Frigid Affair(4)

Another reason I’d moved to such a remote location was the wildlife, both to admire and hunt. My father had been an avid bow and rifle hunter. He’d taught me it wasn’t for sport. You only killed what you needed to eat. It was part of the food chain, and from where I was sitting, I definitely needed the protein to keep my body healthy.

He’d taken me on trips to hunt bigger game than small black bears and whitetail deer.

Before I sound like a lunatic, I want to say I had means to contact people. I owned a tablet, and believe it or not, had a mobile hotspot to get internet. I used it once a week to check emails, pay bills, and read the local news. I had a cell phone I never kept on except for emergencies, which hadn’t been any since I’d moved, and also to contact the local airport when I needed a ride to a larger town. I had a four-wheeler to get me to and from, and to help haul any animals I’d hunted. When the lake froze over I used my snowmobile to ride across it, and sometimes to get to good ice-fishing spots.

I was a self-made tomboy; raised to love the land, and live with little means, all except for one important luxury. I had the contractor install a small bathroom inside my house. I ordered a special toilet that was self contained, and could easily be emptied to make compost without a disgusting mess. See that – I’m giving back to nature.

For a shower, I’d also purchased a contraption that held water in a containment tank. It sprinkled water over my head when I released a valve. Part of it fed off the solar panels on my roof; another reason I’d built an A-frame, so the snow wouldn’t be able to stay on it.

The contractor tiled the bathroom area for me, putting a drain in the floor. I’d heat my shower water on the stove and add it to the containment system. It was pretty simple, and would never need major repairs. Too add a little excitement, I had a tub put in – the type you’d see on a western movie where they fill it with buckets. It was copper and made me feel fancy in my little neck of the woods. I washed my laundry by hand in that tub, and hung it to dry over the stove, or outside when the weather allowed it.

Yes, I showered everyday, and occasionally styled my hair, when I felt bored and got a bug up my ass.

Under my home was something many Alaskans used to store their food. Since most of the state only gets to a certain temperature underground, basements are used as built in food storage. I’d hunt with locals for my meat while the weather was warm, grow vegetables and even a few fruits, and then stored everything over the cold months. So far, this being my fourth year, I hadn’t had to venture out to a town for anything during the winter.

I made one big trip each spring to gather powdered milk, canned items, and other necessities. Since it was only me, and Ava, short for Avalanche, we didn’t need much. I fed her a diet of proteins and vegetables, mixed with dried food to add starch. Many serious breeders feed their prize dogs the same thing, and according to my vet, she was extremely healthy. It didn’t hurt how much she loved the cold weather, being bred in the mountains and able to withstand snowy frigid conditions.

I sound horribly boring, I know it.

My life might seem dreary to some, but I was happy. I had enough money in the bank to last me for the rest of my days, because of my low maintenance lifestyle. Serenity for me was sitting out on my porch and watching two brown bears wrestling in the water just beyond the backyard. I’d taught Ava not to bark at them, since she had a habit of scaring them away.

Some might question if I wanted a man to cuddle up with at night. Sure, I would have loved to have someone to share my days with, but I didn’t see it happening. Aside from deliveries on occasion, I didn’t have anyone stopping by. I hadn’t taken the time to make friends in town either. My closest neighbors were only there for the summers. I could see their cabin from mine, but it was almost a half-mile away, and down the mountain. Bob and Eve were good people. They lived in Florida in the winter months. I kept promising to visit them, but managing someone to care for my dog, and my home while I was gone was pretty hard. It wasn’t like I could phone a friend.

I mentioned earlier how much I relied on batteries. You can imagine my arsenal I’d collected in my bedside table.

To be honest, I was completely okay with staying alone. I wasn’t sick, or suffering from social anxiety disorder. I just preferred living remotely, growing my own foods, and living within my means. I’d never felt healthier. In fact, I’d lost weight and was down to the same size as when I graduated high school. I had energy, and enjoyed long walks, where I used to struggle making it up a flight of stairs. My hair had grown down my back. Each morning, while sitting out on my deck I’d braid it to the side to keep it out of my face. I didn’t have to wear makeup. There was no one around to impress – except my occasional postal worker, and that wasn’t happening. In my opinion, this was the way life should be, not the hassle everyone else makes it.

Usually it was serene.

One night would change it all, whether I was prepared for it or not.





Chapter 3


I never could have predicted the events that led to me meeting him, or what would happen when we were forced to spend the night together.

It was past midnight. Ava’s barking woke me out of a peaceful sleep. I couldn’t be certain, but I swore I could smell something burning even from inside my cabin, and I’m not speaking of the scent a woodstove puts off. It smelled like burnt plastic, or rubber. I crawled over to the window and looked out on one side, seeing nothing but snow falling in the darkness. When I traveled to the opposite end of the house, I stood in shock. Something was on fire down the mountain and the flames were out of control. I darted for the loft stairs, hurrying to get downstairs and assess where exactly the fire was, though I feared I already knew the answer.