13. Unexpected

It’s been about three months since you and Dex have come together. You’ve settled into a nice routine for the most part. You have taken over cooking and keeping the small cabin clean. While Dex goes out periodically to hunt what small game he can find and keep the wood pile stocked. It was quite lucky that Dex had prepared for a few years of research. His collection of books, both academic and for pleasure, help keep you entertained when he’s away hunting. However, the majority of the electronics he brought including a tv, laptop, and few other devices do not work. So there’s not a lot to do to keep entertained.

Thankfully whenever Dex is home you always find some way to pass the time. Unfortunately today is a day where Dex is away on a hunting trip and you don’t expect him home for anywhere from a few days to another week. It’s early evening when you finish tidying up around the cabin. You throw another log on the fire and curl up in the rocking chair Dex had brought from home. He promises you he’ll make you one in the spring when the weather warms up. You pull a bear skin blanket on your lap and smile fondly at it. It’s made from the bear that Dex had saved you from.

You’ve just opened the book you’ve been reading when you hear a shout from outside. You quickly jump to your feet. Could Dex be home this early? You’ve had time to resew some of Dex’s old clothing into shirts and pair of pants that actually fit you. And Dex helped you use the rest of the bear skin to make coat. You quickly pull this on and grab the lantern from the table. The days have been growing darker earlier every day.

A cold gust of wind hits your face as you pull the large wooden door open. You hold the lantern up and squint at the edge of the forest that lies some several hundred yards behind the cabin. The sun has almost finished setting but there’s just enough light left for you to make out a figure coming out of the tree line and heading in your direction. It looks like a large male figure with an object thrown over his shoulder that you can’t quite make out.

It appears that Dex is back early and is carrying his catch. You excitedly start running down towards the forest to meet him half way. His hunting trips could typically last anywhere from a week to two weeks. And without any method of communication you always felt stressed and anxious until he got home. So seeing him back after only four days brought you instant relief. To your surprise the figure starts running to meet up with you. You slow down hesitantly to a jog. Dex has always walked back, presumably to tired to run after his long trek back to run.

Maybe he has more energy since he wasn’t gone for so long this time, you tell yourself. But a nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach makes you come to a dead stop. Your heart beat quickens as you realize you have no idea what to do. You’re almost half way from the cabin to the woods so your chances of getting back inside before this person catches up to you are slim. Taking a shaky breath you glance down at the small pistol Dex makes you keep a tucked in your boot at all times. You never know when a bear or wolf might show up and you’re especially cautious when Dex isn’t home.

It’s too late to turn around. The figure has almost caught up to you and you can now tell it’s definitely a male. He seems to be roughly the same size as Dex. But you can see his clothing is quite frayed and ragged. And you notice locks of medium length tangled brown hair whipping around his face from the wind. His hair obscures most of his face but you can see a scruffy beard underneath it. Before you know the man comes to a stop in dead in front of you.