Somewhere way up in the Swiss Alps, in the dark of the night, a lantern flickers within a small red tent. The fire casts shadows of dancing flames across the sides of the tent, and warming the bodies of two inhabitants within. Max sits intently in his sleeping bag, gently keeping a grip onto the hardcover book he was reading Soft Thoughts For Gentle People. As he carefully flips the page his head turns to his companion. A young looking woman turns over on her pillow, a beanie tightly over her head would bide her blonde hair, and the sleeping bag does its best to keep her warm.
“You're sleeping restlessly.” Max would note as he turns back to his book, finally flipping the page over.
The woman would open one of her eyes before bringing her mittened hands up to her face and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She sits up, causing the warm sleeping bag to partially fall down, her voice would be soft and sleepy,
“How can I sleep when the wind is that loud? It's worse than a newborn baby.” she whines, tucking her legs up to her chest and resting her chin on the tops of her knees.
Max would read a few words from the page before shifting his eyes to the right, glancing to the female silently before speaking,
“You should try to sleep, Emily. Tomorrow we will cross the deep.” he suggests to her, closing his book and pushing himself up so he was kneeling on his knees. Emily brings her hands to the sides of her beanie, she pulls it down over her red ears, and let's out a small breath- which despite the warmth of the tent, her breath would still be visible.
Max would take his book from his right hand, pushing it into the large, black hiking pack that he used to lug his gear. Before closing the zipper he receives his balaclava and takes off his beanie, he pulls it down over his face and slips the beanie back on, moving for his boots.
“Are you going to bring in the pegs?” Emily would ask, sitting up in excitement and allowing her face to light up with a bright smile of interest. Max nods his head as he slips on his boot, leaning forwards and tightening the laces.
“Can I come too? It's boring in here!” Emily pleads, beginning to climb out of her sleeping bag completely now.
“Emily… You need to get some sleep, dear. It'll only take me a few minut--” Emily crawls over to him and plants either of her hands on his arm. She looks to him directly, her icy blue eyes stare at him in a pleading way, her mouth letting out another soft breath, “Please, Max?” she gently whispers. Max would stare at her for a few seconds and open his mouth to say something. His eyes glance downwards as he shakes his head- but ultimately he let's out a gentle sigh. He nods his head and looks back up to her, a small smile cracking under the balaclava, “Alright, alright. But when we get back its bed time.” Emily's cheeks turn pink as she lunges forward and embraces him with a smile, “I'll be quick!” she exclaims as she let's go of him, scurrying back to her boots. Max shakes his head and laughs as he goes back to tying on his boots, once done, he places his white ushanka on top of his balaclava.
A few minutes later the zipper of the tent opens up, a weighted blast of cold air rushes into the tent, swinging the lamp and blowing a few things around. Max puts his hand out to cover his face before stepping out into the white snow, which comes up to about his ankles. Emily follows suite, once the two of them were outside and the tent was zipped up they begin walking forwards down a small snowy hill. The view was magnificent, stars of all different colors dancing in the sky, mountains with white blankets of untouched snow in every direction, and dark crevices scattered across the ground. The bright moonlight shines down on the camp, snow lightly sprinkling across them, making a quite quiet and calm aurora.
The pegs were small wooden sticks with neon green rope tied around them. They were stuck down deep into the soft snow in order to keep them in place. Emily would be able to spot them in the distance, she points towards them,
“Right there, Max! Three of them!” she says, lifting her legs and beginning to traverse toward them. Max plants a hand on her shoulder and tugs her back,
“Emily…” he quietly says to her. Emily looks back to him with a frown, folding her hands together and stepping back.
“It's important we do this properly.” Max scolds, taking a small digital camera from his pocket. He powers it on and points it out towards the sticks into the distance- he waits a few seconds before pushing down on the button, a bright flash and a electronic shutter sound beeping. The two stare as Max tucks the camera away, waiting for something to happen. Max’s head turns to meet Emily's with a nod. With this the two begin to move towards the pegs in the distance, guided by nothing but moonlight.
The pair approach the pegs, Max would look down to it and pull it from the snow, resting it in his hands and examining it with a straight face. Emily would hum to herself as she does a spin, picking up a peg and tossing it over her shoulder, she joyfully skips to the next and pulls it from the snow. Max’s eyes trace across the one he was holding carefully, his eyes meeting a single, long, deep scratch across the wooden post. Emily turns back and smiles, but raises and eyebrow and approaches him curiously,
“Max-” she begins only to be cut off by his strong voice.
“Emily, this peg was marked.” Emily stops, letting one of the pegs she was carrying hang from her hand. She checks over her's for a moment before waddling up to her companion, “What do you mean? That's impossible, we only just got here.” she stumbles in disbelief. Her eyes widen as they lay on the long scratch mark across it. She looks up to him and let's out a sharp breath, before spinning around. Both of them look across the distant mountains and peaks, but everything remains eerily quiet. The moonlight shines down on them and the stars continue to dance in the sky without a care in the world.
“We’re going back to the tent.” Max snaps, turning around and dropping the peg in the snow. He grabs onto Emily's hand and begins to pull her along, “Come, now.” he says again. Emily would move up next to him and squeeze his hand, breathing rather nervously and looking to the different mountains and hills around them, only to see nothing in any direction.
As they arrive back at their camp they quickly huddle into the tent, zipping the flap shut as the wind begins to pick up for the night.
“How is it possible that it was marked?” Emily says in a tone that couldn't be anything then confusion and fear. She doesn't even take her boots off as she plops down onto her sleeping back. Max shakes his head as he removes his balaclava and ushanka, slipping off his boots and moving to his bag,
“I don't know. Maybe one of us accidently used a marked one.” Max reaches over and slips off Emily's boots, who would lay down on the makeshift bed and wipe her face,
“Migoi…” she groans, a shiver running down her spine as she says the very words. Max would remain silent for a few seconds before laying down on the bag,
“Not this far East.” he simply responds, zipping up his small sleeping bag. Emily sits up and looks to him with a serious face,
“But really, what if it was?”
“It wasn't. Didn't we agree it was bedtime?” Emily would gently lay back down again, she frowns and smooches closer to him for comfort and warmth.
“We’re safe, I promise.” Max says with a reassuring smile. He wraps his arms around her and gives her a tight hug,
“Āśā.” he whispers quietly
“Āśā” she returns slower, but with a tone of relief.
The two let go and snuggle down into their sleeping bags, closing their eyes and drifting to sleep.
