Emmett sauntered through his lonely home, longing for companionship. He opened the door roughly and stepped out onto his porch, his boots making a soft thud as he walked across the weathered pine boards. He shut the door behind him before walking out behind his secluded house and up to the familiar face of his dog, Brandy.
The year old Golden Retriever bounced up and down playfully as she saw the muscular frame of her beloved owner. He unsnapped the chain holding her to a thin cedar tree before securing an old, red collar around her neck. He attached a matching leash and led her away, back towards the front of his house.
His head snapped up from the ground as Brandy began to pull on her leash, and he laughed his deep, throaty chuckle as he pulled her back to his side.
"Anxious to go?" he asked. Brandy looked up at him with eager eyes, her tongue lolling to one side. He laughed again and pulled her along, walking up the two steps to his porch. He tied the thin leash to one of the wooden supports and entered his tiny house once again, heading for the pile of camping supplies lying next to the door.
He pulled the heavy pack over his wide shoulders, lifting two, smaller bags. He struggled out of the door, the pack hardly fitting through, and set the camping gear next to the curled up form of Brandy.
Pulling a key out of his pocket, he locked the door of his house, slipping the shiny silver object under the door. He picked up his jacket and put it on, feeling a sharp bite in the cool air.
Brandy gave a short bark of impatience, gazing up at him with her amber colored eyes. Emmett smiled and quickly picked the gear back up, arranging it comfortably over his large frame.
He untied Brandy from the porch and walked quickly down the stairs and onto the dirt path that led away from his small cottage like home. He turned his head once, giving his house a short farewell. His strides quickened as he moved forward again with a sense of purpose, glad to get out of the crammed house.
--
It took most of the day to walk into the small Vermont town closest to Emmett's house. They stopped once to escape the short showers that seemed to insist on slowing the pair down, but Brandy had wanted to continue, rain or not, and so the pair pressed on. Emmett could see that there were only a few hours of sunlight left, and so he quickened his pace as the town came into view, shelter to only a hundred small town people.
"Hey, Emmett. Nice to see you in town!" Emmett turned as he heard the familiar sound of his brother, Michael. His brother, a year older than he was, had the same muscular form and curly hair as Emmett. They briefly shook hands and exchanged greetings, happy to see each other.
"So, what brings you to town?" Michael asked, commenting on his unusual appearance. Emmett, a quiet, small town man, had lived outside of the town ever since he had turned eighteen, only a short year ago. He had detested the life that he had lived in town with his large family, and loved the outdoors life he now lived with his dog.
"I'm going camping up in the mountains for the weekend with Aaron. Have you seen him, by the way? We need to get going." Emmett scanned the street as he finished speaking, searching for any sign of Aaron. He knew that if they didn't leave soon, they wouldn't be able to reach the camping spot he'd picked out earlier. His eyes looked back up to the darkening sky warily, hoping Michael would know where Aaron might be. He looked back to his brother, a hopeful look on his face.
"Actually, I did see him. He was down at the general store, looking at some gear. I wondered what he was doing." Emmett nodded and let out a sigh of relief. The time spent searching for his friend would have taken too much time, and now they could leave earlier than he had hoped. He gave his brother a quick hug and a word of thanks before pulling Brandy back down the dirt road.
He impatiently walked to the end of the road and turned right, smiling as the familiar building came into view. Brandy leaped up the stairs ahead of him, excited by the smells wafting from inside the store.
Emmett stepped inside the door and was greeted by the single employee that worked there, named Jasmine. He nodded pleasantly back at her and searched the store for his friend, disappointed when he could not find him.
A smile quickly spread across his face, however, as he heard the voice of his friend behind him, softly calling to Brandy. He turned and walked towards his friend, allowing Brandy to run up to Aaron. She jumped up in Aaron's arms, and he held her close to his body, his body shaking with laughter as she happily covered his face in wet kisses. Emmett grinned at Aaron as he took back Brandy's leash, pulling her out of the circle of his arms. She jumped to the floor with a thud, sitting contently by Emmett's feet.
"Great day for camping, isn't it?" Aaron asked, commenting on the warm weather. Emmett nodded and motioned towards the sun, falling quickly in the sky.
"Shouldn't we talk on the way there?" Emmett asked, anxious to find their camping spot. Aaron nodded and gathered his new camping gear, swinging the pack up on his back. The pair walked side by side down the porch and towards the end of the road, their pace matching flawlessly. They walked in silence as they neared the trail up into the mountains, both eager to begin the trip.
The path was a small, winding trail that led miles into the mountains, permitting only one person to travel at a time. Emmett led the way, with Brandy bouncing ahead of him, off her leash, and Aaron a close distance behind them. Brandy smelled everything on the trail with great interest, picking up the occasional stick and carrying it to Emmett. Emmett only laughed and dropped it back in the woods, his eyes turned up in a grin.
They continued on for the rest of the day, silent most of the time, anxiously watching the departing sun. Emmett pushed the small group harder as the light began to fade in the dense forest, searching for the campsite he had picked out the week before. The sky turned a beautiful shade of orange as dusk lit over the mountains, a sad farewell to the sun as it slid down out of sight. Darkness engulfed them as they finally made their way to the campsite, a small clearing a few feet off of the winding trail.
Moss covered the entire rocky outcropping, smelling of fresh water. Emmett and Aaron quickly put up their shelter, escaping from the mist as they curled up inside the black tent. Brandy nestled into the end of Emmett's sleeping bag, falling asleep as soon as her eyes closed. Emmett, feeling exhausted at the pace they had made throughout the long day, soon followed, comfortable in the warmth of his flannel covers.
--
Emmett woke as the first rays of the sun were peeking over the tops of the snowcapped mountains. He stretched out contently, his arms brushing the back of the tent, his legs set gently over the sleeping form of Brandy. He crawled to the door, silently unbuttoning the catch holding the door shut, and latched it again.
He walked over to the pile of things that was lying near the side of the tent, rummaging through the bags of cooking supplies, clothing, and matches before pulling out his small, thin knife. He tucked the blade in his back pocket as he walked away from the camping sight, towards the thick overgrowth.
Cutting thin strips of bark, he collected them in his pocket, to use later to start a fire, and rummaged through the pieces of fallen timber, searching for any dry logs. Finding a limited supply, he carried them to the campsite, stacking them in a neat fashion. Tucking the pieces of bark inside the wooden box he had built to start the fire, he pulled out the small stone he used for flint, and began to strike his knife along the long end of the rock. Sparks hit the damp timber, but a flame refused to start, the fluffy bark only smoking. Resting on his stomach, he blew steadily over the smoke, willing a flame to appear. A kidlike grin spread over his face as a flame grew from the smoking pile, and soon spread to the rest of the timber.
He watched the smoke begin to float upwards from the warmth of the fire. The normal stone grey color of the fire soothed him as he sat, his back leaning against his gear. His eyes closed and he allowed the sounds of the forest to soothe him further, needing the calming atmosphere to prepare him for the stressful, quick paced day ahead.
As he opened his eyes, however, the sense of calm that had filled his body drained out of him. The smoke had changed colors, from a pale grey to a deep, charcoal black. Shivers ran down his spine as he fought the instinct of panic welling up in him. It's just because of the wet ground, he thought to himself, wildly clutching to the escaping feelings of peace.
Ignoring the strange, black smokehe returned to the pile of supplies and quickly pulled out a small pan. He set it near the fire before pulling out two strips of salted pork, one of the only things that they could bring along with them without it getting spoiled. Setting the pork on the pan, he set it near the fire, searching the mossy ground for a large stone.
After a few minutes, he finally found one that satisfied him somewhat, and balanced it on the top of the wood pile, serving as a cooking surface for frying the pork. He set the pan on the flat surface and adjusted the position several times before the pan balanced, the pork sizzling on the makeshift stove top.
His head turned as he heard Brandy shift positions in the tent, her tail scratching along the side of the cloth material. He walked over and unbuttoned the flap, peering down at the groggy form of the golden retriever. Her eyes, looking up at him, were half closed, refusing to open, and he quietly laughed as she pulled herself out of her comfortable position. Resting her legs near the opening of the tent, she pulled her body back into a cat stretch before standing back up and jumping smoothly over the lip of the doorway.
Emmett glanced over at the unconscious form of Aaron and decided to allow him to sleep longer, another long day soon to begin. He grabbed a fork from the sack of cooking supplies and watched over the pork with diligence, turning it until the smoky smell was too much to bare. Grabbing a plate, he pulled each piece off of the pot and onto the tin surfaces, setting them out of reach of Brandy.
Emmett ignored Brandy's whines of protest as he quickly pulled out her bowl, scooped in some dog food, and set it in front of her. She nudged it with her nose and turned away from it, refusing to eat. His body shook with silent fits of laughter as he watched Brandy scowl at him, her amber eyes narrowed. He ruffled the fur on her head before turning back to the pot, taking it off of the hot stone.
Pulling out a worn rag, he wiped it over the greasy pan until it was dry. He set both back in the sack of cooking supplies, tossing it easily back over to the pile. Giving Brandy a stern look, he turned away from the plates of pork and entered the tent, leaving the flap open.
As he rolled up his pile of blankets, Aaron let out a sigh, and he turned to look at him. Aaron, normally a quiet sleeper, was tossing and turning, his forehead creased in a look of pain. Emmett set down his blankets and roughly shook his friend's shoulder, releasing him from the painful nightmare.
Aaron quickly sat up with a startled look on his face before his features smoothed over. He forced a weak smile and glanced over at Emmett, slightly embarrassed at his weaker state. Emmett punched him lightly on the shoulder before leaving the tent, his things gathered in his hands.
Dropping the blankets near his pack, he returned to his breakfast, quickly consuming the warm pork. Wiping the plate down, he set it inside the bag with the pan and stood, stretching out his sore limbs. One night on the ground normally didn't bother him this much, but he shrugged it off, thinking of the days to come.
Sticking his head inside the open tent, he motioned for Aaron to come outside. Aaron slowly complied, throwing his less than tidy pile of blankets next to Emmett's. He grabbed his plate and ate without a word, obviously preoccupied with his frightening dream. Emmett, knowing his friend well, left him to his thoughts. He had learned more than once not to disturb Aaron when he was thinking.
Aaron handed his plate to Emmett to wipe down while he dismantled the tent, forcing it back into the bag it had been in previously. They made quick work of cleaning the campsite, methodically working around each other. Emmett, gathering several handfuls of dirt, threw them on the fire to put it out.
Brandy, realizing that they were ready to leave, stiffly stood, quickly gulping down her tasteless food. Emmett smiled as he picked up the empty bowl and shoved it in his near full bag, forcing it closed. He pulled on his last pack and turned to Aaron, patiently waiting.
He thought on how he would breach the subject of what had frightened Aaron so much, but his mind refused to cooperate. Aaron started down the trail, his eyes blank, and Emmett wearily followed. They walked for most of the morning in complete silence, each consumed with their own thoughts. Brandy, reacting to the sullen mood, trotted quietly behind Aaron, her tail brushing against the rocky ground.
Emmett watched with dull anticipation as the trail began to even out, hinting that they had reached the midpoint of the trail across the mountains. Clouds began to drift past them, only a few hundred feet up, revealing how high they really were. As the sun stilled in the middle of the sky, Emmett stopped, setting down his heavy pack. He looked to Aaron, motioning for him to do the same.
Aaron's pack dropped heavily to the ground and he followed suit, leaning up against his gear. His hand ran through his hair, a common sign of frustration, and he let out a deep sigh. Giving him a moment, Emmett waited until Aaron's face was slightly less troubled. Taking a deep breath, Emmett began.
"Aaron? What is bothering you?" Aaron gave him a weak smile and nodded, recognizing his friend's question. Seeming to think, he waited for several minutes before hesitantly answering.
"I had a dream about her again. The one I've been dreaming about. Except, this time, her face was troubled. I kept asking her what was wrong, but she wouldn't answer me. Then, her eyes glassed over and she gave me this… this," Aaron paused, and his face winced as he remembered his dream. "This look, as if she was mad. It was terrible, it really was." He finished and glanced at Emmett, measuring his reaction.
Emmett cautiously kept his face blank, emotionless. Aaron set his back against his gear again and closed his eyes, waiting for Emmett to speak. Emmett forced a smile on his face and pulled out two wrapped bundles, tossing one to Aaron.
Aaron unwrapped his and lined out his pieces of beef jerky on his knee. Carefully turning his body so that the pieces would stay on his leg, he pulled out two apples, holding one out to Emmett. Emmett gladly took the fruit, setting it on his pack behind him.
Taking a small bit out of his beef jerky, he slowly chewed, deliberating on what the proper reaction to Aaron's 'dreams' should be. Lately, he had dreamt of a woman, a beautiful woman, with pale skin and eyes that changed color. The woman, he had said, was always searching for something, yet could never find it.
Emmett shook his head, puzzled. Normally Aaron's dreams didn't bother him so much, but he could clearly see the tensed way Aaron moved. His normally fluid movements were jerky and robotic, his eyes searching the forest, never resting on an object for more than a few seconds.
Grabbing his apple, Emmett tossed it lightly up in the air, catching it and flicking it back up as soon as it touched his hand. Throwing it higher and higher, he watched as it flew near ten feet up in the air before plummeting towards his outstretched hand. Catching the red object with the tips of his fingers, he brought it to his mouth and took a large bite.
Aaron had finished his beef jerky and was also eating his apple. Taking small bites, he made sure that his mouth was always busy; biting, chewing or swallowing. Emmett finished his piece of apple and set the fruit back down, turning so that he faced Aaron.
"What is her name, Aaron? Do you know?" Aaron kept his eyes fixed on the ground as he deliberately chewed his bite of apple into a smooth, pulp like state. He looked up at Emmett as he swallowed, closing his eyes for several seconds. As his eyes opened, Emmett could see that he had recovered slightly, yet a tense feeling was still present.
"I honestly don't know, Emmett. I do know that she needs to find something. It's like she can't live without it. It really is very strange." Emmett nodded, relief beginning to show on his face.
Aaron gave him a bright smile and quickly ate the rest of his apple, tossing the core to Brandy. Brandy caught the discarded apple and tossed it back up in the air, swatting it playfully with a paw as it fell back to earth. She continued her game as Emmett threw his half eaten fruit into the nearby trees, airborne for almost fifty feet before hitting the ground with a sharp, unusual crack.
Brandy stopped her game and allowed the apple core to roll to the ground as she trotted over to where Emmett's apple lay. Ignoring her impatient barks, he pulled on his pack before walking over to where she stood.
Running up to her owner, she led him to the spot where the apple had hit the ground, landing on a protruding tree root. She sniffed at the spot where the apple had impacted and looked back up at Emmett, satisfaction showing in her honey colored eyes.
Emmett, however, was not paying any attention his fidgeting dog. He surveyed the shattered pieces of apple that lay in small piles around the stump, puzzled. It was as if the apple had exploded, not simply hit, the root of the tree.
As he looked at the broken and bruised fruit, a piece of scripture suddenly came to mind. He attempted to forget the analogy so cleverly used in the particular verse, but as he walked away from the shattered apple, his mind could not be kept away.
The fruit of knowledge, that had been forbidden from those first two people, which held such great power, had shattered in front of his eyes. He could not help but think that he was missing something greater, something important. Something that might just change his life forever.