Vacation Over

...Layla...

...****************...

I turn to the window the light coming in, or the lack there of, tells me it’s about 5:30 in the morning. I’m wide awake. I sigh as I uncover myself and rise out of bed. I put on my running shoes and raincoat, getting ready for my morning jog. On my way to the kitchen to get water and my travel pack I notice Nick leaning over the radio passed out. Looks like there’s still no reply. I grab the water out of the fridge and pack from the wall by the door then head out.

I start stretching before the jog to get hyped up when Rox comes out to join me. Her silver hair is in a messy bun and you can tell she just jumped out of bed. Despite our situation she still looks like the definition of bright eyed and bushy tailed.

“Good morning Layla!” She says as she starts stretching with me. Her blue eyes somehow shining in the darkness. “Going for your morning jog?” She asked flashing a toothy grin.

“Good morning Rox. Is there a better way to spend my morning?” I ask smiling back at her.

She shakes her head. “Definitely more productive than waiting by that quiet radio all morning.” She begins doing toe touches. “Are we going to the stream this morning?”

“No I think we’ll take a trip to the south radio tower. I want to see if it’s still receiving an outside signal” The south tower is the tower we use when sending messages to and from Rainburg port, it’s about 2 hours away.

“If we’re quick we’ll get back before Nick wakes up” she giggles

I laugh “Even if we’re slow we’ll be back before he wakes up” Nick has been staying up until 3 in the morning for the past week. We don’t blame him he’s just worried, all of us are. Hiking through this forest is no joke, not with the bears, wolves, and the rough terrain. Not to mention the constant rain paired with the long journey. “Maybe we should fish while we’re out” I say out loud letting Rox know what I’m thinking.

She nods, her smile fading. “We have enough provisions to last a week but it looks like we’ll be needing more if we’re going to hike to port.”

She must be more home sick than I am. We’re in this large cabin somewhere in the Bomtass rain forest, the only emergency radio this deep into the forest. I’ve been waiting here for weeks, three weeks to be exact. The people helping me have been waiting for their coworkers to respond over the radio for two months. I’m no expert but it doesn’t usually take this long to receive a reply. Nick is a Flight Paramedic and Rox is a Flight Nurse, they’re here for work, in case of emergencies like a wounded hiker. The big helicopter pad in the back is where I was dropped off and was told to return, seeing as how the area to and from port are where the wolves hunt.

I came out here for a relaxing year long trip away from my father’s control. He’s going to be pissed when I he realizes I’m late back. Not that he would know what I’m back from, as soon as I graduated high school I left a note and ran for the hills. He was starting to go crazy talking about asteroids and bio weapons. I would have stayed until I started college but I was scared I might actually kill him if he didn’t back off, telling me I had to work at the lab on base. I’m not one for scientist nor do I plan to be one. That’s why I’ve been putting my survival skills to the test with a year long hiking trip. It’s been tough but I feel refreshed and more capable than when I was in school.

The run to the tower felt really quick despite the sweat running down Rox and my faces. When we get the tower the first thing I noticed is the lights aren’t flashing.

“The lights aren’t flashing” she says in tune with my own thoughts. She looks at me worried. “The antennas are usually spinning. Maybe there’s a power outage. It’s a good thing we made the trip up here, now we can tell Nick to get some rest tonight before we set out.”

I nod, despite deciding to check out the tower I wasn’t expecting to actually find it not working. “Should we fish before we get back?” I ask changing the subject.

“Yeah I’m sure Nick will be hungry when he wakes up” she replies.

...Deion...

...****************...

“It’s about time to go” I say out loud as I start packing up camp. My watch says 4:00am, if I go now I’ll make it to the heli pad by 9:00am. I roll up my sleeping bag, pack my provisions, and strap on my bag. “Got to make sure my camera is charged, in case I come up onto anything film worthy.” I whisper to myself quietly, then set out.

As I start coming up onto the cabin I pull out my camera to get a good angle on it and the heli pad. I get the over head shot of it then pause my recording, now 10 feet from it I do a tour around the outside to the door. Knock knock… no answer, I knock again. “Hello, is there anyone here?” I hear a gasp then footsteps approaching the door. It cracks open.

“Hello” a man says through the crack. “What can I do for ya.”

“Hey, names Deion! I’m a velogger and was wondering if I could do a tour of the cabin before calling in a chopper to take me back to port.” It’s been six months since I’ve talked to anyone but myself, it feels a little strange but I continue. “If not it’s alright, I can do it outside!” I said making sure to put some pep into my speech.

The man opens the door fully. His hair’s blond, he’s got tan skin and brown eyes. “I don’t mind if you do the video…” He pauses visibly upset then says. “ I won’t be able to call a helicopter though.” He sighs, “come in.”

He introduced himself as Nick and briefed me on the situation. “That’s why we’ll be hiking our way to port. You can join us if you’d like but do know it won’t be a cake walk.” Nick looks at me for my answer.

“I would like to join you guys.” I breathe out. “I’m experienced with wolves and hunting so I don’t believe I’ll be a nuisance.” I have to get home as soon as possible, to edit and post my footage. Plus my mom is probably waiting for me to come home. “When are we heading out?” I ask readying myself for a long journey.

“I’m waiting for my partner and the hiker we’ve been housing to get back.” He shakes his head utterly defeated. “You’d think they’d leave a note or wake me before heading out, but no they just disappear first thing in the morning every morning.”

I laugh, “They do this often?”

“Only ever since Layla got here.” He says flabbergasted. “At least Roxy used to tell me she was going out, and where to.”

I laugh harder. “How adventurous!” I quiet my laughter. “If you don’t mind I’m going to tour the cabin real quick.”

“Go on ahead,” he says quickly, as he rubs his head in his hands. “I’ve gotta catch up on some sleep anyhow.” Nick pushes his self up and heads down the hallway right before the kitchen.

After I get my camera ready across the couch I press record and sit down. “Hey crew, it’s been a crazy six months for me and it’s about to get a whole lot crazier!” I smile then prop my elbows up on my knees. “No one’s responding through the radio, which means… drum roll please!” I tap the coffee table with my fingers. “I’ll be hiking through wolf territory!” I make a surprise gesture with my hands. “But first, we’ll be touring the outpost cabin. Let’s go!”

I grab my camera and start at the front door. “Here’s the living room ladies and gents!” I show the fire place and couch in one shot then move to the deer antlers and other trophies the wall, then move my way down to the taxidermy wolf in the corner. “Hey that’s pretty cool!” I get closer to get the teeth into the shot. Then move the camera to aim toward the floor where the bear skin rug was under the coffee table. “I don’t think I’ve seen a black bear skin rug before.” I say interested, then move on. “To the kitchen!” I say like I’m looking for lost treasure. Suddenly the door swing’s open and I spin around like I got caught playing with dolls.

“Hey stranger!” Says the silver haired blue eyed woman, she greeted me with a big smile, then pauses. “Who are you?” She looks as equally puzzled as she was excited seconds ago.

I laugh then my pause the recording. “Hello, I’m Deion I got here around an hour ago looking to call a helicopter, only to be told comms are down”

“Oh, hello I’m Roxy you can call me Rox… where’s Nick?” She scanned the living room and kitchen as she stepped into the living room.

“He went down that hallway saying he needed to sleep” I pointed down the hallway.

“Ah of course.” She hurried down the hallway.

I go back to my bag and put away my camera and tripod all of a sudden hungry and out of the mood for recording. The door opens again and this time a green haired woman with golden tented eyes walks in. She nods at me then continues to the kitchen with a line of 6 salmon in hand.

“Hello.” She says as she starts prepping the fish. “Hungry?” She looks at me with a questioning gaze.

I nod, “Very.”

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