Guest

A knock at the door disrupted his morning routine. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of it being Sila, but he discarded the notion quickly as wishful thinking.
Sometimes adventurers or thrill seekers would find their way to his doorstep by chance, but that was unlikely this time of year.

So he took a deep breath and donned the biggest smile he could muster.
"Urho!" he shouted with excitement, ripping the door open.

His smile faded as he failed to recognize the rather meek and astonishingly under-equipped figure.

Realizing how he must look to Silvan, the figure struck a pose to make the shivering less obvious.
"Silvan, the man who did it Hunt. Or should I call you the hermit of Mount Hunt, like the nice folk in town refer to you?"

Silvan’s eyes widened in disbelief as memories were fired out of their retirement. The red locks, the freckled face, and that irritating grin.

"Jasper?"

"In the flesh baby!"

"How did you…? I didn’t tell anyone."

"Maybe after you sobered up the next morning. But I was there taking care of you when you were hammered beyond saving, before you spirited away!"

Snippets of that night came flowing back. Sick of his work and life, he had bet everything on a dart and a giant map.

"And we were roaring when it landed on a place that had your name on it! At least that’s how I remembered it after finding that map a few months back."

He took in the view for a moment.

"Mount Hunt! What a fitting place," he exclaimed with open arms, as if the mountain were also a long-lost friend ready to receive a hug.
"You should write a book about this!"

Silvan responded with an apathetic smile.
"Come in, you look like you could use some warmth."

"Wow, look at all this!" Jasper let out a sharp whistle as he checked out his ex-colleague’s home.
"Did you make these?"

He held up a small figurine that loosely resembled some four-legged animal.

"It gets very quiet here. No cars, no bars, no people besides the rare visitors like… well, like you, for example. A friend I made here suggested this hobby so the bones don’t go to waste."

Jasper looked at the pale carving with a tint of discomfort before carefully placing it back.

"You hear it in school, read it in books, but you start thinking about life differently once you take it with your own hands. Once you try your best to process every single part of it. How resilient a hide can be. All the parts you didn’t think edible but turn out to be. The amount of bones… and how little is truly unusable to me, but will gladly be taken back by the mountain."

A solemn silence set in as Jasper reevaluated the cabin’s baubles and its inhabitant. Trying to lighten the mood, he smiled.

"Look at you, mister stick in the mud. I've been here for five minutes and you're already trying to ruin the mood."

Unable to retort, Silvan dusted off a pelt that was hanging near a window, acting like it was important.

"Be honest, when was the last time you left this place and had some fun? Town’s not close, but it beats the loneliness, does it not?"

Silvan huffed. He dazed off in thought while observing dark clouds creeping in the distance.
"I… They don’t like me."

He started preparing as a silent sign that this conversation was over.
"I don’t have time. I have work to do."

"Have you even thought about coming back?" Jasper interrupted.
"We can go back together if that helps."

Silvan was already at the door when a burst of anger surged through him.
"I’m… NOT! GOING BACK!" Silvan shouted, pressing down hard on the handle before letting go and getting into Jasper’s face.
"If you enjoy slaving your life away, that’s on you! In the meantime, I will enjoy my freedom, in solitude if I must!"

He opened the door and almost slammed it shut, taking a moment to catch himself.
"Look, I was in a bad spot back then and this is my attempt at recovery. I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want to be found."

Jasper placed his hand on Silvan’s shoulder, but he brushed him off.

"I’m thankful that you felt the need to come all the way out here to check up on me, but I’m not ready. Being here is the right thing for me to do!"
The clouds where coming in fast. He needed to be fast today if he wanted to get everything done in time.

"Feel free to stay the night. I’ll be back later, and if you really want to help me, throw in a piece of wood every few hours to keep the fire going."

"Silvan, wait."

He did.

"Look, I’m sorry, man. I know better than anyone else how rough you had it. With the burnout and everything. You were miserable and we all know it. But disappearing like that… You had us more than just a little worried. I didn’t mean to come off as judgmental. It’s just that we were concerned about you. Some even think you’re dead."

The news stung. Silvan had to suppress tears welling up. He had done his friends and family wrong, and he knew it. Disappearing without so much as a handwritten note. Giving his best shot at hiding his tracks before leaving the grid. He’d long since made peace with his old life, but now that it found him in his new one, it made him emotional.

"I bought you a present."

Jasper pulled out a fancy bottle.

"I know how much you enjoy a good whiskey. It’s a blend, and a rare one at that! Hella pricey, but it had to be. I got this soon after you disappeared and swore to either share it with you or your grave, whichever I find first."

Silvan could see the sunlight glistening in Jasper’s eyes as his sniffling friend stepped closer, handing him the bottle.

"I’m glad it’s with you man."