kick the wet earth onto the fire. Sadly in her attempt to get the fire to smoke she only succeeded in putting the fire completely out, offering to the world little evidence of its existence.
“What the hell just happened?” Blair asked offering her absolute best acting performance to hide her knowledge of a possible rescue. She wasn’t ready to leave, plain and simple.
“So you didn’t hear the helicopter?” Turtle voiced from her kneeling position.
Then rising to a standing position she continued with her apology, “Blair I’m so sorry. We both heard it,” she pointed to Rain, as if the small animal could absolutely fortify her knowledge “that’s why we came back in such a state. I’m so sorry.” She had walked over to a fallen tree and sat down placing her hands in the hair in utter disbelief that she should have been better prepared.
Blair was caught. She had no idea that Turtle would take this so personally. She felt horrible about her deceit and now had no clue on how to get out without hurting Turtle even more. “Blair… say something! “Her conscious mind screamed out.
“Which direction was the helicopter flying?” She was able to portray her voice to sound genuine. After all she is a practicing lawyer and by all accounts a damn good one.
“Yes, yes that’s a good question. The sound seemed to travel North West, away from us.” Immediately Turtles’ voice changed from dreary to joyful and positive, “But at the very least this means the search has started. Miss Foster” She stood and reached for Blair’s hand…“The search has begun. You will hopefully be home soon. You will be safe.” The instant relief of a possible rescue immediately moistened her eyes, to the point that she quickly turned away wiping away any evidence of confused emotional release.
Blair without attempting to hide her feelings, walked the few yards to embrace Turtle’s shoulders and turn her around, “Sweetie, when we are rescued it will be because of you.” Then without permission Blair began to kiss Turtles’ irresistible lips.
Which she allows for comfort sake but pulled away and stated, “Miss Foster,” she light heartedly stated, knowing it will get a rise out of her guest,” We remain in a very inhospitable area and need to keep our wits about us.”
“You are absolutely correct, Miss Dove, but we still need to eat.” She replied as she located the fire poking stick, with an indication that another fire was needed.
Allowing for only a few silent moments to pass Blair announced, “So let’s start our morning over, because I’m starving.” She stated as she attempted to divert the conversation towards their normal morning routine.
As she stared into the newly excited fire, she allowed her feelings to become real in her mind “Good God, there’s no doubt…I’m absolutely falling in love with this woman.”
Not alone on the mountain
“I can’t walk much further, I’m hungry, I need to rest… my knee is killing me. I need medical attention, I’m bleeding to death… Grace, look at all the blood on my face.” She held her hand up to prove her distress, “you have to help me Grace.” Angel bawled out all her pains and woe’s in one long pitiful crying plea.
Turning around with angry speed Grace approached her fellow escapee within inches of touching her and forcefully stated, “I don’t give a shit what you do or what you feel or what you want. I’m not your momma or your jail bitch… got it… so shut the fuck up and keep walking… or lie down and die… I don’t give a shit. But stop blubbering on about your aches and pains and stop following me.” She leaned in to ensure that their noses touch and then stated with crazy sincerity. “I’m getting off this mountain and I’m going to cause some shit before I’m tossed back into that hellhole… do you get it now you dumb-ass twit.”
Traumatized, Angel backed away from the close encounter of her enraged aggressor yet found the courage to meekly spit out, “What do you mean before you are tossed back in. We’re out right… and running, they will never catch us out here, too many trees and shit… right?” Her young innocent age of twenty-one statement shone brightly.
“Again, don’t care what you need but only what I need and that’s a place to hide, maybe a cave or a hunter cabin. My grandfather always hunted and talked about ‘cabins in the woods’. Maybe there’s one around here.” Grace looked around trying to get an idea as to the correct direction to continue to travel for a clear escape, and possible shelter.
“That’s a good idea. I’d rather it be a cabin than a cave. Don’t bears and shit live in caves?” Again Angel’s naïve ways set off her very aggressive companion.
“Oh, YOU”, Grace exaggerates the word, “would rather find shelter a cabin over a cave. Well than that is exactly what we will look for because YOU are the only person out here that matters.”
Suddenly Angel fell to the ground with a heavy thud as she began to cry uncontrollably. “Why do you hate me so much…I never did anything to…?
“Shut the fuck up.” Grace firmly stated, as she thought she had just heard something out of place.
“Gracie…” but before Angel could get another word to leave her mouth, her shirt collar was being twisted in the front at her throat, cutting off her air supply.
“NEVER…EVER…call me Gracie…GOT IT?” She roared as she twisted the collar as far as the fabric would tighten.
Meanwhile, Angel frantically and forcefully began to claw and aggressively hit at the hands that were choking her to death, as she attempted to scream out for Grace to come back to the present, because she could tell by her attackers’ crazed eyes that rage had taken over her reality.
Then as suddenly as the outburst began, it ended, with Angel remaining on the ground desperately gasping for sweet life giving air.
Grace straightened her posture and walked away in complete silence. Angel, on the other hand chose to remain on the ground but in dead silence. She stared at her attacker as she sil
ently left the area, and leaned against the tree that moments’ before would have been her final resting place.
With fear surging through her body, she now clearly understood that her travelling partner very easily could become her worse nightmare. She knew that Grace was as unstable as the situation they were faced with. Suddenly her body began to violently shake as she clearly understood that her presence was now tenuous at best, and that leaving the overturned van was the second worst mistake of her young life, the first being caught for armed robbery of a drug store and incarcerated for seven years.
“Now what the fuck is the matter with you?” Grace’s booming voice shattered the air.
“Nothing, I’m fine.” She quickly responded as she dug deep to find a morsel of newly found courage as she attempted to stand on her injured and weaken legs.
“Then let’s get going. Before all your bull shit, I think I heard a helicopter, and that means the search is on… So move your ass.” Grace commanded. “I still feel that we need to get over this hill to find shelter, plus it looks like our weather is changing.” Grace kicked a small rock for no reason other than emotional anger. And then her low deep raspy voice spit out more anger, “More fucking rain… well isn’t that just great.”
Several hours of continuous rain had slowed the progress for both escapees.
Angel’s struggles did not change as she plotted along with little variations in pace or comfort, but for some reason Graces’ powerful stride seem to have changed entirely. Throughout the morning hike Angel had noticed the change in her leader but chose to keep her mouth shut for fear of another violent attack. She noticed that Grace would not sit but only leaned against a tree especially during their first two minute hiking break and then later on when she let out a deep throat growl as her hand swiftly grabbed for her lower left hip area after she had slipped and fallen to the ground. Then Angel noticed that after Grace stood to regain her bearings, it was apparent that she was pushing through some kind of pain and discomfort but chose to silently power on.
