The still, misty morning of the forest is a thing to behold to anyone so lucky to witness the tranquility of Washington's endless Pine forests. The faint smell of salt from the ocean drifts into Quinalt on a lazy morning breeze.
The breeze, contrary to the disturbance of this morning, helps keep Jack cool. Awake before dawn and outside as soon as it is light enough, he is looking for timber to fell.
Wielding his five-pound felling axe, he hacks away at a medium-sized cedar tree. It is the only sound echoing throughout the forest. The sound, however, doesn't go without notice. Jack's neighbor, Matthew, is watching from the brush some distance away.
Matthew has been living in Quinalt ever since he was a child, long enough to know the locals. He keeps his eyes on everyone and looks out for everyone. But, he finds himself more interested in Jack.
He has been watching the man ebb away through the tree for nearly half an hour. Jack never wore a shirt when he cuts trees and, in no time, his massive shoulders are glistening with sweat as the rippling muscles work toward a goal of felling the tree.
When Jack takes a short break, he stands up straight and takes a long deep breath exposing his barrel chest to the morning sun, shining with sweat. Steam wafts from his bearded face and hair displaying the amount of heat that he is working up.
Matthew keeps watching Jack take breaks before picking his own axe and proceeding toward his burly neighbor. Matthew felled a few smaller trees earlier in the morning. This is an excellent excuse to get close to his early morning companion.
"Good morning Jack!" The burly, six foot tall man bellows into the forest as he marches toward the neighbor. Matthew, with all of his two hundred pounds of muscle, wields his axe as if it is nothing more than a sharp pen.
Jack turns and smiles at Matthew, "Good morning, Matt!" Jack stands only a few inches taller than Matthew did, negligible when their two large, muscular bodies stand close to one another.
"Heard you going at this one for quite some time. Always trying to fall bigger trees, eh?" Matthew laughs a deep, hearty laugh with his friend that echoes deep into the forest.
"You know me, Matt, always thinking big." Jack strokes his full, auburn beard and gazes up at the top of the cedar with a content smile.
Matthew rubs his short, black beard and gazes from the considerable cut in the tree to Jack's broad back and shoulders. He swings his axe up so the blade points behind him and the handle rested against his toned shoulders, "Can I give you a hand? The sooner you are done here, the sooner we can get something to eat! Steak's on me today!"
Jack grins at Matt's offer and gladly accepts, "I'll go first. Bet you eggs this one will land on that bush over there."
Matthew hefts his axe into position, "You're on!" and begins to take chunks from the tree along with his friend.