========-< << Tamarack Road - Wilderness Preserve >> >-=========
A single public road passes through the Preserve, a pleasant twenty-minute drive (at the speed limit), all things considered, and the only road into or out of the town of Tamarack Falls. A wooden sign at the base of the steep cliff's switchback cautions against falling rocks and, too, contains symbols to indicate that cyclists and equestrians are also welcome on the trail.
Thickly forested and prone to fog in low areas, the dense woods at the foot of the path are home to several protected species, managed by a private commission of local rangers. For seven miles, the road and the occasional ranger's cabin are the only proof of human life. Electricity for the town, too, passes through this area, though proof of that is more obscure, underground conduits carrying it where treefalls won't take it out.
Toward the southern end, the forest thins, gradually replaced by scrub brush and grasslands where deer are often found to graze.
Havingt sent Bron a text, saying he's heading out for a hike, Jack's actually not riding - he's walking, with Goblin along (and Fairy flying over head). Troll gets the day off, as he's worked hard all day yesterday. Today, Jack gets to enjoy the trails as a civilian, and if Bronwyn wants to meet up - well, here he is at the promised time he said he would be here. There's a shelter along the trail here, offering a barbecue pit and a simple roof and walls construction with one side fully open, benches around the fire pit. He takes a seat and leaves his backpack on the side, already sweaty even if it's early morning; it promises to be a very nice day.
Bronwyn likes to keep her appointments and so she is there on time, walking down the trail with her backpack and perspiration on her skin. She's dressed properly for what she is doing...as always. Spotting Jack she offers him a smile in greeting...a slightly embarrassed smile. "Hey. How are you doing?" she asks, lifting off her pack and placing it on the ground. A soft laugh before she adds, "Why do I feel like this meeting is something scandalous?"
In truth, Jack wanted to meet because he did NOT want things to be all awkward between the two. But now that she comes up and he stands up watching her, his smile matches hers. Slightly embarassed. "I'm fine," he says, offering over a water bottle if she wants a drink. "Well, damn. I wanted to meet you, so we're all good - and now I realise, I asked you to meet me up here, away from prying eyes. Which just seem... scandalous," he agrees. He grins, shaking his head. "Maybe we should go all out on this and create crazy rumors?"
Bronwyn takes the bottle and enjoys a mouthful before handing it back. "Start rumors?" She has to laugh. "Do we need to start them? I thought they were raging already." She scratches her head for a moment. "But, seriously, I still have no memory of what happened. It occurred to me that we assumed you came over because it was your birthday. Makes sense, right? But I don't even remember that." A shake of her head. "It's just so...frustrating."
"Yes, this place doesn't lack gossip," Jack responds wryly, taking a swig of water too before packing the bottle away in his pack. He frowns, and nods at her, as thoughtful and mystified as she is. "It only makes sense to a certain point. I've never lost memories after drinking. And both of us?" He grimaces. "I think something happened to us. The most reasonable explanation is that someone drugged us. But why? Nothing was taken, right? And why move us into your bed?" He takes a deep breath. "Could be someone messing with me. I've made some enemies in the past."
"You have enemies? That could drug us?" Bronwyn seems a little taken aback at that but he seems a nice guy to her. "If that is the case then I guess we should be thankful we're not dead." A shake of her head. "That doesn't really make sense either. Why would your enemies care about suggesting we slept together? Neither us are married or anything. It's hardly a scandal that will destroy our careers. And, no, nothing is missing." A pause. "Except that knife."
That is more disturbing news than Jack wants to hear. "Yeah... I don't know. Maybe someone that I arrested at some point that just wants to get into my head." He admits it, it doesn't make much sense either, looking helplessly at Bronwyn. But that knife? "So, a knife is missing, we don't remember anything. Now I'm wondering if that knife's gonna show up in a murder case with our prints on it." Paranoid? Well, maybe just a little. "Come on, let's walk and talk," he suggests, lifting his pack up again.
"It's been a week. We would have heard by now" Bronwyn suggests, hefting her bag on amd then heading down the trail alongside Jack. "Or it's gonna show up in my backyard. For all I know we used it to throw at a tree while drunk on your moonshine." She walks in silence for a few moments. "I hope you had a good birthday at least. The bits you remember."
"Yes," Jack says, relieved. "It's probably just mislaid somewhere." He desperately wants there to be a mundane reason for their amnesia, but deep down he suspects there isn't one. He can think of several other supernatural events having taken place, but he keeps mum about /that/. Goblin, having been off adventuring nearby, now rushes in to get scritches from Bronwyn, tail wagging like crazy. Above them, a whiskey jack flits from tree to tree, following along. "I haven't celebrated a birthday in years, so it doesn't matter. I'm glad I spent it with a friend." He glances sideways at her, smiling lopsidedly. "We're both fun drunks. I had a great time, I'm sure."
Bronwyn crouches down to give Goblin some pats and hugs before looking sadly at Jack. "You don't celebrate your birthday? Any reason why not? YOu don't have to tell me." A faint smile. "Though if we're friends..." She stands again to resume walking. "Maybe you should have spent it with your daughter? You might have remembered /that/ good time. But...I'm glad you dropped by too. And if we did have sex, though I don't think we did, I'm sure it was incredible."
"It just didn't seem like such a big deal. I spent it at home, with my dog, or watching a good movie. Solitude. I did have a big party when I turned thirty - my collleagues threw me one," Jack explains, bending down to pick up some candy wrapper. Someone always litters and Jack always picks it up when he sees it. Rising back up, he squints at Bronwyn. "I wish I did remember. I think maybe... that I am shying away from it a bit because I am sort of dating someone. Nothing serious and it's all up in the air if it's going to BE serious. But I'm pretty sure that if I slept with you, things would be more complicated. And at the same time, I'm thinking I wouldn't have regretted it either. Which, honestly makes me a total dog, doesn't it?" He rambles, almost. Not very Jack-like behaviour - he's usually rather level-headed.
"No, it doesn't make you a dog" Bronwyn assures him. "It was a mistake.../if/ it happened. And I'm sort of seeing someone too so..." A shrug to show she is in the same boat. "How about we decide here and now that nothing happened and that we're just friends. I mean, the cabin only has one bedroom so, you know, only one bed. And since we're mature adults and possibly drunk out of our skulls, we shared it. Easy. And since we're mature adults...we slept naked." She purses her lips in thought. "That last bit is the thing we'll have a hard time explaining."
There's a hand offered, at this. "I think that's a deal. And don't worry, about the naked thing. I always sleep naked so for me it makes total sense. If I was drunk, I wouldn't have thought about it being odd," Jack decides. He grins at her, relieved that they've settled with this and agree on it. "Also, it was quite warm last weekend." Goblin? He looks between the two as if he thinks they're both being a bit silly about all of this. The Ranger glances at the dog and says; "No, Goblin. We did NOT 'make puppies'. That's what we're discussing here, and you don't remember either. So just, stop." The dog chuffs and barks once, then runs off to find himself a stick to play with.
Bronwyn stops to shake his hand. "Yeah, I sleep naked too so I guess it does make sense...if we were drunk. Umm...could we have been stoned as well? I...well...I have joint every now and then and for a birthday... Just a thought." A smirk at the comments to the dog. "Does Goblin think I'm a bitch?" she teases before taking a deep breath. "Glad that bit is sorted at least" she smiles. "I'm still looking for that knife though."
"He thinks every woman is a potential litter mate to me," Jack says. This sounds a bit creepy, in truth. Like Jack might be using his dog as a sort of way of hitting at women in a sleezy manner. Except, Jack is absolutely earnest - and he's NOT hitting on Bronwyn. "Ah. Yes. A drug like that would explain a lot, especially if it was very potent. I've seen people get proper amnesia from that." Goblin comes back with a stick, so Jack picks it up and throws it, playing fetch with the dog as the two walk down the trail. "If we were high, that knife is probably out somewhere in the bushes - who knows what we did. I really hope nobody saw us doing more crazy things," he jokes.
"That cabin is in the middle of nowhere" Bronwyn assures him. "We could have been running outside naked and no one would have seen us. Promise" she winks. "Yeah, it's probably in the bushes and I'll have a look around when I get back. A lot of bushes to get through though. How far do you think you can throw?" A smile for Goblin's antics. "Glad we sorted it all out though."
"Right - but also hikers moving around the area. And rangers," Jack says thoughtfully. "But yeah, chances are we weren't seen by anyone. Honestly? It might not be the best of rumors for me if it comes out I was high," he admits with a grimace. Speaking of throwing - he shows by throwing that stick as far as he can - it sails into the forest, quite a distance. "About that far?"
Bronwyn watches the stick disappear into the woods and she has to frown. "Maybe I won't bother looking for the knife" she decides before nodding to his concerns. "I won't say anything about the possibility of you being high. Neither will you. So you better be good to Goblin. I hope it works out with this possible girlfriend of yours...or boyfriend."
"Ditto," Jack says and then, he's companionably quiet as the two speed up and walks upwards towards the mountain for a nice hiking day. There's going to be a picnic along the way, chatting about this and that, work, friends, plans for the future. Just a nice normal day hiking...
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