Dream Job

Uada Terram

The shuttle arrived in front of Tom's house early in the morning, tires crushing the soft snow that had fallen throughout the night, laying a blanket of winter bliss over the world. Tom heard the honk of the car as he indulged in his last gulp of hot coffee, warming his insides. He stepped outside with his backpack and supplies for his trip, the frozen air clashed against his warm face and plunged into his lungs as he placed his bags in the trunk and stepped into the back seat of the car.

It was a 6-hour drive to the drop-off point in the middle of nowhere, Tom decided to take the time to analyze his work duties once more. His main task was wildlife preservation, the work order sheet also included fire watch but that wasn't much of an issue during this season. He was also tasked with making sure the radio towers were undamaged.
There was a supply drop by plane every week, although Tom was extremely confident in his survival skills, extra food didn't hurt. Other than seeing that plane fly by he was on his own.

"Hey, Hey sir?"

Tom shot awake, the driver's voice jerking him out of slumber.

"Ya, what's up?" Tom responded wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"You OK sir?" The driver asked looking at him quizzically.

"Uh ya, why?"

"Well, you were like moaning and hyperventilating, seemed like one hell of a dream you were having."

"Uh yeah I guess, don't really remember it. Sorry about that."

"Oh no worries, anyways we have arrived at your destination sir." the diver said giving Tom a concerned look through the rear view mirror as he pulled off the main road and into what resembled a pocket of dirt to the left of them that served as the trailhead.

Tom opened his door and heaved his backpack out of the trunk.

"Thank you so much," Tom said leaning on the front passenger door.

"No problem at all sir, be careful out there, they will be watching you," the driver said in a deep hushed tone.

"What are y.." Before Tom could ask a question the driver peeled out and drove away.

With that he proceeded onto the trail, still puzzled, "What did he mean by they will be watching me?" Tom thought to himself, not really  knowing or caring he continued on his way.

It would be a full's day hike before he would reach his destination. The first few miles were thick with vegetation, the trail almost non-existent to an untrained eye.
Tom even had to refer to his map and compass on several occasions. He was in great shape so a journey like this didn't faze him much, add in the adrenaline and excitement that was pumping through his veins, he would make it to the tower in no time.
By the time Tom could see the watchtower dusk was lulling the land to sleep, and he was dead tired. Standing at the foot of the watchtower Tom looked up and stared in amazement on shaky legs, the tower seemed to dwarf the surrounding trees. He started up the creaky wooden stairs, his muscles groaning and twisting with each step.
Two more or a thousand didn't seem to matter he was on autopilot, struggling to keep balance and continue stepping up.

Tom paused at the top, took a deep breath and surveyed his new point of habitation. The Watchtower had a balcony all around it giving him a 360-degree view of the Forrest surrounding his new home.

He stopped and eyed the old wooden half light door with a big number sequence padlock around the rusted handle, Tom reached into his backpack and pulled out his work order folder, skimmed through and found the entry that contained the 3 digit code. His hands twitched and almost dropped the paperwork as his brain registered what he was seeing.

The entry read PADLOCK CODE: 666, he could've sworn it was 375 when he skimmed through it on the ride up here. A little shaken he spun the individual Numbered wheels until the sequence read 666. Tom hesitated pulling the little latch open, part of him didn't want this to be the actual code, part of him wanted to...run....yes run.
Tom stood there not knowing where this sense of danger had infected his mind.

"Oh come on," Tom said releasing a long slow breath. 

The little compartment on the face of the padlock popped open and there lay the silver key to the cabin's door. Tom grabbed the key, closed the little compartment door and spun the numbers getting rid of the three 6's, he would argue it was to hide the code but that number made him feel uneasy.
He slid the key in the deadbolt and turned, feeling the bolt slide on its old rusty rail. The door opened with a groan that could put any ghost in chains to shame.
Tom looked around, the room was quaint, very cozy, the simplicity of it reminded him of his own bedroom.

"This is home," Tom said to himself dropping his backpack and placing the paperwork he still had in his hands on the nightstand, for the next 30 days he was correct, this was home.

There seemed to be dust on everything in the room. Which included a little book self, a HAM radio to contact a police station and the map in the middle of the room of the surrounding landscapes.

"This will do." He said sitting on the edge of the bed.

Tom was usually a clean freak and normally would not stand for such a mess but the exhaustion he felt sucked all the motivation he had to clean.

"Tomorrow I'll clean," he thought to himself.

He unpacked his blanket and pillow and collapsed on the bed. His eyes wandered around as he thought about the first task he needed to complete in the morning but he couldn't ignore the last light of the sun vanishing like a flame quenched in oil, burning the sky a beautiful dark orange.

He sat up and decided to bid the sun farewell and take in the scenery. The forest was magnificent in every sense of the word, a vast painting with perfect coloration coming to life. He walked back to the bed content on his view and laid down, resting his head on the pillow and drifted off into deep slumber.