Matt Brown: Collection of Short Alaskan Bush People Fan Fics

Old Friends. Part 5

In the main cabin after dinner, Matt fielded a hundred questions from his sisters and his mom about you. He loved talking about you and explaining where you were from, how you found your way to Alaska and how the two of you met. Birdy and Rain had heard the story of how you met many times, but they loved hearing it over and over. Matt's blue eyes danced as he talked about you and Ami smiled, knowing that her oldest son had finally found his perfect mate.

Matt talked as fast as he could and made several unsuccessful attempts to wrap up the conversation and get everyone off to bed. He finally resorted to a huge fake yawn while he stretched his arms wide.

"Well, I'm beat. I'm going to make one last check outside and then I'll be back to call it a night." He pulled on his coat and gave his sisters a hug as they reluctantly began to climb the stairs. They still wanted more details but Ami hurried them along with a wave of her hand.

"It is getting late, girls. Time to start getting ready for bed." She waited a few seconds for her daughters to be out of earshot and then she leaned close and gave Matt a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"And don't keep her up too late, Matthew." She smiled her knowing smile. "She has to get up early to help me get breakfast ready."
Matt should have known that he couldn't keep any secrets from his family.
"Got it." He replied with a grin as he turned and hurried out the door and down the front steps. His grin got even wider as he thought of you waiting for him in the tire house.

Pulling the strap of the black leather bag over his head, Pete crept around the side of the tire house, keeping his back to the wall and his eyes on the trapper shack a few yards away. There continued to be a light glow coming from the tent, so Pete chose to slide his way to the front of the tire house on the side facing the trapper shack. He also hoped that the thick logs that made up the shack would serve as better insulation to keep his movements from being heard. He made his way slowly around and finally to the front. His head was aching from tension but the exhilaration he felt from being so close to you was all consuming and he was able to push the pain away. His plan was simple and he knew it would work because you thought you were safe with Matt's family on this island. Pete lifted his hand and knocked on the door.

A wide smile spread across your face when you heard the knock. Matt had gotten away earlier than you expected but you were glad because that meant you would have more time together. You dashed across the room and pulled open the wooden door. Without warning, the door was yanked out of your hand and Pete tore into the room, his hand over your mouth before you could even open it to scream. You tried to whip your head around, out of his grasp, but he was holding a cloth tightly over your mouth and too late you realized that your gasping breaths were sucking the oily chemical from the cloth deep into your lungs. You felt your strength begin to fade as your widened eyes took in Pete's crazed ones. Nothing made sense and your mind tried to comprehend what he was doing there and why. And in the moments before complete blackness overtook your vision, you suddenly caught a glimpse of Matt's face, red and furious as he charged through the door. 

For a second, when Matt saw the back of Pete's head so close to yours, he had a crazy thought that Pete was kissing you. But the thought immediately flew from his mind and he rushed at Pete and grabbed the back of his jacket and jerked him backward. As Pete's body flew backwards, Matt watched helplessly as you slumped to the ground, overcome by the drug on the cloth. Matt's anger was fresh and strong but he was no match for Pete's madness.

As Matt drew back his arm to deliver a punch that would have brought Pete to his knees, all of Pete's pent up frustration and anger and rage exploded like a manic fireball. Everything rational left his mind and all he could think of was to destroy Matt. The side of his hand shot out and caught Matt directly in the neck and Matt flew backwards, dizzy and choking and unable to speak. As Matt struggled to his knees and clutched his throat, Pete roughly grabbed you under the arms and began dragging you out of the cabin. Matt's determination had brought him quickly to his feet and he reached out, staggering, to try to block Pete's path. But Pete's hand flew out again, catching Matt in the same place on his throat and a hot ball of fire spread from Matt's neck to his chest, and he fell.

Matt rolled to his knees, gasping loudly as he tried to pull in a breath through his bruised throat. His eyes were clouded by tears of frustration and anger and the pain as he tried to swallow nearly made him vomit. But there was no way he could let anything happen to you, so steeling himself against the agony to come, Matt opened his mouth and yelled.

"BAM! NOAH!" The intensity of the pain was like a knife jammed in his ruined throat and he fell over onto his back, his strength gone. It was only minutes later, although it seemed like forever to Matt, that his brothers ran into the tire house at the same time. Both had jumped out of their beds so fast that they were still pulling on clothes, but they ran with loaded rifles in their hands. They flew through the door and stopped short when they saw Matt lying on the floor, his hands still wrapped around his throat. Bam pulled the elastic band from his wrist and quickly tied back his long hair as he leaned over his brother and pulled his hands away from his neck.

"What happened, man?" Bam's voice was full of concern as he looked at the dark bruising already appearing on Matt's neck.

"He took her." Matt's voice was barely a whisper and his blue eyes pleaded with his brothers to hear and understand.

"BEAR! GABE!" Noah yelled in a deep, loud voice that carried clearly across the camp.

When Pete heard the shouting from the campsite, he knew he wouldn't have much time. Carrying your dead weight over his shoulder, relying on his adrenalin for strength, Pete ran for the beach.