A SNOWY GRAVE
"All right Fraser, where's the bathroom?" Ray Kowalski aka Ray Vecchio turned to his friend with a smile.
The Mountie opened his mouth to reply but Ray interrupted him. "You know I don't think I want to hear the answer."
"Ray did I misunderstand you? I thought you said you wanted to see what it was like for me growing up in Canada."
"I did."
"This is what it was like."
"Ah." Ray regarded the cabin with a jaundiced eye and folded his arms across his chest.
"Ah what?"
"Ah nothing Frase."
"You must have meant something by ah."
"No. It's cold in here."
"It's winter Ray."
"You don't say. I wonder what gave it away, the snow perhaps, the biting wind, the..."
"Would you like me to light a fire?"
"That would be good."
"It was you who suggested this Ray."
"I know I did Fraser and I think it's great, very.." the blonde detective searched for a suitable compliment, "rugged."
"Thank you." Was that a smile? Kowalski couldn't shake the feeling that the Mountie was laughing at him.
"Are you going to help?" Fraser enquired politely.
"Help with what?"
"The wood. You did say you wanted a fire."
"Oh man! Are you telling me we've got to go out in the snow and chop wood?"
Fraser nodded slowly and there it was again, just the vaguest glimmer of a smile.
"You ever do this vacation thing with Vecchio?"
"Yes and if it's any consolation he hated it as much as you do."
"I don't hate it Fraser, it's just different. Could take a bit of getting used to." But I will love it here by the time these two weeks are over, Ray told himself savagely. He had been noticing the faraway look in his friend's eyes for some time now, knew that the Mountie missed the wilderness of his home and as a good friend would he had suggested this trip even though the mere thought of it scared the hell out of him. Okay so he faced hoods and gangsters every day on the mean streets of Chicago but it was his home turf. He knew the score and so did everyone else. But out here? Fraser's taking his gun away from him hadn't made him feel any more at ease either.
Ray sighed as he trudged morosely after Fraser out into the snow. At least Diefenbaker was enjoying himself, the wolf was rolling over and over in the snow uttering little yelps of joy.
There was a small patch of woods close to the cabin and Fraser was striding towards it. Ray ran after him, his feet slipping in the snow, muttering complaints under his breath. "He'll never survive here son, he's weak."
Fraser pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen over his forehead and scowled at his father. "Ray is not weak, he's just not used to it out here."
"Did you say something Frase?" Ray yelled, still toiling up the slope towards the trees.
"Look at him, he can't even keep up with you."
"Dad is something wrong?"
"What could be wrong son, I'm dead." Fraser Sr dressed in his best dress uniform smiled at his son. "He's going to slow you down."
"We're not going anywhere."
"You see he's doing it already."
"Dad!" But Fraser Sr was gone and Ray was standing behind him.
"Are you talking to yourself again Fraser?"
From the depths of his coat Fraser produced an axe, "shall we make a start?"
Ray hefted the implement thoughtfully, feeling the weight. "Bring 'em on Frase."
An hour and a half later and Ray was nursing his sore hands in front of a blazing fire. It was with gratitude that he accepted a steaming cup from Fraser.
He took a sip. "What is this?"
"A concoction made from the bark of several trees, the willow, the.." Fraser paused and looked closely at Ray. "It's not important."
"Okay Frase so what have you got planned for tonight?"
"Tonight?" The Mountie looked confused.
"Yeah you know, entertainment. You have televisions in Canada don't you?"
"Of course we..." Fraser's blue eyes narrowed, "are you teasing me Ray?"
"Congratulations." The detective's eyes sparkled as he laughed.
"But to go back to your earlier question I thought perhaps a spot of curling."
"Whoa.." Ray leapt to his feet before he realised that Fraser was teasing him and he'd fallen for it. "Real funny Frase."
"The Innuit have a saying for times like these," Fraser started but he was rudely interrupted by Ray.
"No Innuit sayings Fraser please."
"Ray I really think.."
"Fraser no." Ray was adamant but he was at least smiling.
"It's getting dark," Fraser commented, "and it's starting to snow."
A wind began to howl outside the cabin and Ray glanced up sharply. "I thought you said there wouldn't be any storms."
"I didn't."
"Yeah you did."
"I think Ray you'll find what I actually said was that I hoped there wouldn't be any storms."
"Okay," Ray appeared mollified, "how long can it last anyway? A coupla of hours tops."
"Well actually in the Northwest Territories a storm can last for anything up to..."
"Hey," Ray snapped, "this storm's only gonna last a coupla of hours right?"
Fraser looked confused. "Ray..?" But then comprehension dawned. "Oh I see." The Mountie leant his face against the window and then twisted round to face his friend. "You know I think you're right."
"Thank you." Ray grinned but he couldn't completely hide the apprehension in his eyes.
"Coffee?" Fraser asked hoping that the thought of Ray's favourite pick-me-up would help to dispel the gloom that had settled on his friend's shoulders.
"You've actually got coffee?"
"Yes."
"You don't drink coffee."
"I bought it for you Ray."
Blue eyes softened with gratitude. "I'd love a cup of coffee," then he laughed. "You know Frase you should try that line on a woman sometime. C'mon," Ray gestured expansively, "it works on me."
Any comment Fraser might have been about to make was cut off by a ferocious growl from Diefenbaker. "Don't be ridiculous," Fraser scolded the wolf, "there's no one outside."
His only answer was a defiant bark and then a thunderous knocking on the door.
"Maybe it's the neighbours," Ray suggested with a faint smile.
"Maybe." Fraser pulled the door open and the wind swirled in bringing a flurry of snowflakes along for company.
"Help me," a low voice gasped and Ray leapt to his feet as a burly man stumbled through the door.
Fraser put out a hand to steady the stranger and began to guide him towards the fire. "Ray."
The detective slammed the door shut and then leant up against it, arms folded across his chest, flinty eyes fixed on the man warming his hands by the fire.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Fraser responded before dropping gracefully into the chair opposite his unexpected visitor. He didn't say anything else and Kowalski ground his teeth together, who the hell was this man?
"I've walked for ever," the stranger eventually started, "days at least." He coughed, a dry rasping sound that made Ray want to put his hands over his ears. "I couldn't stay any longer. There was no point once they were all dead."
Dead? The die-hard cop in Ray stiffened and his hand clenched convulsively. Where the hell was his gun when he needed it? Fraser, damn him, hadn't reacted at all.
"I'm the last, they said my faith wasn't strong enough but in the end it saved me."
So while the wind and the snow gusted nosily around the cabin Ray and Fraser sat and listened while Jim, the only name the stranger gave, told them of a religious cult that had committed mass suicide mere days ago in order to achieve a higher spiritual plane. Ray didn't listen to the details he was too busy trying not to laugh. Then he saw the gleam in Fraser's eyes and when the Mountie opened his mouth he cut him off.
"No."
"Ray?"
"No Fraser, whatever you're about to suggest the answer's no."
"Understood Ray. I was of course about to ask if you wanted to stay here while Jim takes me to the cult's headquarters but since you obviously want to come with us.." Fraser's voice trailed off and Ray grimaced as he realised how he'd just been manipulated.
"But it's blowing a gale out there," he protested weakly.
"All the more reason for going now." Fraser's eyes were sparkling and Ray sighed.
"Do you actually know what the word vacation means? Okay fine Frase. I'll go pack shall I?"
"That's a splendid idea," Fraser ignored the sarcasm, "we'll leave at dawn."
"At dawn?" Ray shook his head. "Why? The cult's a lot of dead bodies, what's the rush?"
"We need to report this to the authorities."
"So why don't we just contact your Mountie buddies in Nack-Nack or whatever the nearest town's called and let them look for the bodies? No don't answer that Fraser, just promise me that you won't listen the next time I suggest a vacation."
"Understood."
Ray shaking his head wandered off into his bedroom and Fraser followed him.
"Ray," he quietly attracted the cop's attention, "I realise this probably wasn't what you had in mind."
"The whole point of this holiday was to get you out of Chicago and if you decide you want to take us trekking through the snow then that's up to you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Thank you kindly."
The three adventurers actually set out an hour after dawn because Kowalski had rebelled when he saw the snowshoes that Fraser wanted him to wear.
"No way Fraser. I am not wearing those."
"You have to," Fraser knelt down in front of his friend. "I'll help you put them on."
"No."
"Ray.."
"No."
"Ray.."
"No."
"Ray.."
"Fine Fraser, have it your way."
Kowalski couldn't remember how long they had been walking for, the snow blowing in his face had half blinded him and Diefenbaker was trotting at his side as though to keep him safe. As the day wore on Ray found himself getting progressively colder and colder.
By the time Fraser called a halt for the night he was shivering uncontrollably. He hardly noticed that the snow had stopped falling or that Jim had lit a fire. It was all that Kowalski could do to huddle up against a snow-covered rock and close his eyes.
"Ray," Fraser was holding a cup of coffee out towards him.
"He didn't last very long did he son?" Fraser Sr commented gleefully, "I told you that you shouldn't have brought him along."
"Go away Dad."
"I'm cold Fraser."
The Mountie pulled off his coat and tore off the sweatshirt he was wearing over his shirt. "Put this on," he helped the detective pull the sweatshirt on and then tucked his coat around him.
"Feel better?" Kowalski nodded but he was still shivering.
Once they had eaten Fraser started to lay out the sleeping bags.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm zipping our sleeping bags together," Fraser explained, "my body heat will help keep you warm."
"Oh."
Ray, lying fully-clothed next to Fraser was still shivering and so the Mountie rolled his unprotesting friend onto his side and spooned himself around him, he lay awake until Kowalski's shivering subsided and then he fell asleep.
Ray had no idea of how many days went past. He walked when Fraser told him to walk, he ate when Fraser told him to eat, he sleapt when Fraser told him to sleep. He didn't even complain when the Mountie continued to insist on sleeping curled around him, although somewhere in the back of his mind he told himself that he'd better make sure Fraser didn't mention this to anyone back at the precinct.
It was on the morning of the fourth day that the two men awoke to find the storm had blown itself out and Jim was gone.
"So where the hell are these bodies then?" Ray asked irritably as he sipped his coffee moodily. "Did we come all this way for nothing?" Diefenbaker barked and wagged his tail. "And I don't know what you're so happy about."
"Ray."
"What?" The cop glanced up at Fraser who was standing on a small ridge.
He turned around and Ray scowled, he had no right to look so alive, so fresh, "come on Frase spit it out."
It was then that he heard the voices and the barking of dogs and he leapt to his feet scattering the remains of his coffee onto the snow.
"It's a search party."
"Are you Constable Benton Fraser?" A deep voice asked.
"Yes." Fraser identified himself. "Were you looking for us?"
"Only for the last two days," the reply came back. "We were afraid you might have got stuck in the cabin."
"Hang on," Kowalski leapt up to stand next to Fraser, "whadya mean?"
"The storm buried your cabin four days ago. If you'd stayed it would have been a snowy grave for both of you."
Ray opened his mouth but Fraser silenced him with a hand on his shoulder.
"I don't think now's a good time to mention Jim."
"But what about the cult members, the bodies we were looking for?"
"I don't think there were ever any bodies Ray."
"Oh." Ray wasn't entirely sure he understood he was just relieved at finally feeling safe and he turned to face their rescuers with an overwhelming sense of relief, the mysterious Jim already forgotten.
THE END