Iceage (a novel): Chapter 5. Return

A work in progress.
Chapters will be posted
as they are written.

Vic opened a closet and pulled out a heavy coat and a pair of boots. “You’ll need these.”
    I stepped outside and found there was a world of difference between wearing that coat and my suit. The wind bit at my face and hands. I quickly jammed my hands into my coat pockets.
    Three huts down, Vic pushed me toward a door. Inside we were welcomed by nice, warm heat. We removed our coats and hung them by the door. Then we walked down the hall. He stopped at a door and knocked.
    A short, stocky man in his forties stood before us in stocking feet. He came to attention upon seeing the Commander. “How may I help you, my Colonel?”
    Vic walked in and looked around at the mess. Over his shoulder, in Russian, he told the stocky man, “This man wishes to make you an offer.”
    The man looked confused and asked, “What kind of an offer?”
    Vic turned and smiled. “He wants to offer you steady pussy.”
    I filled in, “How would you like to be married and be living with a woman instead of here?”
    He looked at Vic and asked, “Are you two kidding me, Colonel?”
    I answered for Vic, “This is no joke. A Balkar woman is looking for a strong Russian man to marry, and your Commander suggested you.” I looked at the uniform hanging in the corner and saw his rank. “Sergeant?” I looked at Vic.
    “Sorry.” And he said, “This is Sergeant Roth, this is Hap Stone. He is from the other side of the mountain.”
    Roth looked even more confused, but asked, “What does she look like?”
    Vic slapped him on the back. “I’ve never seen her, but I know she looks better than any of the guys you’ve been butt-fucking here.”
    Roth was trying to come to grips with the offer. “What about the Army? I can’t just leave.”
    Vic sighed. “There is no Army. We are it, and it’s every man for himself. This is the best offer you’re going to get – I suggest you take it.”
    Roth looked around his quarters, turned to me, grabbed my hand, and said, “I will be happy to accept your offer.”
    I shook his hand and told him, “We’ll leave at sunrise. Be sure you have your cold-weather suit on. We’ll be spending the night on the trail.”
    Back in Vic’s hut, I said, “I didn’t ask before, but can you put me up for the night?”
    Vic smiled, “Sure, no problem. I’m glad this worked out. I thought it was better not to mention the killing of the first husband.”
    I laughed. “I noticed that. I don’t plan to bring it up either. I’ll let the Balkars explain that part to him.”
    Vic pulled his bottle out. “You guarantee that they’re not going to torture him or kill him.”
    “That’s not their way. He will be married and become a part of that family.”
    Vic picked up the two glasses and headed out the door. “Good! Then let us go to the Day Room and get drunk.”

I eased the bedroom doorI’m not sure what time I fell asleep, but I was awoken a few minutes before dawn, by Sergeant Roth. He had hot coffee and a roll. I needed both.
    The sun was just breaking through the darkness as we stepped out into the frozen world and started up the hill. Vic had said something in the middle of our drinking that had me thinking. He had said he was going south with as many men as wanted to go with him. They too had been in contact with the people in the Belt. He had said my group was welcome to come with them. I explained that while his group had a clear route around the mountain and a straight shot at going south, my group did not. We would have to come around to their side of the mountain or go west until we found a southern opening in the mountain range. If we went, it would have to be on our own.
    Sergeant Roth was at home on the ice, and we made good time. I told him about the overnight cave where we would be spending the night. He was surprised; he had never seen a cave in all his travels over the mountain.
    At two that afternoon, we could see the dark outline of the cave. We had kept up a fast pace and were ready for a long break.
    In Roth’s excitement, he moved ahead of me. I was maybe five yards behind him as he entered the cave. When I reaching the entrance, Roth burst out, pushing me aside and shouting, “Bear, bear! There’s a bear in there!”
    I laughed and called after him, “She’s dead, frozen to death.”
    Roth fell onto the ice.
    But then I heard the roar of a bear behind me, and I wheeled back around. The bear was on its hindquarters, its mouth of sharp teeth open and screaming at me. I was seconds from death. I reached for my rifle even knowing it was too late.
    But an explosion came from behind me, and a bullet hit the bear with a thud. Then a second shot. The bear had stopped and by now I had my rifle aimed at it too and pulled the trigger. The bear dropped its arms and fell to its right side. It moved a few more times before dying. Roth had saved my life.
    We now had the problem of pulling a dead bear back to the village with us. On the upside, we’d be going downhill and the Balkars would be giving Roth a warm welcome. It had been a long time since anybody had seen a bear. The one we killed must have been the female’s mate. Now, it would be feeding a lot of hungry mouths. I would tell them about the female, and Roth could bring a hunting party later to collect her for the village. It wasn’t like she was going anywhere.
    The male bear was frozen by the next morning, which made it easier to slide across the ice. While pulling the bear along behind us worked, it was still tiring. It was getting dark by the time we came into the village. I stopped Roth and told him to wait for someone to come meet us.
    Jerome and the woman who headed the council walked out to meet us. I shook Jerome’s hand. The woman asked, “Is this the man?”
    I said it was, his name was Roth, and he agreed to marry the woman and provide for her family.
    I turned to indicate the bear. The woman’s hand moved so fast, I don’t think I saw it. The next thing I knew, Roth was falling backwards holding his chest.
    I went down on my knee to see if I could do anything to help him and shouted to Jerome, “Jerome, go get help.”
    Roth took my hand and squeezed it. He couldn’t speak, but I saw the look in his eyes that asked, “Why?” Then he was dead.
    I looked up to ask Jerome why she had killed Roth, but they were already walking away.
    I never spoke to Jerome or any of the Balkars after that day.

Copyright © 2021 by Ed Rogers