3131 Words
This is a beta version of Enar's Vacation. Changes can - and probably will - be made as a result of reader feedback. I hope you'll enjoy it and I hope you'll take the time to give me some feedback. It will help me make this story the best it can be.
+++
Enar watched her stalking off and then started forward himself, wading through the shallows up onto the beach. When the water was halfway down his shins he started jogging, then running, covering himself with his hands and keeping a close eye on Amanda.
He reached the basket, snatched up the towel and started wrapping it around himself. With shaking hands he secured the thick cloth around his waist. Finally, he could breathe out and relax. He stood straight, stretching his arms up in the air.
Done. Sorted. Safe.
That wasn't so bad now was it? He knelt down and located his underpants under the shirt. With a satisfied smile he pulled them on, managing not to drop the towel in the process. There. In control again.
Glancing towards Amanda, pulling her dress over her head, he sauntered over to where his jeans lay. He picked them up and shook them out, making a little bit more noise than strictly necessary. With a shake of his hips - and just a little help from his free hand - he loosened the towel and dropped it on the ground. Then, whistling under his breath and gazing out over the lake, he pulled his jeans on.
"You'd better be decent now." Yelled Amanda. "I'm bored of starring at the forest."
"Pfft, I saw you peeking." Enar stretched and grinned, the sun warming his bare chest.
"You wish." Amanda walked past him, in the direction of the basket. "It's not like you have anything to be ashamed of anyway."
Enar spluttered - words coming out sideways and backwards and in the wrong order or just getting stuck halfway. His face burned.
Amanda just laughed at him. "Seriously Enar, you really need to get out and meet someone. It's not such a big deal.
"No, no... I mean yes." Enar sighed and looked down into the grass. "I know."
"Good boy, now come sit down." Amanda still had a giggle in her voice, and probably a big grin too. "I'm not going to drink alone."
"Drink?" Enar looked up.
"And eat." She held up the basket and smiled. "I got us a cider and some sandwiches."
"Oh, nice." Enar picked up his towel and walked over. "I had some workman's cider with Rolf yesterday. Is it the same? It was real nice. Weak, but refreshing.
Amanda lifted an urn, similar to the one from yesterday, out of the depths of the basket. "Yep, exactly. Just the thing after a swim in the lake," she said with a grin and winked at him.
"Awesome. I really liked that."
Amanda had laid her towel to dry in the grass and sat next to it, directly on the ground, with the basket in front of her. Enar followed her example and laid his towel out too, before sitting down next to Amanda. His mouth watered as he eyed the cider-urn.
"Here you go, workman." Amanda removed the plug from the urn and lifted it up in both hands. "Slake your thirst." Bowing her head in mock servitude, she held out the urn for him to take.
Enar grabbed the urn - smaller than the one from yesterday - put it to his lips and drank deep. Liquid autumn gushed down his throat - cinnamon, cloves, and apples, apples, apples. Strong apples. He coughed, spraying cider everywhere.
"Wooha!" His head spun, and he hurried to put the urn down, before he toppled over.
Amanda laughed; clutching her stomach with one hand and supporting herself against the ground with another. She tried to say something, but as she looked up and saw Enar's face another fit of laughter took her and carried the words away.
Enar shook his head to clear it and let out a long, slow, breath. "That... That was not what I'd call weakened. Geez. Wow." He smiled to take the sting out of the words. He was okay - really. His mouth tasted faintly of pine needles.
Covering her face with her hand, Amanda got her laughter under control. She pressed her fingers to her mouth, shrugged her shoulders, and tittered.
Enar pulled out his angriest of angry faces and glared at her. "You meanie!" Glare. Glare. Then he smiled and took another sip - a small one.
"It's good though, right?" Amanda, now composed, leaned back and eyed him as he drank.
"Yes. It is actually." Enar set the urn down and nodded. "It's just really strong. I'm not sure I should have more." One more sip wouldn't hurt, right? In a little bit. After that it'd be enough.
"Aww, come on. It's not that strong, and it tastes great, doesn't it."
Enar squirmed. "It does. It does... but, I'm not sure. What is it anyway?"
Amanda looked around, hunched up her shoulders and leaned close. "It's a secret," she whispered. "It's called the Winter Guard. Grandma makes it for when the first snow falls. Says it'll keep you warm through the winter."
"But... it's summer?" Enar stared at her.
Amanda stared back. "Crap!" she hissed. "We better drink it fast! Before it notices." Her face started twitching, and then she burst out laughing again.
Enar smiled too, giggled even. He lifted up the urn and took another sip - just a little one.
"Aaah," he said and licked his lips. "Definitely something for all those cold, dark, winter nights we're having here."
"Yes. Very cold." She giggled, grabbed the urn and took a sip of her own. "Just don't tell grandma. She'll kill me. It's the only one left from last winter."
"Oh." Enar stared at the urn. "Won't you get in trouble for that?"
"Only if you tell her. Otherwise she'll never remember."
Enar smiled to himself and looked out over the lake. He'd never taken cider from his mom without asking, or his grandma - ever. "I've been drinking a bit much lately. I mentioned that, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did say, but you're on vacation, and you won't have to drink all of it. I'll help you."
That'd be fine, wouldn't it? He'd just have a little, to go with the food. "Mmm... I just can't get drunk, or I won't be able to make it back to Hyardum before the rain."
Amanda raised an eyebrow at him and glanced up into the sky. "Rain? What rain? The sky's clear blue."
"Yeah, but Otter said it was going to rain." Enar shrugged and looked up too. "He seemed really adamant about it."
"Otter said so?"
"He said I'd get completely soaked. Or, well, that's what Rose said he said - I'm not sure if she was messing with me or not."
Amanda nodded, her face serious. "She wouldn't mess with what Otter says. He probably did mean it."
"Yeah, so I shouldn't drink too much, or I might not make it back to Rolf's place. It's my last day here so I need to be up early tomorrow morning to catch my ride to the train."
"Aww, that's no fun." She sighed and pulled a fistful of grass out of the ground.
"No, but I've had a great day so far anyway." Enar smiled to himself. He just had to not ruin it by getting wasted two hours walk away from where he stayed. "A great vacation too."
"I know!" Amanda sat up straight. "I'll give you a ride. Then you'll be home much quicker." Smiling, she tossed the grass in his direction and retrieved a packet from within the basket.
"Really, you'd do that?" Yes, yes, yes! No walking!
"Sure thing." She started unwrapping the packet, revealing a stack of sandwiches. "Only to the cider-house though." Amanda bowed her head and for a moment she focused on arranging the sandwiches in a neat pile on the cloth they'd been wrapped in. "Mid-week always sees a gathering at the inn and I'd rather avoid that - especially now that it's stocktaking day too."
Enar frowned. She'd been to the inn yesterday, and passed by it today too. "Oh, because... things?"
"Yes, exactly. Things." She nodded, and then turned to him with a smile. "Now, have a sandwich. Grandma made them and they're awesome."
Enar swallowed the last bite of the sandwich, sighed, and leaned back on his elbows. He'd have another one - soon. He just needed to rest a little. Let his belly settle.
He gazed out over the lake. The afternoon sun hung high in the sky - warm and friendly. Soon, but not just yet, she'd start making her way down towards the hills and valleys.
The water on his chest and in his hair had long since dried up, and maybe he should put his shirt on, before he got sunburned. He glanced over at Amanda - chewing on a sandwich and gazing out over the lake. She had, somehow, managed to get breadcrumbs in her hair.
In the grass between them, just out of reach, lay the urn with the cider. They'd almost drained it. He'd have a little more in a bit, when he had the energy to reach for it. In the meantime, he'd pace himself. How had she gotten bread in her hair?
"You're pretty lonely too, aren't you?" he said.
Amanda stopped chewing, but kept her eyes on the water. After a moment, she swallowed. "What gave you that impression?"
Enar turned his attention back towards the lake, and the trees beyond. He'd been right. "Nothing. Just a thought - a hunch." A good hunch.
She turned to him with a smile and put a light hand on his leg. "That's sweet of you Enar, but no, I'm fine. I like being on my own, and I've got friends who are there for me when I need them." Amanda withdrew her hand and grabbed another sandwich. She took a big bite and turned her face to the sun.
"Oh, okay. That's good. Just checking." He'd be there too. He'd be her friend - a good friend.
"I'll tell you a secret though." She winked, raised a warning finger, and fixed him with her eyes. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone."
"Oh?"
"Promise you won't tell. No one can know. No one here, and no one back home." She made a chopping motion with her hand.
Enar nodded. "Okay... sure... I promise." He'd be a good friend.
"Right, so, here goes..." Her cheeks grew flushed. "I'm a raver."
Eyes wide, he stared at her. "A raver? You?" He pulled his mouth shut.
"Yes! Surprised?" She clapped her hands together and giggled; face beet red. "I bet you'd never have guessed."
He hesitated for a moment. "No... I wouldn't. I really didn't expect that... I can see how you wouldn't want anyone to know."
"Yeah." She held up a finger across her lips. "The gramps can't know, they'd never let me come back."
Enar frowned. "That serious?"
Amanda glared at him and sighed. "You're kidding, right? You know what the Book of Summer says about staying up too late working. It's really bad."
He sat up and reached for the urn. They'd really done some damage to the contents. "Yes, but... dancing isn't work, right?"
"Exactly!" Amanda clapped him on the shoulder, grabbed the urn, and took a swig from it. "You're my man Enar. I knew you'd be cool with it."
Enar frowned and reached for the cider. He was her friend. A quick sip - not everything. He should be supportive. "Well, I don't know, it's pretty wild isn't it?"
She glared at him. "It's fine. The Spring Fylk have worshipped Anna through dance ever since the beginning. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it." Reaching over, she pulled the urn out of his hands and put it to her lips. She closed her eyes and upended it, only a few drops escaping on the side and making a glistening trail down her throat. "Even the Winter Folk do it. It's just the Book of Summer that's all confused about it."
"Err, well..." Enar cleared his throat. "It's pretty clear isn't it?"
Amanda dropped urn in the grass and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Yeah, well, but that's not the point." She poked him in the ribs. "There's nothing wrong with dancing. Just don't tell anyone - they wouldn't understand."
Enar held up his right hand and put his left over his heart. "I won't. I promised, remember." He tried keeping his face serious, but it soon cracked up into a big grin.
"Good. You should try it sometime."
"Me? Dancing? But I'm no good--"
She poked him in the ribs again, a little too hard. "Doesn't matter. It's not about being good, it's about losing yourself to the music and letting go."
Squirming, he pushed her hand away. "Oh, I don't know, that sounds... a bit wild."
"It'd do you good. You're too pent up. You need to let go."
Enar blushed. "I don't know, maybe..."
Amanda glared at him. "Maybe I'm right - again? How about that?"
"Hey!" Giggling, he put a hand on her shoulder and shoved. "I'm right too, now and then."
"Yeah, right, when did that ever happen?" She grabbed his hand and pulled, and they both keeled over, laughing, in the grass, next to each other.
For a while they just lay there, laughing and gasping for breath, in the afternoon sun.
Enar rolled over on his back and closed his eyes - a big smile on his face and in his heart. The sun warmed his face and the summer filled his nose; fresh grass and wild flowers, the lake and the forest, and - faint but close - sweat and apples. He could lie there forever.
Except, well, he couldn't. With a sigh he opened his eyes and sat up again.
Amanda lay on her back next to him, also with here eyes closed; arms spread wide and a smile on her face. Her dress had hiked up well over her knees. He looked for a moment and then grabbed the hem of her dress and pulled it right, giving her her modesty back. She did have pretty legs though; the fur looked really soft - even if it was a little too thin. Enar smiled to himself and gazed off into the distance.
"Mhm...?" Amanda stirred and opened her eyes.
Enar ripped up a fistful of grass and tossed it at her. "Baaaah."
Amanda began laughing again, grabbing her stomach and rolling over to the side. "Baaaah, baaaaah."
How much had she had? Enar looked at the urn where it lay in the grass. He felt fine - a little buzzed maybe, but no more than that. She hadn't drank that much more than him, had she?
Either way, she did seem to have a good time. Enar couldn't help but smile. Her laughter rolled out over the grass like a sparkling, glowing waterfall of happy. Probably a good thing they were out of cider now.
Amanda's laughter eventually receded into giggles, and soon she just lay there, catching her breath. She rolled over on her back, shielded her eyes with her hand and looked at Enar. "Baaah?"
"Baaah." Enar smiled back at her. "Maybe we should get moving, before you get too drunk to drive a cart.
"Boring." She dragged out the word for ever, just to emphasise how boring she thought he was. Then she sat up. "Okay then, just promise me you'll come to my next rave."
If that's what it took to get her moving. "Sure, you got my number?" She'd probably forget about it anyway.
Amanda threw him a big grin. "Nope. I'll call Neta and she'll tell me."
So that's how they knew each other. It made sense. "Wait, I've got my phone, I'll take your number and send you a message when I get back home." He put his hand on his pocket and felt the familiar shape. Still there.
She stuck out her lower lip and glared at him. "Promise me you will. Else I'll call Neta and tell her everything."
"Don't worry. I promise." She'd probably forget, but he'd said he'd be her friend and he would. Better that than having Neta tease him about it.
Amanda perked up instantly, brushed her hair out of her eyes and reached out her hand. "Okay, give here. I'll take a picture of you too, bare chest and all."
Enar blushed, fished the phone out of his pocket and switched it on. Nothing happened. He pressed the button again. No reaction. Dead as a rock. Groaning, he hung his head. "Crap. Out of cream."
Amanda began to giggle, and soon enough Enar smiled too.
"Oh well..." He heaved a big sighed and put on his best fake sad face. "I guess Anna just doesn't want me to have your number."
"Pff, nonsense." Amanda grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. "She just want to make sure you come dance with me."
"Yes, yes, maybe that's it." He smiled at her and nodded. "We'll see."
"No! No see," she snapped. "You promised."
Grinning wide, Enar raised his hands in defense. "Yes, yes I did, and I will."
"Good boy, now lets get moving." Amanda raised a hand and waved at him to move away. "You should put something on. We don't want grandma getting even more ideas." She blushed - ever so slightly.
"Heh, yeah." Enar nodded and leaned over to grab his shirt. "She on to you too?"
"All the time! Every single day." Amanda tugged at a straw of grass, tearing it out of the ground.
Nodding, Enar pulled the shirt on and started buttoning it up. "She did seem to have some... notions."
Amanda laughed. "She's got notions alright, now help me up." She stretched her arm up in the air and started waving her hand around. Enar stood up, grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet. Then they started back towards the gardens.
Questions - Chapter 37
These questions are meant to be answered from memory, based on your first impressions of the chapter. Please do not check back or re-read the chapter before answering.
These questions aren't meant to test if you've paid attention, they're meant to test what kind of impression the story has made on you. As such, any answer is a good answer. If your answer doesn't match with my intention for the story, then it's the fault of my writing, not your fault for not picking up on everything.
Please also bear in mind that some questions may be referring to things mentioned in previous chapters.
Do you feel that this chapter furthered the story, or could it have been skipped, completely or in parts?
Was something in this chapter unclear? If so, was it in a negative or in a positive way?
How do you feel about the current interactions and relation between Enar and Amanda?
What are your expectations for what's to come?