Stockholm

‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Rue follows behind Alexander through the snow.  Alexander turns around and smiles at her, waving his hand.

Alexander: Just a little farther, the stream is beautiful. 

His cheeriness annoys Rue. It is cold and even though it is barely three in the afternoon the sun is already going down. She huffs and puffs to catch up with Alexander. Rue struggles to walk fast because she is wearing multiple layers of clothes and a heavy coat to keep warm.

After talking to Benny, Rue had spent the next few days hidden away in her room, using the excuse of writing. Rue had not touched her keyboard. It was not writers block, more like writer’s trauma.

Only Alexander’s kind smile and handsome eyes could lure her from the manor.

Alexander: There’s a little cabin by the stream. That is where we will meet some friends and warm up. It’s the natural beauty that makes Sweden special, and I’m excited to share it with you.

Rue does not know if she is blushing because her face is too numb from the cold.

Alexander: Also, we can have some drinks there.

Rue: Better make mine a double.

Alexander is unaware that she has been sipping from a flask hidden in her winter coat pocket.

By ‘a little farther’ he meant another thirty minutes. When they make it to the cabin by the stream it is pitch black out. There is a bonfire burning next to the cabin. Alexander stands still for Rue to catch up. When she gets to him, he takes her frozen hand in one of his, and with his free hand points up.

Alexander: Look at the stars.

Rue is taken aback, the stars are stunning and bright, they are like nothing she has ever seen. In her excitement she spins around consuming the site with her eyes. Alexander catches her waist and smiles.

Alexander: Let’s warm up.

Rue: Gladly.

As they walk together towards the bonfire Rue can see two people sitting next to it. A girl facing away and a man facing towards them. The man stands up when he sees Alexander and Rue approaching.

William: I feared you wouldn’t make it.

Alexander: Rue’s new to hiking in the snow.

Suddenly, the girl turns around to face them, her long black hair picking up orange and red reflections from the flames. When Rue sees her, Rue almost falls, she almost vomits, she almost cries; Those big brown eyes are unmistakable. Rue runs to the girl and falls to her knees, grabbing the girl’s arm.

Rue: You’re alive! You are okay!

The girl backs away in panic, and Alexander comes over and picks Rue up to her feet.

Alexander: Is everything okay?

Rue: She was at the club; she was the girl in the chair! I ate her blood!

Rue bursts into tears.

Alexander: Take a breath darling.

He pulls Rue into a tight embrace, then Alexander speaks to the couple by the fire.

Alexander: She had some bad acid the other night.

Alexander slowly releases Rue who turns to the girl.

Feda: Its fine.

She laughs lightly.

Feda: I was at the club but left before you. You were having an intense night.

Rue looks at the ground in embarrassment. 

Rue: Yeah, I guess just celebrating being in Stockholm.

Feda stands up with a smile.

Rue: Well, let’s try this again. I am Rue, short for Rune.

Feda: I’m Feda.

Rue: It is nice to meet you when I’m more sober. 

Feda smiles, lifting a thermal mug.

Feda: We can fix that.

Rue: Please I am freezing.

The next hour and a half are spent with all of them downing whiskey and telling stories. Rue is starting to feel better about the whole trip.

Alexander: I think we need more sauce?

William: There’s some more in the cabin.

As Alexander goes through the small cabin looking for more liquor, the rest of the group is quiet. They are all enjoying the stillness of the beautiful crisp night. A loud roar interrupts the stagnant peaceful air.

Rue: What was that?!

William: Probably just a bear.

Rue: A bear, a bear! Does someone have a shotgun?

William laughs.

William: He will not come close, he’s more afraid of us then we are of him.

Rue: What?! He is a bear not a fucking roach!

Alexander reappears from the cabin holding a fresh bottle of whiskey.

Alexander: What’s going on?

Rue: There’s a killer animal out there and no one seems to care!

Feda: It is just a bear. They are all over these woods this time of year.

Another roar can be heard, making Rue run to Alexander grabbing onto his arm.

Rue: Let’s go please, I want to leave.

Alexander: It is fine it’s just...

The sound of rhythmic drums can be heard, the sound increases rapidly.

Alexander: Oh fuck!

Rue: What is that? Is it a warning about the bear?

Alexander: William get the shotgun.

Rue: Thank fucking god, that is what I’ve been asking for!

Feda: It can’t be, they never come this far south.

Alexander: There’s been reports lately.

Rue: Who doesn’t whata wherea???

Feda: The Sleuthinons.

Rue: What, like The Slytherins?

Alexander: Girls stay in the cabin. William and I can scare them off. Then all of us will make a run for it.

Rue: Why can’t we all make a run for it now?

William: The Sleuthinons have boarder scouts.

Rue: The bears do?

William: No, the Sleuthinons.

After putting out the bonfire and hiding their belongings, the boys head into the woods with the shotgun. Feda leads Rue into the small cabin. Both girls huddle in the far corner, they have a flashlight that the boys left, but once they are situated Feda turns it off. Rue clings to the now almost empty bottle of whiskey Alexander left. If she is going to die, she is going to die drunk. Both girls breathe quickly. Rue turns on her phone flashlight not wanting to be in the dark.

Feda: No, we don’t want to draw the Sleuthinons with the light.

Rue: What are they?

Feda: A cult that worships the bear god.

Rue: There’s a bear god?

Feda: They believe so. They keep bears as pets, but they train them to kill. That is how the Sleuthinons get food for their rituals. They released the bears and whatever they kill the tribe consumes.

Rue chokes up remembering the men consuming Feda’s blood. 

Rue: But not people, right?

Feda leans close.

Feda: Whatever they can find.

Rue swigs the remainder of the bottle of whiskey. A low grumbling sound approaches. Feda covers Rue’s mouth. Feda’s tongue is practically in Rue’s ear telling her to be quiet.

A large shadow covers any starlight seeping into the cabin. The form approaches, groaning as it moves. The creature continues to walk around the cabin grunting and sniffing as it goes. When it reaches the back of the cabin it lets out a small roar. Both girls stay silent. It seems to be moving on. Rue’s feelings of relief are short lived. Suddenly a man’s screams erupt. 

Feda: William!

Feda starts to get up.

Rue: No stay!

It is too late, Feda bursts out of the cabin with the flashlight leaving Rue behind. Rue jumps up using her phone as a source of illumination. Rue runs after Feda using the light as a guide. Even with the bright stars it is too dark to see. She follows Feda’s long black hair trying to catch up. But as soon as she gets close someone tackles Feda off the path and into the woods. 

Rue continues to follow; her adrenaline has kicked in and she is ready to kick some ass. She turns off the path and slides down the snowy slope. The man on top of Feda is white, like painted white. A loincloth and braided head piece is all he wears.

Using the element of surprise Rue kicks him in the head as hard as she can. The man rolls off Feda but is still conscious. Rue does not waste a second, taking her phone and bashing him on the head multiple times. She backs away dropping her bloody phone seeing his motionless body. Rue runs to Feda pulling her to her feet.

Rue: Let’s go! We have to go!

Immediately more white painted men appear. Both Rue and Feda are tackled to the ground.

The man on top of Rue shoves something in her mouth. As she bites down it taste like cold raw meat, she instantly recognizes the flavor of blood. 

Rue kicks and attempts to thrust her arms free from under her attacker. When another white painted man comes over and bluntly kicks her in the rips multiple times. The air is knocked out of Rue’s lungs, and her body falls limp from the impact.

She can feel a coarse rough rope tie the raw meat into her mouth, followed by the binding of her arms and legs. She starts to shimmy as her lungs regain oxygen.  One of the white painted men comes over leaning his head close to hers.

Painted Man: Du har planterat din sista potatis.

Then he hits her on the head with a foreign wooden object knocking her out.

The beating of the drums is loud, but almost soothing. The flames heat Rue’s face. She can smell different aromas, but the only scent she recognizes is sage. When she goes to move, she feels the ropes around her upper and lower body, she is tied to a tree. When she lifts her head the flavor of warm raw meat fills her mouth. When she looks up white painted men and women dance around a large fire, they joyfully chant and sing.

Rue’s head throbs and she cannot hold it up. As she rolls her head side to side, she sees Feda tied to a tree across from her. Feda’s brown eyes are a flame with terror and tears. She also has raw meat in her mouth, and an even larger piece of raw meat tied to her stomach. Rue looks down, she does as well. The piece of meat tied to her stomach drips blood while flies buzz around it.

Suddenly the drums stop. The painted people all fall to their knees, with their hands and eyes to the sky. The silence almost hurts Rue’s ears. A beautiful elder woman dressed head to toe in white comes from the darkness. She speaks in a foreign tongue that Rue cannot understand. All the painted people get up and retreat to the darkness behind the white dressed woman. 

Feda and Rue make eye contact. Feda struggles trying to free herself, attempting to scream.

Rues stays still, the liquor in her blood stream is relaxing her to an almost comatose state. Then the noise, it sounds like a machine. Rue hears the clanking of metal, then a grumble.  Slowly the white painted people reappear in the light in two parallel lines pulling heavy metal chains. The roar of a mighty bear emerges from the cage being pulled towards the two girls.

The site reinvigorates Rue, who begins to struggle to move and scream through the raw meat in her mouth; now mimicking Feda’s desperation. In the cage is a large striking brown bear. The cage is pulled between the two girls. The woman in white begins to chant again. Two painted men go to the cage door and open it.

The huge brown bear grunts with every movement. Even though the painted people are chanting Rue hears nothing but her own heartbeat in her ears. The bear crawls out of the cage and stretches, showing the length of its lean body. It yawns before shaking its head, as if trying to wake up from a long nap. Then its nose goes into the air sniffing intensely.  It is the raw meat Rue realizes; it smells the meat.

The bear turns its head and Rue could swear it makes eye contact with her. The bear slowly struts in her direction. Rue’s tears come fast and wet. When the brown bear gets to her, the bear starts by sniffing her feet. Even though she has shoes on, and her feet are frozen, she can still feel the warmth of its breath. Its sniffs up to her knees. Then the bear stands on its hind legs, letting out a powerful roar. It thrusts forward landing its paws on Rue’s tree, its full body against hers.

Rue sinks and pushes her body back against the tree, hoping it will suck her in. The brown bear begins sniffing her face, its nose is so wet her face becomes drenched. Then Feda screams.

Feda: William! William! Help! Somebody help us!

Feda has freed herself from her raw meat gag and is crying out for help. In seconds, the brown bear turns from Rue and goes straight for Feda. Once the bear reaches her it pins her up against her tree and lets out a terrible roar, only challenged by Feda’s blood curdling scream. The bears head goes down to the raw meat tied around Feda’s stomach. With a wide powerful jaw, it takes a bite out of the meat tearing into Feda’s side. Feda’s screams intensifies.

The blood pouring down her side is so red it looks fake. It shines in the fire light with parts of torn pink tissue peeking out. The brown bear puts the bloody meal on the ground pulling it into smaller pieces with its giant claws.

Rue is still, she is frozen, she is stone. She is a chunk of marble carefully chipped, carved and shaved by her craftsman’s’ skillful hands. She knows no pain or fear, she is simply a form of beauty, an artwork to be marveled at. She could be displayed in Florence or Paris. She is no more aware of the situation than the trees around her, than the tree she is tied to.

After picking at the meat on the ground the brown bear goes for another bite.  Ripping the rest of the meat off Feda’s stomach taking most of her lower abdomen with it. Her inner intestines droop out slowly giving into gravity. Feda’s lower body is covered in the smoothest blood, that Rue can see where cashmere gets its name from. It is the color, the shine, the too familiar scent of blood that pulls Rue back to reality. 

The gun shot is so loud Rue would swear it broke the sound barrier. The painted people look around anxiously, but scatter when they hear the second shot. The brown bear is not so easily startled. He turns away from his meal and lowers his body, growling with low vibrations in his throat.

Rue feels no relief.  Nothing can stop this mighty bear, and she is right about the first bullet. But by the time the fifth shell hits the ground, the bear is permanently silenced. Rue’s head is so heavy and her body so cold. She lets her vision turn grey and fuzzy, and her body loses feeling. Her last thought is she hopes she never awakes.