The dark night turned into a day, and once again the sun peacefully gleamed on a freshly fallen snow, its beams warming my cold hands.

I glanced at the forest surrounding the house, but now it looked benevolent, not at least menacing like the night before.

My phone vibrated in the pocket of my jeans and I had to take the mittens off to reach it.

“Hello.” I tucked the device between the shoulder and my ear, fumbling with my gloves.

“Hey there! Change of plans. I have a late shift tonight and I was wondering if you’re up for a walk right now?”

Alasie asked me, her voice filled with hope.

I should be working right now, but there was no harm in postponing it for a few hours “Sure. Where are you?”

“I’ll meet you at the cafe in ten. Sounds all right?”

“Yes. I’ll just throw on something warm and comfortable and I’m on my way.”

I threaded through the heavy snow, hurrying to reach our meeting spot. When I was halfway there, I was already breathing heavily. I had to stop for a second and calm my racing heart. I gulped a few times, my throat burning with every intake of the cold, crisp air.

My gaze landed on my neighbor’s house and I almost tripped over when I saw Tapeesa sitting on the front porch. I gathered my jumbled thoughts enough to give her a short nod in greeting, just to be polite, but she didn’t respond.

Instead, she watched me with an unmoving stare, rocking back and forth on her rocking chair crafted of solid wood.

Numerous wrinkles were dispersed on her worn-out face, her scruffy graying hair covered with black head scarf. I stared into her dark all-knowing orbs until I swore, I almost felt prying fingers digging right into my brain, picking through my mind.

A slow, lazy smile appeared on her face as I shook my head to clear my thoughts. It almost felt like she was the one invading my memories, controlling them and seeing right through the darkest hidden thoughts I tried to keep forever locked in the farthest corner of my mind.

I somehow managed to push her parasitic tentacles out, creating a wall between our minds. Knowing I had to get out of here as fast as I could, I immediately hung my head low and marched forward without casting a second glance over my shoulder. Yet, I somehow still felt her presence.

“Are you all right?” Alasie appeared beside me “You look shaken.”

“I …. I don’t know anymore.” I murmured silently. Was I going mad? Thinking an old lady was controlling my mind. “Alasie?”

“Hmm?” She offered me a plastic cup of coffee and I gratefully accepted it. I placed my hands around the hot cup, watching the steam rising, dancing upwards into the icy air.

“Tapeesa, what is her story?” Even though I suspected my imagination was playing tricks on me, I somehow still needed to know if she felt the same about her.

“What do you mean? She’s just an old lady,” she gave me an easy smile, sipping the hot liquid.

“She’s ….” How could I explain what I felt without appearing that I was completely out of my mind?

“Odd. I know.” Alasie added “But she’s harmless. She keeps to herself; she doesn’t interact much with townspeople.”

Her answer hasn’t satisfied me and I somehow felt she was concealing something from me.

“Yes, but why? I haven’t seen her at your meeting the other day, isn’t she supposed to be there? She is after all a part of the culture too.”

A muscle in her jaw slightly twitched, when she looked away from me. There was a moment of silence as we slowly approached the Iniakuk lake, only a crunching of snow was heard, coming from underneath our boots.

“It’s a long and foolish story. It revolves around my grandfather and her.”

“Were they lovers or something?” I inquired, confused at how those two people could be connected.

“Oh no,” a bitter laugh bubbled up from her chest “Far from that,” she drew a deep breath before she continued “My grandpa banished her from the association. She is not allowed to cross the threshold of the building. I will never forgive him for his stupid superstition.”

“What happened?” I asked in awe.

“I honestly don’t know. But what I do know is that she’s leading an isolated life because of him. You should see how people are looking at her, like she’s a seed of pure evil or something.”

“He never told you what happened? Why is he treating her this way?” I felt there had to be something buried deep underneath the surface, something foul.

“No.” She drew her brows together “Whenever I’d ask him, he’d change the subject.”

“Strange.”

“Indeed,” she agreed, shrugging.

I suddenly remembered the ugly prank they’d pulled on me yesterday “OK, tell me this. What kind of creepy joke was that yesterday?”

“Are you insulting our culture?” She stopped and glared at me.

What is she talking about? “What? No! I meant the prank in the woods.”

Her nose wrinkled in confusion “What prank?”

“You know, the footsteps behind my house? Some kind of acceptance ritual into community?” Quoting with my fingers I pivoted to face her.

“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about, Faina,” she shook her head, staring at me with puzzlement.

“I knew you weren’t part of it!” I put my hands on my hips, thinking. “It had to be Josh then.”

“Faina … Josh was with me the whole night.” Her eyes were now filled with concern.

“It had to be someone else then.” I insisted.

“Yes, probably an animal. Some of them come out to hunt at night.”

I knew for a fact this was no animal, but I remained silent “Probably.” I shrugged. Was it possible that it was someone from the town? Maybe even Tapeesa?

“Don’t go walking into the woods at night, all right? Stick to the town, you never know when you may end up meeting a bear.”

I suppressed a shiver. “Yeah. I don’t wish to have that kind of close encounter, thank you very much.” I stepped on the frozen surface of the lake, feeling the thin edge crack beneath the pressure of the heel on my boot. There were two native fishermen sitting not far away, drilling the hole into the thick, ice-covered surface.

Alasie followed my gaze “And imagine they sit there for hours.”

I shuddered at the thought of sitting completely motionless in these rough conditions “This is insane.” A white sled dog was curled into a ball beside them, watching the drilled hole with hungry eyes, patiently waiting for fish to be pulled out.

“What has to be done, has to be done. Hey, did you like our show yesterday?” She threw the empty cup into a trash bin.

“Yeah, it was great! I bet it’s nice to have a family this big.” I said with yearning in my voice.

“Faina, may I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.” We stopped, looking up at the Kodiak Resort “Wow, fancy.” I whistled under my breath.

“And empty. Not a lot of tourists this time of the year. Cold drives them away.”

“So, I’m basically the only maniac moving here in the winter.” I lifted my hands in the air “Of course.”

“Basically.” She giggled.

“What was your question?”

“Eveline said you have a mother and a younger sister in Moscow. Why did you leave them?” She asked carefully.

“My mother is a selfish, wicked snake and my sister got her genes so …” I sighed loudly “They threw me out after my father died.”

“But why?”

“I reminded her of him because of our similar characteristics and interests, she couldn’t stand watching me.”

“That’s terrible. At least my parents were nice. I don’t remember much, only the short snippets. The memories I have of them are my most treasured possessions.” She blinked away the tears.

I nodded sadly “So it was your grandpa who raised you?”

“Yes, mostly him, Betty and Tonraq.” Her full lips stretched into a smile “But when I first met Josh, they couldn’t drag me out of their house.”

“It is very homely.”

“Right?” I heard her melodic smile. She glanced at the watch fastened around her slender wrist “I’d better go back. Tonraq will skin me alive if I’m late for my shift.”

“Do you mind if I stay here for a while? I would gladly accompany you, but it’s so peaceful here.”

“Sure.” She patted my gloved hand “I’ll see you later?”

“Of course.” I gave her the brightest smile I had.

I watched until she disappeared out of view. Instantly I turned around and hurried towards her house, standing just above the lake. I had to talk to Amaruq in private.

Grunting I ascended the steep terrain, which was heavy enough to walk on even without the snow. Finally, I managed to reach an older wooden house, with worn out green roof, or at least what was visible underneath the snowy blanket. On the left was a small shed, with a shovel leaning on the wall. I bypassed it, stepping on a slippery front step. Avoiding the hanging ornaments that produced a soft chiming sound in the wind I hurried towards their porch, loudly knocking on the front door.

“It’s me, Faina! Are you home, Sir?” I felt foolish for coming here in the first place. What exactly would be my question to him? What happened with Tapeesa? Or who was the person stalking my house the day before? Without a doubt he would think I’m completely out of my mind.

I was almost relieved he wasn’t answering the door. I needed to think this through, before I came barging onto someone’s porch like this.

I slowly walked back home, contemplating what should I do. I stopped on the stairs leading to my front door, an unknown force pulling me to the backyard. I rounded the house, suddenly not so very fond of the menacing forest like I was at the time I moved here.

I edged closer and the feelings of anxiety once more flared inside my chest. I stood on the border between my yard and the woods, peeking into the never-ending darkness.

Suddenly a repulsive stench hit my nostrils, making my stomach roll with nausea.

“God! What in the hell is that?” I pushed the branches away, stepping into the shadows. It was only a minute of a short hike when I located the source of the vile smell.

Dead and half frozen elk lied motionless on the ground, covered in snow. Its glassy, lifeless eyes seemed to stare right at me, wide open in sheer terror.

I was no hunter, but judging by the state of his extensive injuries the animal was mauled to death.

Its stomach was ripped open, intestines spilled all over the ground. Carcass was mostly covered in snow now, but there were still marks where whiteness was tainted with crimson blood.

“Dear God. Alasie was right it had to be an animal, probably a bear.” I covered my nose, protecting my senses from the onslaught of the rotten stench. I couldn’t watch the poor animal a minute longer.

I carefully turned back, keeping my eyes trained on the surroundings in case the bear decided to finish what he started.

I saw a snowmobile parked in front of my house when I emerged from the woods.

Josh scratched his head in confusion, knocking on my door “Faina! You in?”

“Josh! I’m here!” I called to get his attention, grateful he appeared exactly when I needed him.

He descended the stairs, joining me in the backyard. “Hey! What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“It’s probably nothing. Just a dead elk.” I tried to stay composed as I could, but since I never saw a slaughtered animal it was nearly impossible.

“Where?”

I soundlessly pointed in the direction where I found the dead animal “I minute or so on foot from here.”

“What? This close to your house?” He said with his brows drawn together.

I nodded as I zipped up my jacked. I had an uncontrollable urge to hug myself, but I wasn’t sure if this desire stemmed from cold or tension.

“Wait here, I’ll check it out,” he put his hand on my shoulder to offer me some comfort.

“Josh, just be careful all right? The bear could be still out there.” I told him with panic in my voice.

He pushed through the branches of the trees, disappearing from my view.

I waited nervously and it seemed like hours before he finally reappeared.

“So?” I asked impatiently “What do you think?”

“I am no expert, but yeah, this had to be a bear. But since you haven’t left any leftovers or trash for him to rummage in, it’s odd he got so close.”

I licked my lips, shaking my head “You’re right, especially with the sound of the engine of your snowmobile.”

“What are you talking about?” He stepped closer.

“I thought I heard somebody behind the house yesterday, minutes after I came home. I was sure they were human footsteps, but then I thought it was some kind of a prank you and others played on me.”

“No, I was with Alasie the whole night.”

“I know now. I guess it had to be a bear.” I buried my hands in my hair, sighing nervously “That could have been me instead of an elk.”

I could see a flicker of worry in his eyes when he carefully assessed me “You have to be careful, Faina. Especially at night. Look at every corner if you have to. You’re not in the city anymore, this is Alaskan wilderness and it does have its drawbacks.”

“Thanks, I will.” My answer seemed somehow faraway from my own ears, it felt like I was walking through a heavy mist.

“Anyways, I came here to check on you and as it seems my timing was spot on.” I saw him step in front of me to attract my attention.

“Hey, do you still have left any of that cinnamon cookies? They are delicious.” His lips stretched into a wide smile and I knew he tried to take my mind of what I saw in the woods.

“I’ll make some tea. Come on in.” He trailed behind me into the house and I instantly felt safer inside.

“Do you think he’ll come back?” My hand froze on the jar filled with fresh baked cookies.

“It’s hard to say, but I doubt it. It was only a coincidence his prey was passing so close by.”

I nodded “These are not cinnamon, but chocolate.”

“Perfect!” He buried his hand in the jar, stuffing the cookie into his mouth.

“Thank you, Josh, if it weren’t for you and Alasie it would be lonely here. And having friends … it’s nice to know I can call someone if I’m in trouble.”

He nodded kindly “Anytime.”

I was grateful to him for just sitting here with me, his sole presence calming down my prickled nerves. And by the end of noon, the bear incident was almost forgotten ….