by Aline Riva
“Give it half an hour,” she said, and you can go out the back and sort through your bags. They'll be dropped off in a separate area, the outer door will be closed and then it will be chilly in there but you can fetch your stuff and get settled in...now...room keys...”
As she went behind the desk and began to sort the room keys the others stood about in the reception area, looking at the plain walls and above at simple lighting. This place was designed for its purpose, it was not a five star hotel but certainly able to keep out the cold of the frozen wasteland beyond the thick, tightly closed door.
Samantha looked about the reception, and then turned to Sofia.
“It's a bit...basic.”
“It's the Arctic, what do you expect!” exclaimed Lauren as she paused to thank Sylvia for her room key.
“That way, and up the stairs,” Sylvia said as she pointed to another corridor where beyond a flight of steps were visible, “Rooms are numbered.”
“Thanks,” David replied, flashing her a smile as he took his key, and on seeing Tara slide hers from the desk, he exchanged a glance with her.
“Come on,” he said under his breath, “Let's go and check out my room, Tara...”
She replied with a smile as the look in her eyes spoke for her, full of warmth and willing and the need of a fulfilled promise. They were the first out of the room and down the hallway, also the first up the stairway, and as they made their way to David's room their hands touched, then linked, as they hurried on their way. Looking back to make sure the students were out of sight, they ran like children!
The others made their way up the stairs briskly, Lauren was first followed by Holly and Megan, Ryan took the lead ahead of the rest of the guys as he snatched Samantha’s key from her hand and for the first time since they had left London, smiled.
“Let’s check your room out first shall we, babe?”
She laughed.
“A good mood? Are you sure that's really you?”
He leant in, pausing on the stairway as the others made their way past the couple, her cousin glancing back to smile, pleased to see Samantha and Ryan were getting along better at last.
“Nah babe, I'm possessed...” he said, fake staring into her eyes before moving in for a kiss as she giggled.
Then as they heard a dry cough followed by another boat of coughing, they broke apart Samantha stepping up higher as Ryan did the same, looking to the hot and sweating Justin Frazer and noticing at once he looked like shit.
“What's wrong with you? Don't you come near us, keep your bugs away I'm not having this trip ruined by nerd flu!”
The coughing had stopped.
Justin ran his fingers through his hair and looked unflinchingly back at him.
“It's just a reaction to the vaccine. You’ll probably have it tomorrow..it’s nothing to worry about, I'm fine.”
“I'm not worried about you!” Ryan snapped, “I'm just worried you might give it to us!”
“It's probably just a cold,” Samantha said, and Justin saw a shade of concern in her eyes.
“Are you sure you're okay?”
He nodded.
“I'll be fine. Just need a few hours sleep, that's all.”
Then Justin made his way up the stairs as they lingered behind, giving him and his germs space before venturing up.
From the window of the small and basic bedroom, the skies were filling with slashes of amber and blue as the skies began to softly dim. The reflection on the surface of the ice all around seemed to bathe the world in a deceptively warm glow, as if the deathly cold might be trying its greatest trick to lure the innocent outside to feel the icy chill take its grip.
But the view was the very last thing on their minds as David and Tara shed their outer layers of clothing, leaving their warm and waterproof outer layers on the floor in a messy heap. Tara's back hit the wall as he pressed his body against her, grabbing her hands as he pinned them at her sides, claiming her mouth with a full on kiss that had been a long time coming and so very worth the wait.
“I've missed this, I've missed you!” he exclaimed, letting go of her and stripping off more layers as she did the same, the room was heated and the door was locked and there as nothing to hold them back now. The sight of her in silken underwear, the way her bra cupped her full breasts, made him want to grab hold of her all over again, but instead he took her hand, led her over to the bed and pulled her on to it. By now he was naked, and her hand sliding down his body to where he needed it the most felt like bliss.
“It was worth all those hours on the plane just for this!” he said breathlessly, then he grabbed her, rolling her on to her back as she felt the weight of him on top of her and their eyes met, gazes mirroring the same look of darkened desire.
Then he claimed her mouth with a hard and hungry kiss, tugging at her underwear as she ran her hands over the contours of his body. By the time she had caught her breath, lost in a moment of helpless pleasure as she welcomed him deep inside her, they had both forgotten all but this room and this moment, all that mattered was togetherness.
Matt, Alex and Justin were sharing a room, it was just as basic as the others but had three single beds and storage space for clothing and their camera equipment. Matt had gone down to fetch the bags, very keen bring them up to the room – and once he opened up one of the smaller holdalls and looked to the others with a gleam in his eyes, they instantly knew why, he had just pulled out a bottle of vodka.
“Got to have a few on the first night!” Alex exclaimed, swiping the bottle from him and opening it.
“None for me, thanks,” Justin said, sitting wearily on his bed. He was dressed warmly enough for the heated hostel in jeans and a thick jumper, but he was sweating and gave a shiver as he looked to his friends.
“I think I'm having a reaction to that flu jab...I feel like shit!”
“Happens sometimes,” Alex replied, swigging from the bottle, “It'll pass.”
Then Matt rummaged down the bottom of his bag, took out an electric shaver, opened it up, removed the batteries and slid his fingers inside as he started to smile.
“Works every time!” he declared, pulling out a tiny clear bag that contained a small stash of ecstasy tablets.
“Oh no, not that crap!” Alex groaned, “Not for me and not for him, either...we don't touch it.”
“Was I offering?” said Matt in surprise, then he took the E and swallowed it down with a mouthful of soda.
“I can just imagine how great this place will look through the wonderful world of acid vision,” he said, and started to giggle.
“If Harley catches you on that shit -”
He looked to Justin and smiled, feeling warm and fuzzy and slightly silly as the world began to fizz with brighter colour and he felt a mellowness creeping through his thoughts.
“He won’t know.. I'll be up and about for a few hours while everyone sleeps off their jet lag and come tomorrow if I'm still in bed, I'll blame it on the long flight...We are here for a week.”
Alex put the lid on the bottle.
“I'm off in search of some ice.”
“Ha ha, you twat, go outside its free!” said Matt as he put on his hat and gloves and reached for his coat.
Alex smiled and shook his head, “I'll just take a look around this place,” he said, “Nothing like a quiet wander while everyone sleeps...those views are stunning.”
Then he left the bottle next to his bed, left the room and also left the door open, on departing, the sound of Samantha's raised voice could be heard drifting down the corridor.
“I've had enough of you!” she yelled, “Get out, Ryan!”
“I was only saying, I've seen the way you look at Mr Harley...He doesn't fancy you, he never will! Why don't you just admit you've got a thing for him? Do you like him more than me?”
The voices were faint as the quarrel continued, but Matt shook his head as he heard the argument go on.
“I don't know why she bothers with Ryan. He's a tosser.”
; “-And get back to your own room and leave me alone!” Samantha said sharply. Then a door slammed.
“At least the tutors are up the other end, hopefully they didn't hear any of that,” Justin replied, “It would have been embarrassing for Samantha.”
Wrapped up for the freezing weather outside, Matt was feeling too hot standing in the heated room in the hostel.
“I'm going outside,” he said.
“On your own?” Justin exclaimed as he continued to sweat, “Why?”
“I'm only taking a walk around...I won’t go far. I’m buzzing, perfect time to see the snow and ice..it's beautiful out there!”
Justin gave a sigh as he shook his head.
“Don't wander off. If you’re not back in an hour I'm telling David everything – for your own good! Seriously Matt, you're wandering outside high? You could get lost out there!”
“I'm sticking to the buildings,” he replied, “I'm not going anywhere else!”
“Be careful,.” Justin replied.
As Matt reached the door he turned back and smiled. One look in his eyes told Justin that E was definitely kicking in.
“See ya,” was all he said, and then he left.
Justin sat alone in the room for a few moments, considering perhaps having a lie down and a long sleep to try and shift this flu, or reaction, or whatever it was that was making him shiver and sweat, but then as he heard a sob, he got off the bed and went to the door, looked out and saw Samantha in the hallway, her hand poised to open the door of the communal wash room.
“Are you okay?” he said softly, and as she shook her head and blinked away tears, his concern for her at once took over from his own worries about his health. Samantha was stunningly beautiful – at least, as far as Justin was concerned, and right now, all he wanted to do was help her, to listen, to be kind and understanding – all the things her loser boyfriend could never be. He ran his fingers through his sweat dampened hair, left the room and walked down the corridor to join her, thinking only of the fact that she was unhappy, and he didn't want her to feel that way...
As David lay warm in the arms of his lover, the others were mostly sleeping off their jet lag, except for Alex, who was busy wandering about the hostel, exploring the ground floor with interest, as upstairs, in the corridor, as he looked into her eyes, Samantha saw something soft and kind about the gaze of Justin Frazer, something she had perhaps seen before, but now, alone with him as she stepped into the wash room, he followed and she closed the door, a few brief words about how useless her boyfriend was didn't feel like enough as she wondered what it would be like to take Justin in her arms.
As they stood close and she looked at him and he brushed a tear from her eye, she smiled, knowing she was moments from reaching for him – this was not an act of revenge against her boyfriend, this was something else...like she was actually seeing him for the first time, and liking what she saw.
“I've got vodka back at my room,” he said.
“We don't need vodka,” she replied quietly, her gaze meeting with his as she smiled and so did he, realising something incredible was about to happen – he was about to take her in his arms, hot Samantha Taylor actually wanted him instead of that bully Henderson...
And just below the entrance to the hostel, a lone figure stepped out on to the icy ground, his boots crunching in snow that glowed in crystalline shades of sunset and sparkled like magic. The snow looked amazing. He felt so much euphoria he wanted to walk and walk for miles, take in the whole of the continent....
So he started to walk, away from the hostel, a lone figure trudging through the snow as the sun set lower, away from the settlement, out into the arctic wilderness, fixing on colours and feelings that only he could appreciate as Matt gave no thought to the cold or getting lost as he headed away from the settlement, taking one step after another, gong further and further out, until the hostel was a distance behind him and suddenly all that stretched out in front of him was the vast frozen wastelands of Antarctica and he had never felt better as he continued on his way, a look of wonder in his eyes as he watched the sunset soak into the glistening snow, making him want to wander forever, to blend into it, to be a part of it and never return...
Chapter 3: Fantasies and Frostbite
“You're sweating,” said Samantha, and as they stood together beside a sink, she met his gaze as Justin knew for certain he was right, she really did want him.
“Maybe I should take a shower,” he replied.
“Good idea,” she told him, “Let's have one together.”
As surprise registered in his eyes, she laughed softly.
“Don't think I haven't thought about you before. I have.”
“Like you think about David Harley? I'm not exactly Mr Harley, and everyone knows you -”
“Everyone knows what, that I fancy him?”
Her face had flushed, and so did his.
“I've heard rumours. But I've never said a word about it...I guess he is the sort of guy the girls would look at.”
“So are you.”
He had followed her over to the shower area, where she pushed aside a curtain and then peeled off her top. And there she was before him, naked from the waist up, no bra beneath her top as she smiled invitingly as she caught the look of surprise in his dark gaze as he cast a lingering look over her exposed body.
“Wow, you're lovely...”
She giggled.
“You're not so bad yourself, Justin! And there's towels on heated rails over there, we can just jump under the hot water, get out, get dry and no one will ever know.”
“What if someone comes in?”
“I locked the door behind us,” she said, stepping closer as she slid her arms around him, leaning in for a lingering kiss. As his lips touched hers he no longer cared about his sweating or his chills, her kiss was enough to dash all of that aside as he stripped off his jumper and his thermal vest and then closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her kisses down his chest, the way her finger tips brushed over his nipples and sent shudders of arousal through his body.
As she reached for his belt he stepped back, removing the rest of his clothing by himself as she stripped off the last of her own clothing. It had been a while and all he wanted to do was bury himself deep inside her, he hoped he wouldn't be too rough, but the need was overpowering and the sight of her naked as she stepped first into the shower and the water switched on in a hot, powerful rush that seemed to match the blood singing in his veins was all the invitation he needed as he quickly joined her, embracing under the hot water as they stole another deep and lasting kiss.
Justin pinned her up against the wall and kept his mouth locked on hers to stifle her cries of pleasure as he took her hard and fast, her back against the tiles, the hot water running down his back as they made fast and frantic love – he thought of it as love as she gasped his name, her fingers tangled in his wet hair as he lost all control and trembled hard.
Then she clung to him, kissing him again as they both slid down to the base of the wide shower, exhausted but craving more of this time they had tasted together as the water ran and the steam rose and began to slip out above the shower curtain like creeping mist, steaming up the wash room.
The world was a mix of darkening colours, the sky was bleeding them down like invisible rays of magic ink, settling the snow in a multicolour haze that was beautiful.
Matt could see so much more, the colours were so bright, the world was so wonderful. This was the top of the world and he was standing on it and that was an awesome thought, the sky made him want to reach up and touch the colours, he felt like the bleeding of colour from sky to ground was some kind of invisible stairway that perhaps would take him up higher, into those evening clouds where he wanted to touch a sunset made of orange jelly and peer down and count the diamonds that sparkled in many colours in the snow.
“I love it!” he shouted.
His own voice echoed back at him, then as euphoria shone in his eyes he thought of the o
thers and guessed they would not ever see this – not on this evening, this one was only for him because they were sleeping, this sight was a gift for him alone, the tall stacks of ice that rose up in freaky shapes, some beautiful, some menacing, the snow that glittered like someone had spattered paint in many hues. The sky was made of paint that evening and this was the best sun set ever...
He kept on walking, not bothering to look back to see how far he had come. The sky was darkening down noticeably now and with it the colours were shading down a little darker, but it was still magical, and so he kept on walking further...
“You're amazing,” Samantha said to Justin as they got dressed in the locked wash room.
The water was off now and the steam was clearing, both had hair still damp from the shower and a flushed look about their faces as they saw each other in a new light.
“I hope I wasn't too rough, it's just that I wanted you so much -”
“It was fine,” she promised him, then Samantha leaned closer, kissed him again as Justin looked back at her, his heart aching as he thought of how she was still dating Ryan.
“You're so passionate,” she added, “And you have a great body...firm, toned...I like it. I'd like more of it...”
“And I'd like to see you again but what about Ryan?”
Samantha noticed it was happening again, Justin was starting to sweat heavily. He had got dressed moments before and seemed fine, but now it was happening again as he shivered.
“Are you okay?”
“It's just the flu vaccination...I'll be fine.”
She frowned.
“You don't look fine to me.”
“I should get back to my room...I need to lie down.”
“And don't worry about Ryan,” she added, “I'm so through with him! I'm telling him it's over as soon as we get back from this trip.”
Then the door handle turned, the door rattled and they both turned around, sharing a look of alarm as Ryan Henderson called out from the other side.
“Who locked the door? I want a shower!”