Wolf’s Bane

Where would you say is the best place to hide when you’re starting a new life? Some people say it’s in plain sight, right in front of the people who might look for you. Some others dream of a peaceful, quiet hideaway, that’s located a good distance from everything familiar.

Like a remote lumberjack camp up in the mountains, so far, far away.

“I can hardly believe that you were just a security guard back in your city, or how they let go of a guy that looks so menacing as you. Are you sure you were just that?” a smiling man with brown hair and blue eyes said.

He was walking and talking with another man, with a similar description as his, having the same height of six feet, broader shoulders though, and a slightly more muscular body. Also, the second one happened to have brown-reddish hair, hazel eyes closer to green than brown, and a more obvious tan.

It had been less than an hour since the job interview, and the employer decided to make sure his newly hired employee would be ok with his first day at work, especially since this newcomer said he had never worked as a logger before “but he could manage”.

It was necessary to make sure that this newbie could really get by with his new job, right?

“Well yeah, I’m sure. I don’t know about the ‘menacing’ part though,” the second man said, while memories were suddenly triggered inside his head due to that particular adjective.

These same realizations also reflected in his light-coloured hazel eyes, but he kept mum about it…

His thoughts: “That’s a topic that should never be touched. Not ever again, if I could help it. So yeah, stop thinking about that, Eron. And you have to be a little more laid back… let The Charmer out instead of the dark one.”

“Why the question, Mr. Schneider?”

“Told you already, Eron, just call me Jack. Mr. Schneider is still my father. I asked because I got curious, simple as that. You don’t look like the usual guy who would work out here in the boondocks.”

And it was true.

Jack had developed muscles by working hard up the mountain, but the new guy in the logging company just come from the city and was born in another city in a different country supposedly.

And those two facts were making Jack even more curious and made it hard for him to believe.

Mr. Schneider’s thoughts: “Sorry bro, but you don’t look like a regular security guard… maybe a gym buff… a bouncer in a nightclub… even a stripper… but a security guard? The ones I know have a belly, not an eight-pack… damn, I think I’m looking too much into it… I guess I’m used to different things. Those guys from the city care too much for the looks.”

“A stripper, huh? Ok, Jack, then. I’m really thankful for the chance to work with you guys, especially since I have no experience in this,” Eron said, a small relieved smile marking his face. “But I really was a private security guard and no way am I any of those.”

Now, got to get into the groove… heh, tree grooves… pun intended…

Half an hour into working, his perfect tan shone with the small drops of sweat that ran wild over his skin as he regularly and strongly raised his axe. His naked torso showed how his toned muscles flexed and then contracted when he powerfully let the axe fall on the fallen massive tree trunk that Jack had directed him to chop.

This was the easiest job they could give him while he got used to the machinery. Although Jack was still unsure of his new worker’s inexperience since, after about an hour, the newcomer had already demolished a few logs.

The foreman/owner looked from his new hire to the bunch of fast-increasing, well-cut pieces of wood that Eron had stacked up already, and felt his jaw suddenly dropping.

“Looks like you came here at the right time, too. We’re starting a new season of harvests, and the more help we can get, the better,” said Jack, after he had closed his mouth and had recovered from the shock.” There’s more to this lumberyard than just cutting down trees, you know.”

“Heh, as long as I can earn from it, I’m all good, Jack.”

“Damn, I wish I looked like that… the boss sadly thought as he continued to watch his new employee cut through more wood. “Maybe that way I’d easily get a girlfriend and not be friend-zoned all the time…”

Even if he was well built, he didn’t have the confidence that the guy in front of him, who simply exuded charm. And somehow, he knew that well, just by looking at Eron. Besides, the city mouse just looked too good-looking to just be cutting up wood.

“Anyway, I just came to check how it was going for you. Call me if you need anything,” Jack finally said and was almost leaving when he heard a question from the sweaty, tanned newbie.

“Well, there is something I wanna ask, but it isn’t an urgent matter really… I’m looking for a room to rent. Do you know about any? I got here literally a couple of days ago, and I don’t mind camping. I actually like it, but if it rains, I’ll be in trouble. Well, at least my bike will be for sure.”

“You’re just CAMPING?! ALL ALONE?! Where?”

“Not far from here. I have all I need, but, yeah, as I told you, rain would be a big problem.”

“Well, there’s someone I know that maybe… but I’ll ask first. I’ll let you know what the answer is.”

“Okay, thank you,” Eron said, now more relaxed and softly smiling as he got back to work.

Jack looked once more at him, suspicion in his eyes. It was not usual to receive tourists in that part of the mountains, not locals, and it was even rarer to see foreigners. It wasn’t about distrust, after all, but that feeling of the unusual which was poking at the lumberjack’s brain…

A foreigner that had just arrived in their country, and was camping in the forest, and cutting wood as if it was his second nature. And insisting that he just got tired of the city, which is why he’s doing all this?

“I swear, bro, not a bodyguard, not a bouncer, not a stripper. I had a simple job because I always liked to live a simple life. But I just got tired of it all. The job, the city, the people over there, all stressed and rushing all the time. I just needed a break, and this place seemed to be exactly what I needed,” Eron said with a chuckle, surprising Jack, as he noticed the disbelief in the way his boss looked at him.

Jack too, was lost in his thoughts, not noticing that he was still staring: “How does a guy like him get tired of the city? I could bet a month of salary on him being followed tirelessly by a group of ladies, and I dare say, a few guys like Uncle Louie…”

“Yeah, I think I still have ‘The Charm’ as they used to say. Sorry boss, it’s not you. I was trained to cause that kind of attraction on people,” thought Eron to himself as he chuckled. “Well, to make us security guards more approachable, I mean…”

Good save, Eron…

Jake snapped back to reality and explained hurriedly, “I’m sorry, but I was seriously wondering, if I was to leave my country, I couldn’t stop thinking about my mother and father, and if any of my brothers are helping them, if there were any, that is. I don’t like to ask questions; you know? I do try to mind my own business, but you happen to be the first foreigner I’ve seen in a while. Do you not miss your family, man?”

These words triggered another trip through Eron’s memories, which he quickly put aside. This was another conversation that he wasn’t willing to have. At least his plan wasn’t to go any deeper than what was necessary.

“I kinda miss my older brother. But with the rest of the family, I really wasn’t that close. I talked a lot with his… uh… wife… and I do miss her, too. But really, not much with my parents, or the… town we lived in.”

The small pauses and second thoughts had caught Jake’s attention. He had noticed that these clues were heavily hinting at a deeper and hidden part in Eron’s story.

That part that the foreigner refused to let anybody know…

“So, you left without thinking of going back? That’s really something… And chose here to stay?! You’re either crazy or are a loose killer who’s been wanted by the police in different countries and thinks that he won’t be found here. Sorry bro, but your story is that… uh… unique.”

“Heh… if you only knew,” the newbie whispered.

Eron let out a hearty laugh, more out of irony than sincerity, and started editing the words in his head before it spilled out of his mouth…

“To be honest, Jack, I wasn’t really living or spending time with my family anymore. It had been like that for quite a long while now. My father wasn’t really happy with me and always favoured my older brother, because I wasn’t up to his standards. Meanwhile, my brother ended up being an obnoxious overachiever, but I guess that comes with the role he’s supposed to have in the family. Although, I’m still thankful that he made me feel like his brother from time to time. I just had to find my own life away from them, that’s all.”

And so that was it. If there was something truly real from what Eron said to Jack during his job interview or any time after, it was that.

“So, I got myself into different countries, mostly using working visas, and got busy. And here I am today at your lumber company, and I think I’m gonna like it here. Compared to my former work, this is all pretty amazing for me.”

He paused a moment, still seeing in the back of his mind the countless memories that the conversation was triggering. So many things he never talked about, or would even dare to tell just anyone.

“Aaaand… if you ever, for any reason, wanted to go back home, Eron, will you give me notice or just disappear?” asked the boss with concern.

“Oh, I don’t think I’ll leave. My father would never take me back. As a matter of fact, he would probably kill me the moment he saw me walking towards the family house,” Eron said with a sad smile.

“That’s a shame… Families are meant to be close; you know. Especially during the hard times…”

Now it was Jack’s turn to stare out into the distance, his memories now running scenes from his past. He couldn’t help it, since every time he thought of his family, he would think of all of them.

Including the ones whom he was not even certain if they were still alive…