35 The darkness in Alaska
The noises attracted it, it sounded jittery, chattery, a strange noise that sounded familiar but it didn't register, all it knew was that it was the sound of something alive, potential prey, food. It came slowly over a crest, down in a clearing a strange light flickered, moving with the wind, and the chattering noises came from those sitting around this light, holding their hands out to it asif waiting for the light to touch them. The beast sniffed the air, the smell of a salty scent got its nose, how attractive was that!? It smelled tempting, drawing it in. Slowly it made its way downhill, staying in the shadows, the light its enemy, the dark its friend. Now close to the campsite it chose a dark patch of shadow to remain in, knowing by instinct its black fur will hide it there, the salty scent now had a warm, crisp, copper smell, making the hair on its back raise, this was infact prey, that copper scent making its heart pound.
'I need to go take a leak' one made noise, it sounded familiar aswell, but the beast was long from able to understanding human language now, yet in the back of its mind something told it to wait, an opportunity will now present itself. The one stood up from the flickering light and came walking right towards it. The unaware human came around the closest tent and stood right infront of the beast, unzipping and relieving himself. The beast looked down at him, the human was staggering aground slightly, a sharp pungent smell came from his breath. Many animals urinate when scared, the urin this human produced triggered the killing instinct, siliva dropped from its mouth dripping on his head. He touched at the hot liquid then shrilled.
'Eeuw gross, what the hell man!?' He mumbled and looked up, only to look right into the green eyes lit up by the campfire, his face went from confused to shocked, suddenly the scent of fear filled the air, the monster opened its jaws and with one snap took his entire head off and swallowed it whole.
'Eslin!?' Another voice called, slightly higher pitched, it was a female.
'Eslin!?' She called again and lifted a torch, when she shone the light onto the beast, screams filled the air triggering the hunt.
***
After Suzette followed the same procedure as Phillip did when the gate opened, she climbed out and basically jumped into his arms. Phillip and Suzette were dating for more than six years now, but their relationship was on a strange hold, she worked all over the Kruger park, and he worked in and around it all the time, so they didn't see much of eachother on a regular basis, but still loved each other dearly. Now they embraced each other for the first time in three months and was kissing passionately. She parted from him and gave him a slap on the shoulder.
"Its not a sin to phone someone every once and a while you know?"
He chuckled and reached into the back of her pickup to get a case of beer.
"Same goes for you, im not keen on phoning you at roundom, what if you're busy operating on a lion?"
"Well, i guess you're right" She said coming in with him carrying the second case. Phillip packed the beer into the fridge and took out two cold ones from his sixpack.
"Did you start the fire?" She asked as he handed her one.
"I stacked it, but havent lit it yet"
"Good" she said and took a long sip, then hooked her hands around his neck "Lets have sex first" she asked and kissed him.
"That was easy" he teased lifting her onto the counter table.
"Youre telling me after three months you're not atleast a tiny bit horny?" She smiled unbuttoning her safari shirt.
He smiled "Of course i am, you know i almost jerked off on that bikini pic i have of you?"
She laughed and pressed her chest into his face, and closed her legs around him.
"Why didn't you?"
"Its not as good as the real thing" he said dropping his pants.
After a while the passion was short lived as it just got too hot, Phillip stood holding her, still positioned for intercourse, she sat back and moved her hips moaning softly of pleasure, Phillip opened the fridge next to him an took out some ice, he put some in his mouth, then with the cube in his mouth kissed her in the neck, she shrilled at the cool feeling, then with more ice in his hands he brushed them all over her, she took some cubes from him, and cooled him down as he did her.
When they finally had sexual relief Suzette opened another beer "You should really invest in some air-conditioning Phillip, this is Africa remember?" She heaved and drank from the bottle, her eyes teared as she had the beer upside down drinking as much as her throat allowed her to.
"One day, im still buying the place" He chuckled dressing into his pants.
"Why do you first want to finish buying the place before you get aircons?"
"Its expensive" He laughed taking out meat from the frige and heading to the fire place.
"Hows your dad doing?" She asked coming out dressed only in her lingerie, the topic had Phillip thinking, its been a while since he heard from his dad.
"You know strange that you ask, he went on an expedition to Alaska about a month ago, and, well it's wierd"
"Wierd how?"
"As you know he studies carnivores to determine how capable they are in becoming man eaters like lions"
"Yes?"
"They called him to the Wrangell-St. Elias national park in Alaska to study wolves, but i have this feeling things might have gone south"
Phillip went inside and brought out his laptop, he opened the emails between him and his father and placed the laptop on her lap. "Read from there"
Suzette opened the first email:
Day one in Alaska.
"Hey son im here at last, the place is beautiful, will be settling in now and head out tomorrow, the native people say the wolves have been acting strange recently, and thats one of the reasons they called us for this expedition. Talk to you soon"
She opened the next.
Day three
"The wolves are acting strange indeed, but not in a threat towards human way, i can't quite figure it out myself, but so far i have only seen tracks, fresh ones yes, but no wolves, its almost like they're trying to avoid me"
Day five.
"One clear thing is son, that there are alot of wolves, maybe too many, everytime its only tracks, but no wolves. I might have heard them running in the distance, but no sight of them, they hide very well. So apart from their tracks and howls, i cant physically study them"
Day seven.
"I heard from a local there is a woman staying by herself in town, but she's currently at her other house deep in the forest, so tomorrow im going to set out to find her. They call her a wolf whisperer, and she can help us with our expedition"
Day ten.
"Things got wierd fast, on the first night out the wolves attacked us, but regardless of their sheer numbers, they only took one man, a ranger who came with to protect us. The following night another ranger, eventually i could figure out theire purposefully taking out those with weapons. One local kid took it upon himself to man a rifle but he was taken the next night. Im down to three rifleman and my crew, we will be turning around in the morning to head back and wait for this wolf woman to come back from her trip instead. I gave a man with the name Benson your number son, hes the one who sponsored this trip financially. I told him of your military backround and should anything happen to me you should be phoned first"
Suzette looked up at Phillip.
"Did he phone you?"
"Not yet, keep reading"
Day twelve
"Lost, were lost now, a blizzard came in one day and we lost the trail. Luckily no attacks again, it seems when we turned around they stopped. But now its not just the wolves i worry about, its survival. The men with me spoke of hearing a strange voice, one said it was a woman. Tales of the wicked witch of the forest started surfacing, but i didn't listen, im not bothered with fairy tales"
Day seventeen.
"Two of the ranges dissapeared last night, their tracks lead into the forest then just dissapear, asif they vanished. Only one guy with a rifle now, and he, being the most level thinking also said he heard the voice"
Day twenty
Ok, im alone now, but aint scared of fokol son, just a walk in the park. Ill get trough this"
Suzette looked up again.
"What happened to the rest on day twenty?"
"He doesn't say, i think thats where he began losing his mind"
"Losing his mind!?"
Phillip nodded to her and she kept reading.
I forgot the date
"I heard her, that voice it sounds rather pretty, but she's not speaking clearly. I walk to higher ground every day, but find myself at the bottom the next morning, almost as if i run down in my sleep every night. Im still ok son"
"He could have checked the date on his laptop right?" Suzette asked.
"Told you, i think he was losing it"
Day ?
"She knows my name, i keep hearing her calling me, and on top of that the wolves are moving closer to me every night, i can hear them trot through the snow, but they dont howl anymore, they're like ghosts, stalking me. Phillip if i dont reply after this in two days assume the worst"
She looked up at Phillip "This was sent yesterday"
"I know"
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"Aren't you worried?"
"Of course i am"
His phone rang inside and he went to answer.
"Croné"
"Hello is this Phillip?" An American accent asked.
"Yes"
"Phillip its Benson, how are you son?"
"Cut to the fokkin chase Benson! Where's my father!?"
"Thats why im phoning, he didn't return"
"You make a plan for a rescue?"
"Thats why im phoning you! Your pops told me to phone you first!"
Phillip rubbed his face "Ok, ill make a plan to get there asap, ill keep you informed"
"Another thing!" Benson said before Phillip could put the phone down.
"Yes?"
"Youre an expert on animal attacks right?"
"I am"
"Then there's something here you must come see, a group of teenagers was slaughtered here in the wilderness, but it aint wolves son, im no expert, but wolves dont do shit like that"
"Like what?"
"Its, its hard to explain boy, you need to come see for yourself"
Slaughtered? Phillip knew he'd need some weapons, and that means entering the country illegally.
"Stand by for my call Benson"
"Will do"
Phillip hid that secret number all around his house, following his morning routine he takes every day, he went to gather the numbers. He went to his laptop on Suzette's lap, he always turns it on first thing in the morning. The first number after the national code was the first letter on the barcode of his laptop. Second on his routine in the morning was coffee, under the kettle another barcode, a number underlined. Then shower, the amount of knobs, two, then the telivision for the seven o clock news, number seven. Suzette watched him baffled as he collected these numbers all around his house, then he dialled the number. Three times 'does not exist' then the tax dial.
"Thats a cosy house you have in the Kruger park, it would be a shame if it got blown into the air"
Phillip laughed loudly "Seriously oom Frits!?"
"Who's this!?"
"Phillip Cronjé jou bliksem!"
'Heey! Fokker! how are you frikkie!?"
"Im drinking a beer with my girl"
"Suzi?"
"Yip"
"The one with the nice rack?"
"Yip" Phillip smiled at Suzette, she frowned.
"So what can i do for you Phillie?"
"I need a rifle, some ammo, bombs and a lift to Alaska"
Phillip heard Frits spray his brandy out "What!?"
"You heard me"
"For what?"
"A mission"
Frits laughed "Hold on, talk to Koos, he'll answer that"
"Koos hallo?"
"Oom Koos, its Phillip"
"Hey Phillie!"
"Its urgent, i need a rifle, preferably an assault rifle. Then some mines, C4, settle charges, grenades, and a lift to Alaska"
Koos also choked.
"Are you fokkin serious!?"
"Yes"
Suzette frowned listening to him speak.
"My dad was on an expedition there to study wildlife and he got lost"
"Then why de fok do you need weapons?"
"My dad says the wolves are acting wierd there, i just need to be prepared thats all"
"Ok, but you know our services come at a price?" Koos said chuckling.
"Seriously Koos? My dad's in danger!"
"I know, we could use you for a mission or two, that's payment"
"Don't drag me into your kak Koos!"
"Take it or leave it boet?"
"Ok ok, ill do it"
"Shot, drive to Lanceria airport now, meet us there tonight at about ten, well have everything ready for you"
"Thanks Koos"
"No problem"
Phillip put the phone down and looked at Suzette, she was still looking at him frowning.
"Ok, change of plans"
"Bullshit im coming with you" She said quickly.
"Its going to be dangerous"
"I don't care"
"What about your elephant and it's sore tooth?"
"I can get another vet to keep an eye on him" She said picking up her cellphone.
Phillip shrugged with a smile then headed to his room and started packing a bag. He made sure he took all the ammunition he has for his fourty four, then zipped the bag closed. In the Kitchen Suzette was already dressed.
"You ready?" He asked and she nodded.
They both climbed into his Land cruiser and set off, but he headed south not west.
"The nearest gate isn't this way" Suzette said.
"I know, we're going to your place first"
She folded her arms "If you're thinking of forcing me to stay here then you can kiss our relationship goodbye"
"Relax" he laughed "You cant go to the cold Alaskan forest wearing nothing but that skimpy safari outfit can you?"
"Oh" she smiled blushing "You don't mind right?" She slyly smiled.
"Of course not" he smiled back.
At her chalet Phillip had to pin her to the bed again, she was tempting him the whole way and he couldn't hold it in anymore.
Adterwards she packed her bags and they left.