8. Rune

RUNE

I spent as much time during the night exploring Chloe’s body as I could before finally letting her sleep around four. I crashed for a couple of hours myself before getting up and beginning my wood chopping for the day.

I don’t just cut wood for myself but for the entire town, as well. It’s a year-round job, and while I use a log splitter in the summer months, my own two hands are my tools in the winter. Work is slower when it gets cold, so this gives me plenty to do and keeps my body in shape.

I also have an ice fishing shack on North Lake, so I can help keep some of the elderly and less fortunate folks fed through the winter. Most of what I do and offer is for free or through a barter exchange–one such thing that comes to mind is a quilted blanket I was gifted just before winter came this year after supplying the Fredricks family with enough wood to heat their small home for the remainder of the season.

Because of who my family is and where we come from, we’ve been paid quite well for articles written and artifacts found that were clearly ours. Before my grandfather passed, he sold some heirlooms to a collector in Holland for enough money to keep our family going for at least three hundred years. I’m still in disbelief after all this time.

“How long is daylight here?” I turn at the sound of Chloe’s voice to find her sitting on the porch in her snowsuit with a piping hot cup of coffee between her hands as she blows the steam off and takes a sip.

Dropping my axe, I saunter towards her, watching her eyes dance with excitement. “About four and a half hours or so. Usually, the sun rises a little after ten in the morning and goes down around two or three in the afternoon.”

“Not a whole lot different than home, then.”

“Probably not.” I grab her cup, turn it, and drink from where she did a moment ago, enjoying how she blushes and seems pleased with my act. “Fresh snow came while we were sleeping. Care to make a snow angel?”

Her squeal of delight as she jumps to her feet and runs to the nearest open spot, about twenty feet from where I’m chopping wood, makes me grin. I love listening to her excitement. Seeing Chloe take joy in the most minor things is enough for me to know that we’re perfect for each other.

Fascinated, I watch as she drops back into the crisp snow and immediately starts swishing her arms and legs to and fro. When she sits up to inspect her work, I half expect her to call for help so she doesn’t mess up, but then I remember she grew up in Alaska and is likely an expert.

As she jumps from one spot to the next, making a village of angels, I get back to splitting wood. I’d like to make this delivery this afternoon before the sun sets. The Olsen family brought home a new baby a couple of weeks ago and haven’t had a chance to restock their wood supply, so I’m doing it as a surprise, and I know it’ll be easier to get the material stored in their back shed in the daylight.

“Rune!” Chloe’s sudden terrified scream breaks me from my thoughts as I drop the axe and prepare for battle, only to see Bear and his penguin friend, Waddles, who sits on his back, investigate Chloe as she lies motionless in the snow.

“It’s okay!” I call out. “They won’t hurt you.” Marching through the snow, I see her pale with fear.

“It is most certainly not okay, and he will absolutely eat me.” She pauses a moment as she gets a look at Waddles gazing down at her before looking at me, the confusion clear on her face. “Why isn’t he trying to eat me? And why hasn’t he eaten the penguin?”

“Bear likes to scare the crap out of people,” I explain. “He was the one the other day that had us running into the house. Wouldn’t hurt more than a fish, and that’s only ‘cause he’s gotta eat.”

I’m prepared for an explosion of anger over my not explaining this sooner, but Chloe glances between the three of us a few times before bursting out into laughter. Bear plops down onto his ass, messing up one of Chloe’s angels, while Waddles slides down his back and lands in a poof of fresh snow before making his way over to her.

“Of course, you would have a docile polar bear and penguin to hang out with.” Sitting up, she offers a hand to Waddles, who just nudges her with his little head for a pet. Bear chuffs until she offers him the same. “You have to explain how this happened.”

“They both just kind of showed up one day. Bear, several years ago. We learned to adjust to each other for a while before he finally came up to me, and then we became companions.” I shrug; it’s nothing glamorous. “Waddles appeared on Bear’s back last spring. I wasn’t sure what to make of them at the time, but they’re best friends, it would seem.” Dropping down next to Chloe, I scratch Waddles' belly as he cuddles into her.

“They’re adorable. But the logical part of me who has seen what a polar bear can do is ready to run faster than the speed of light if he lifts one of those giant paws.” She gives a half-hearted laugh.

“He’s never hurt anyone. There have been a few hunters who have tried to capture him. They learned pretty quickly that I’m scarier than the bear.”

Chloe snorts. “I’m not shocked by that.”

“I’ve got to load this wood and take it to a new family. Would you like to join me? I need to stop at my father’s home, as well. I know he’d love to meet you.” Standing up, I offer her a hand.

With Waddles tucked under her arm, Chloe takes my hand, and I pull her to her feet. “I’d love to. Think this guy would like a drive?” I’ve created a monster.

“You can try.” Chuckling as she puts Waddles down, we start loading up the wood and make it to the Olsen’s with just enough sunlight to spare.