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.
It took about five minutes to put on my heavy snow gear and locate the keys for the snow mobile. Once outside, I rushed to the shed to get it out, so I could make my way down the mountain. Ava followed behind, not that I was surprised. She never left my side.
I pushed the pedal as far as I could and made my way closer to the blaze. As we approached the scene, I realized it was the attached garage to my neighbor’s house. Frantically, I searched the yard for some way to extinguish the blaze. With no other neighbors for miles, I ran inside the house to locate the landline phone they always kept on. Since they were lower on the mountain, they’d been able to get electricity and running water. The kitchen was located too close to the fire, so I went for the back door leading to their bedroom, locating the key in the electric panel for emergencies such as this.
The house was filled with smoke. I began choking the moment I stepped inside, using my scarf to mask it from going into my lungs. Desperately, I prayed the line was still working.
Calling for help wasn’t like back in Pennsylvania. I knew crews wouldn’t be pulling up with a truck to put out the blaze.
Once I’d reached the operator, and gave her the location, I hung up and awaited a plane that would drop water on the property, mostly to keep it from spreading. I knew it wouldn’t reach the woods behind it. Everything was wet or frozen. It was still snowing, but not as heavily as earlier.
During the cold months my neighbors winterized their property, meaning the pipes had been treated to prevent lines from freezing. It meant I couldn’t grab a hose and start putting out the blaze. The water shut-off valve was located in the garage, so I’d be unable to get to it. Panic swept through me. I didn’t know what to do. Quickly, before I couldn’t stand to be inside any longer, I rang my friends to let them know there was an emergency, just in case I didn’t have cell service from the snowstorm.
Sadly, all I could do was stand outside the house and watch the fire spread to the main quarters. My heart broke for all the love and time the nice couple had put into making it beautiful.
The crackling sound echoed off the quiet surrounding forest. I ran my hands through my ratty hair, struggling to figure out what else I could do. Tears filled my eyes as I considered how devastating this was going to be for my friends. T
hey would have to wait until the weather warmed to rebuild, if it was even an option. I recalled a cabinet located in the master bedroom. It contained a bunch of family heirlooms, including photo albums of their ancestors. I remembered them showing me one night after dinner, each going on and on about how much time it took them to research where their families originally came from.
Without much consideration for my own safety, I hurried back inside to see if I could save at least one of their precious items. The thick smoke made it impossible to see. I closed my eyes, covering my face with the fabric of my scarf as I blindly felt around for the furniture. Luckily, they hadn’t rearranged anything. I located the items, gathering them and placing each under my arm for protection. I was just about to exit again when I heard Ava barking outside. That’s the last thing I remember.
My eyes were closed, but it was obvious a light was on. I heard a male voice, and for a second I thought I’d died. I assumed the ceiling had caved in and crushed me, killing me instantly. Maybe a group of Chippendales were there to whisk me away to a better place, naked of course.
I wasn’t experiencing pain, per se, but found it hard to catch my breath. As I attempted to sit up and open my eyes, I heard the voice again. “Can you hear me?”
The first thing I saw was a man, crouched down over my body, which was lying on the cold snow-covered ground. The sound of a motor and more voices told me others were around, helping to get the fire out. My eyes finally focused in on the person trying to get my attention. “There you are. Can you tell me your name, miss?”
“Amantha. I’m Amantha Stone.”
“Good. How many fingers am I holding up?” I could tell right away it was five, but when I glanced up and saw his light colored baby-blues staring back at me, I almost forgot how to speak. His lashes were long, and a small amount of stubble covered half his face. He seemed so focused on me, waiting for me to respond while I became captivated. It had been a while since I’d seen such a handsome specimen, especially one who may or may not have saved me from a burning building.
“Five fingers.” I licked my lips, noticing how dry they were. My throat felt scratchy, and each time I struggled to take a deep breath I was reminded how trying it was. “Thirsty. Water?” I struggled to request.
He stood and rushed over to what looked like an ATV with a trailer attached. He opened the side hatch and started going through a large box, coming back with a bottle. “Here you go. Do you need help?”
I took it from his hands, opened the lid and poured it down my throat without answering. Before I could control it, I coughed loudly, spitting out most of what I’d consumed. It was gross and embarrassing, but the guy put his hands on my shoulder for support nonetheless. “Thanks,” I managed to whisper. “What happened?” It was hard to remember how I’d gotten out of the house.
“I arrived and saw your dog coming around from the back. At that particular time I assumed the house was empty, but she led me right to you. You’re lucky she did. The structure won’t be safe for much longer.”
“They can’t put the fire out?”
“Everything is frozen. We can’t bring a plane in because of the weather conditions. Lucky for you, my buddies and I were at our lodge for some hunting. I work for the New York Fire Department as an investigator. It’s a good thing too, because I’m pretty certain you would have died without my assistance.” He almost seemed like he was smiling when he said it. “It took us a good twenty minutes on ATV’s to get to you, and we don’t have much equipment except for what we brought for the weekend. Right now all we can do is maintain the area and hope the wind doesn’t pick up.”
I placed my hands over my face and began to sob. I’d been stupid to go back in the home. “I shouldn’t have gone inside. I was trying to save some of their heirlooms.”
“This isn’t your house?” He asked, seemingly confused.
“No. I live up the mountain a ways. This is my neighbors’ property. The couple spend the winter months in Florida.”
“Shit.” He looked over at the blaze. “Do you need to call them?”
“I already did. I’m sure they’re trying to get here, but it will take forever, even if they manage to book a flight, it will probably get cancelled.”
“Yeah, they’re calling for it to pick up later tonight.” He looked over at his friends. They were standing around watching the blaze. At the same time a huge crash occurred. I watched the center part of the roof caving in. From the light of the flames, and the melted snow on the shingles, steam started coming up out of the exposed hole. The handsome gentleman shook his head. “Damn. What a shame. It was a nice place.”
“Yeah, I always enjoyed visiting.”
He changed the subject. “Whatever you had under your arm is over there in a pile. I figured if it was important enough to risk your life over, I could at least try to salvage it.”
“Thank you.” It was very kind of him to do that, especially since it was a dangerous situation. “Could you see the flames from your lodge?” My throat felt like razor blades were scratching it.
“Yes.”
“Thank God.”
“I’m sure they’ll send out a plane when the weather breaks. For now it’s contained. The trees are far enough away it shouldn’t spread. Unfortunately, it means your friends are going to lose everything.”
“Sadly we take that risk when we move here. Being off the grid means we need to fend for ourselves.”
He smirked and looked at me with inquisitive eyes. “Ma’am, you could have died out here tonight. Is there someone I can call to come help you get home?”
I shook my head, feeling the wet snow beneath me seeping into the fabric of my pants. “No. I live alone,” I lifted my finger. “Up there, on the top of the mountain.”
He peered in the direction of where I’d directed, though it was entirely too dark to see. “You live alone? You’re kidding, right?”
“No.” I wished I could see the humor in it, but as time passed I was feeling miserable. “I’ve been here for four years now.” My coughing became unbearable. Before I knew it he was picking me up again, carrying me over to sit on his ATV. “You’re suffering from smoke inhalation.”
“I’ll be fine,” I insisted.
“No,” he argued. “You need to be monitored. I’m going to take you back to your place before you become hypothermic on top of it. Let me tell my companions what’s going on.”
“I’ll be fine,” I defended.
“Ma’am, I’ll feel better about it when you’re inside your home, and not soaking wet out here in this mess. This is what I was trained to do. I get that I’m a stranger, but I won’t forgive myself if I left you for dead.” He turned his attention to his friends that were too far away for me to see them clearly. He seemed worried, a smug look plastered across his face. “Hang tight. I’ll be back in a sec.”
I heard arguing. One guy was telling him to stay with the group. The wind was ripping, making it hard for me to make out the rest. When the man came back he seemed like he just wanted to get away from them.
“Is everything okay?”
“It’s fine. Are you ready?” He was short and to the point.
I hated feeling weak, as if I were unable to care for myself. If I wasn’t in bad shape I would have refused his assistance, but I knew maneuvering up the mountain on the snow mobile was going to require more energy and strength than I currently had.
Against my better judgment, I decided to let the man help. There was nothing else he could do to manage the fire, and since they thought it wouldn’t spread, I felt better about being able to not worry. “Yeah. I’m freezing.”
Ava followed us the whole way up the mountain. The guy had to stop three times on account of having to pull my snow mobile. It would slide off to the side and prevent the ATV from being able to continue on.
Finally, after an uncomfortable ride where I clung to the warm body of a stranger, we made it to my cabin. Smoke was coming out of the chimney, and this time I kn
ew it meant warmth.
Walking was difficult. I felt like someone was standing on my chest. The gentleman turned and offered me a hand to get me inside. After he let Ava in, he closed the door and rubbed his hands together. “Wow it’s bitter cold.”
I assumed he was going to leave, but he kept standing there, breathing warm air into his fisted hands.
I started taking off my boots, and then my jacket. I was beginning to hurt – like someone had beat me up. He must have sensed me struggling and helped remove my coat. “You’re going to need to take it easy. It’s best if you go lie down. Do you have a phone or someone I can call for you?”
“No, but I’m fine,” I insisted. “Did you want something to drink for the ride?”
“Sorry, I thought you understood,” he corrected. “For your condition you should be kept in the hospital where someone can monitor your breathing. I’m not leaving you here to have complications, not on my watch. I’m staying in this cabin with you.” When he said it he kept looking out the window, as if someone was coming for him. I wondered if I was about to be attacked by two men who could easily control me with their combined strength.
“You’re not staying here. I don’t know you.” Since I’d spoken so abruptly, my throat cracked. It felt dry inside, sticking together with each word. I held onto it, making my way toward the small kitchen in hopes of grabbing a bottle of water.
The fireman stepped in front of me, bending over to pick it up before I could. “You need to lie down. Please, it’s not a big deal. I’ve been drinking with the guys. I already took a nap. I’ll leave as soon as day breaks. I’ve seen people messed up from smoke inhalation. It’s a serious matter if it’s not cared for. I don’t have oxygen on hand, or any means to alleviate what I know you’re experiencing. Trust me, I know firsthand how awful it feels. I’ve had it several times in my career.”
“I’m not you. I’ll be fine. Don’t you have to get back to the other guys?”
Frigid Affair Page 2