Episode 2

Frio.....

There wasn’t a part of my body that wasn’t freezing...

I needed to remain still, on alert, but it was practically impossible not to shiver when I found myself in a true frozen hell.

The landscape was white with brown... white from the snow and brown from the trees with their dry branches...

Wherever I looked in this damned forest, there was snow...

To my right: snow

To my left: snow

Below: snow

Behind: snow

Inside my boot: snow...

I shouldn’t have to be here if I hadn’t eaten my last reserve of meat.

Now I had to hunt for dinner.

Why didn’t I buy any? Well, let’s see....

Because the nearest town was miles and miles away, and my ATV couldn’t make it there....

I had lived in the middle of this forest for as long as I could remember. Literally, I was born and raised here, by my father...

My mother? My mother died after giving birth to me...

I really wished I had known her; my father told incredible stories about her, about how she was an amazing and strong woman, and how deeply he loved her...

My father was incredible....

I said “was” because he passed away too....

When I was 17, he got injured while we were hunting and didn’t survive...

Since then, I’ve been alone... that’s been about four winters now, to be more precise, five counting this one....

Is it boring living alone in the middle of nowhere?

Completely.

Do I nearly go crazy and talk to myself?

Definitely.

Actually, I think the fact that I talk to myself doesn’t classify me as crazy... I think it’s just a complement to my insanity...

Anyway, my ears pick up something...

I freeze, not even breathing....

A deer appears...

It doesn’t see me camouflaged in the snow.

Its black eyes look around but don’t even notice my presence.

Calmly, almost in slow motion, I adjust the rifle’s aim at it....

I take a deep breath and hold it...

The deer moves a little...

My finger brushes the trigger...

And then I pull...

The deer doesn’t have time to run. It’s down on the ground, and I’m certain the noise echoed throughout the forest...

Why didn’t I use the bow? Because I’m hungry, cold, and out of patience...

I place the rifle strap over my shoulder and walk toward the deer.

I take the rope and tie it to its leg before dragging it to the ATV....

I remove the cover from the ATV and with much effort lift it onto the rear of the vehicle...

My father had modified the back with a large compartment to fit the game... Like a big basket....

I place it there, gather everything up, and then start driving back home...

I would have meat for quite a while....

As the icy wind cuts across my face, I think of the possibilities for that meat.

I could make a stew...

Or meat in sauce...

With bread... hmm....

My mouth begins to water just thinking about the possibilities, but soon my thoughts are interrupted when I catch a shadow out of the corner of my eye, followed by a loud metallic noise, a piercing scream, and howls of pain, making me stop immediately...

I dismount from the ATV and grab the rifle, moving toward the sound.... it’s an agonizing sound of pure pain that tightens my heart...

I walk until I find a wolf with its paw caught in a trap fastened to the ground...

It was enormous.... Perhaps one of the largest wolves I had ever seen.... I felt small beside it....

With all four paws on the ground, it was bigger than me.

The trap pierced its paw causing anguish and pain, but as soon as it sees me, it starts to growl, its eyes filled with pain and distrust...

It was a low, guttural growl that, in a way, sent shivers down my spine, but what caught my attention were its eyes....

Blue....

An intense, bright light blue like the sky in summer....

They looked like two blue topaz...

I take another step, and its growl intensifies, its fangs even more exposed, and despite its trapped paw, it was ready to attack.

It was then that I realized it was growling because of the rifle.

With trembling hands, I lower myself, keeping my eyes on it, placing the rifle on the ground and slowly backing away from it.

"It's alright," I murmur to the wolf in a soft voice, trying to convey calm. "I won't hurt you. I just want to help."

The wolf stares at me for a moment, its blue eyes locked onto mine, as if it were contemplating my words.

Slowly, the growl subsides, replaced by a wary gaze, but less hostile.

It's a small progress, but enough to give me hope that I might help it free itself from the trap that was holding it captive.

With care, I take another step forward, ready to begin my rescue mission.

"I'm going to get you out of there... just... don't bite me..." I say.

Now, ready... in addition to being crazy, I was experiencing Snow White syndrome, talking to animals as if they could understand.

I glance at the trap...

It was a foothold trap... buried in the snow, there was no way for it to see...

But this trap isn't mine...

"Wait a minute," I say and dash to the quad.

I rummage through my tools, and the only thing I find is a wrench.

"That'll have to do..." I murmur as I head back to the wolf.

With cautious steps, I approach it... It eyes me warily, and when it sees the tool, it growls and snaps at the air as if to say "not that."

"But it's to set you free..." I murmur, taking another step forward, but it does the same thing again.

I take a deep breath and throw the tool to the side, and it stops immediately.

"Demanding, aren't you..."

A bit crouched down, I inch closer.

"If you bite me, I'll bite you back," I say.

I take a few more steps, and it growls softly.

Then I show my teeth and make a noise as if imitating its growl.

"I can do that too," I say impatiently.

It looks at me as if confused and sits, watching me, and I would say there’s a hint of submission deep down.

I glance at the trap again... I’ll have to figure something out.

I place the heel of my boot on one side and grip the other; then I start to exert force...

And force...

Gradually, it begins to move...

Come on...

The trap opens a bit more...

And more...

Just a little more...

"Help me..."

Then with one last pull, I manage to open it enough for it to free its paw.

As soon as I see it free, I let go and fall sitting on the ground, weak, gasping for breath...

It was bleeding... it was a nasty wound...

It needs help, or it will only get worse...

I try to inch closer, but it takes a limping step back.

"It's okay..." I murmur.

Before I can take another step, I hear howls, and the wolf begins to growl.

"I don’t think those are your friends..." I murmur.

I know it's going to be madness and foolishness, but I can't leave it here to die...

I grab my rifle and whistle to it, and it looks at me, tilting its head as if confused.

"Come on... I’m going to help you..." I say, snapping my fingers to call it.

Yes, because it’s totally likely that a wild wolf will—oh, it came...

It approaches, limping, and I keep calling it to the quad.

I look at where it might sit, but there’s a deer...

I glance between the wolf and the deer, trying to decide what to do, and then I hear the howl again...

Without thinking twice, I push the deer out of the basket and beckon it to sit there...

Limping, it settles in the back.

Quickly, I hop on the quad and flee the scene...

As I drive, I look back...

No wolves chasing us...

They might be fast, but I don’t think they’d be quicker than this contraption...

As soon as we arrive home, I get off and call it, heading toward the garage...

It descends with difficulty and limps toward me.

I open the door, and it follows...

It sits in the middle of the garage, looking at me... as if asking for help...

I search the garage for anything that might help...

I find iodine and some clean cloths and something I could use as a splint...

I approach it a bit apprehensively, crouching down, tapping the floor, and softly whistling, as if to tell it to lie down, and incredibly, it does...

It can’t be a normal wolf... it must be some kind of dog, perhaps a mix resulting in a creature like this, maybe a Tibetan Mastiff... who knows?

Well, today is the day I’m going to end up missing half my face...

I approach him and take a closer look at his paw...

I grab the iodine.

"This is going to sting..." I say, applying a bit to his wound, and he lets out a small whimper.

Carefully, I take hold of his paw, and he whines a little more.

"I promise it will be quick..." I murmur.

With great care, I manage to wrap his paw, immobilizing it.

"All done..."

The wolf looked at me as if he was grateful but still in pain.

"Everything will be fine, big guy," I say, extending my hand gently, and I notice he doesn’t react.

So, I start to scratch his head and ears, and he seems to enjoy it; his tail wags slightly...

"You like that, big boy? You were very brave and you were a good boy..." I say, petting him. "Yes, you were a good boy... I’ll get you something to eat... you must be hungry..."

I stand up and gather my supplies, putting them away.

"Stay here... I’ll bring food," I say, gesturing for him to remain. "Stay... I’ll be right back."

I rummage through the fridge for anything that might work for him...

I grab a large bowl and fill it with food, then head towards the garage...

But as soon as I open the door, a scream escapes my lips and the bowl slips from my hands.

Where the wolf had been, there was a man with the same injury on his arm...

Instinctively, I cover my face with my hands, pressing my eyes shut, trying to process what was happening.

"You... you’re naked!" I exclaim.

Oh my god...

There’s a man naked in my garage!

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