When Nadia sat up the next morning, her head bumped the side of the tent, and she was showered in water.
"Urgh!" She crawled to her knees, tangled hair falling about her face. She yanked it back and smacked her dry lips together. Her mouth was parched, and her bladder ached. Usually, she would have made a dash to the toilet already, but she could feel the whisper of icy air creeping under the entrance and shuddered.
"Wake up!" This time she flinched at the sound of the shrill voice."Despertarse!"
Oh, for fuck's sake, she thought. Why not just use a bloody airhorn and get it over and done with?
Between the cries, she caught the sounds of a camp in motion: pots and pans clanging, the thud of feet and Spanish conversation. The sun wasn't quite up yet, but there was enough grey light from the approaching dawn for her to see Thomas' empty bed. Just like him. He was probably behaving like the perfect gentleman and helping.
Against her will, she grinned and muttered, "Weirdo," under her breath.
"Uh-hem, I beg your pardon?"
The top of Thomas' neatly brushed head popped through the entrance, followed by two mugs of steaming coffee.
"Did I hear correctly, or did you just call me a weirdo?" His head tilted to the side, and the right side of his mouth lifted in a lopsided smile.
Bugger. Nadia decided to say nothing, hoping he would drop it. Shivering, she pulled out her jacket, tugged it on, and reached for her brush.
"Uh-hem."
She froze mid-action as he raised an eyebrow and one of the cups in perfect synchronisation.
She blushed. "Sorry!" If he wanted to act the gentleman — when he wasn't shoving his tongue down her throat, that was — the least she could do was show her gratitude.
Their fingertips touched and static electricity snapped between them. Somehow, she managed to wrap her fingers around the mug, holding on for grim life and focused her attention on the aroma of fresh black coffee.
"Thank you."
Thomas moved into the tent, pulled the flaps closed, and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "This weirdo is at your service." He bent over and pecked her cheek.
Her face reddened further. Nadia opened her mouth, intending to say sorry, but instead found herself saying, "What the hell are you doing up?"
Thomas chuckled, rolling the chipped metal mug between the flats of his palms. "Unfortunately for me, I am a light sleeper and you ..." He paused, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "You snore like a —"
A new downpour fell about them as Nadia's head hit the ceiling. "I do not!"
"Oh really?" His smile broadened, teeth shining white in the dim light, and his body shook. "Actually —"
Nadia narrowed her eyes, and Thomas gulped.
"I er — that is — I heard the noise about the camp and went to —" He started to cough into a fist.
When he didn't continue, she finished for him. "To take a crap?"
His face turned scarlet.
"Okay, a piss then?"
Round blue eyes stared at her as if she had just suggested they go outside and dance around naked.
"Fine, to go to the loo!"
"Ah —ahem, er... yes."
Nadia lifted her eyes skywards and sipped, determined to finish her coffee before it grew cold.
"And then, well it was too late." He gave his shoulders a Gallic shrug. "But at least I managed coffee." He leaned in close to her and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. "The others are stuck with the coca tea."
After a hot drink, and a rush to el baño — or "the shitter" as Khai pronounced to the cringing crowd — everyone packed up their bags and sat down to breakfast.
Nadia received the return of her appetite with gratitude. Though her chest still clenched when around Khai, and doubly so when Savannah added herself to the equation, she no longer experienced the sensation of a harsh kick to the guts. So she filled up on pancakes, eggs and fruit, forced herself to swallow the bitter coca tea between sips of coffee, stuffed her bag full of the snacks provided and determined to be light-hearted. Within the hour, they set off on the biggest day of the trek.
The march wound uphill from the get-go, well over a kilometre on sandy soil. The path allowed them to walk two abreast, through long golden grass, scrub and brush peppered with tiny purple flowers. Despite the cold, foggy weather, she grew hot.
She stopped to remove her jacket and began to roll up her pants. When she was almost done, Khai pushed passed her with a fake laugh.
"Beat already, huh?"
The force of his movement made Nadia flinch. One foot propped on a rock, she turned to tell him where to go and found herself facing Savannah instead.
The woman met Nadia's scowl with a guilty expression and shrugged. "Sorry."
"Yeah, me too."
Nadia looked downhill and glimpsed Thomas some distance away, plodding beside Jan, her daypack in one hand, the other propping up a pudgy elbow. She smiled to herself. Who said chivalry was dead?
Feeling too irritated to stay still, she moved on. For the time being, the climb was achievable, but the pinnacle — Abra Warmiwañusca, or Dead Woman's pass — loomed ahead, shrouded in a veil of mist.
Lunch was served in a clearing surrounded by winding trees. A steep series of stone steps lay nearby, and the group members darted glances at them as they shifted in their seats. The altitude had already made Nadia's bones feel like jelly and she worried about making it to the top.
Jan trudged into the glade with a moan, Thomas in tow. Without looking where it landed, he dropped Jan's bag, strolled around the table with a swinging gait and plopped down next to Nadia. He twisted to face her and grinned, his beautiful teeth covered in a brownish-yellow slime.
Nadia jerked backwards. "What the heck have you done?"
Thomas lifted his bum off the chair, fished in his pocket, and pulled out a wad of small green leaves and some little grey rocks.
"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, peering down at them.
"Coca leaves and charcoal," he confirmed. The smile on his face spread and his forehead folded in on itself. "Try it." Fumbling, he wrapped some leaves around a little ball of charcoal and placed the neat package on her palm.
She hesitated.
"Go on! They're quite good."
She narrowed her eyes and scrutinised him. He appeared ... different — apart from the Austin Powers look, that was. Then she had it — dilated pupils!
"Thomas, are you high?"
"No!" He drew back, clapped a hand over his mouth and tittered.
High as a ruddy kite.
He shook his head. "I swear I'm not — just a little fuzzy is all."
"How much have you had?"
Thomas stretched behind him and grabbed his pack. He pulled an oversized zip-lock bag, now past half empty, and let it hang in the air, grinning sheepishly.
"Did you chew all those?"
"No, I shared them with Jan." The words came out in a snort.
Sure enough, the woman also sported yellow teeth and sat swaying in her seat.
"Nadia, trust me, this helps. My head was spinning like a top before."
"And now you're floating like a cloud."
He giggled. "I would say skipping along swimmingly."
Miguel stopped behind them and grasped each of their shoulders. "Mr Thomas," he said, patting him. "I see you have been listening to the locals. Wise. Very wise — especially for a gringo." A brown eye winked at Nadia. "Try some, you will not regret it."
Nadia studied Miguel's dentition. Clean and straight, however, in the sunlight, she could see the discolouration and the many silver caps. She touched her own with her free hand. "But my teeth."
"No worries. Clean your teeth esta noche, and they will be fine."
She faced the men, one sober, the other semi-delirious, both nodding their heads enthusiastically and, in slow motion, she put the little green bundle to her mouth.
Please don't let me regret this, she thought as she crunched down.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Despertarse — Wake up
Esta noche — Tonight