2031
The mornings had become comfortable. There was a definite routine. There were dumb questions about the hot water. Questions about who could take up the most bathroom counter space. It had happened quickly. And Jacinda liked it. The idea of having a permanent hunting partner felt more doable. Natural even. As long as it was with Jill.
The night had seen a blanket of fresh snow fall, at least a foot. Fresh enough that it made that perfect compressing sound when you walked on it. Not the crystalized freeze refreeze sludge that happened after the second or third day.
Jacinda had her leather jacket and jeans on, along with a scarf. She grew up in southern Colorado. She knew cold- and this was comfortable.
Jill had a relaxed look as she drove them to the Lumberjack's Mill. The building had a large wooden carving that reminded her of the bear back home. Though this was of a bearded man with a massive axe on his shoulder. The restaurant also had rough hewn logs as part of its outer walls, also similar.
It was very familiar and comforting in one sense. But disturbing in another. She and Regan had been there a few days before they left. A week or two before he had died and she was suddenly on her own.
The day that her heart had died and had been freed. Free to live as she pleased. Dead, since she would never let a man get close to her like that again.
She shook off the deja vu. The place was every bit as good as Jill said. She ate heartily, enjoying the atmosphere. It did remind her of home. And she realized how much she missed it. Missed Regan. Missed companionship.
Jill seemed far more alive. Jacinda almost asked if she had makeup on. She didn't, clearly. But she was definitely on. Vibrant. It was this place.
Sitting at the table, stomachs full and full of energy, Jacinda said "Well? What do you want to do?"
Jill looked at her, then stopped to think. "There's a lot of things. What do you feel like?"
Jacinda answered, "Well I'm not as young as you. I'll need to work off that breakfast. Hiking? Skiing?"
Jill looked thoughtful. "Yeah. Definitely. There's good hiking around here. And...heh. One I never got up the nerve to try....the Treetop Extreme Adventures. High up in the trees...a zipline." Jill looked a bit nervous.
And Jacinda took the obvious bait. "Well clearly that's what we do, then." A smile to show she wanted it to be fun.
And Jill seemed game, even if hesitation colored her face. Like she wanted Jacinda to push her. The place wasn't on Mt Humphrey or on any other of the San Francisco Peaks. She had listened enough to Jill to know that for a native, any native- Navajo, Hopi, Yavapai, or any other- recreation on the sacred peaks was a desecration of holy ground.
Not that she believed in that. She didn't believe in anything. But Jill did. And she spoke with so much respect. For the land. The people. The traditions. The stories. Even tribes that were traditional enemies were spoken of with honor. For belief. There was a sense of humility that Jacinda felt...was a beautiful thing. Maybe because it was so alien to her. So yeah, it mattered to Jill. And that's what mattered to her.
The Extreme Adventures were in the foothills, though still high up. Trees had been connecred by cables and ropes, single timber walk ways, hanging ladders, and zip lines. Yeah, there were cables and harnesses. But going against that was a hundred thousand years of evolution. 400 feet up, stepping off into the air, held by the strength of your grip and arms....well, safety harnesses or not, fear was a real response you felt down to your sphinctor.
But Jacinda had learned to jump into the fear years ago, to seize it like she would strangle it. Sometimes, it was just believing. The realization that she wasn't gonna die. But other times, it was her stubbornness. Refusing to let fear stop her. The way she hadn't long ago, handcuffed in that cabin waiting for a pack of rougs to come and rape her for however many years. She still had the scar on her wrist, one of pride. The way she drove off into that night, alone and terrified, a child trying to find her way in the vast worls. But she fucking did it.
She would never run from fear.
So they jumped from tree to tree, climbed the ladders, swung from cable to cable. Until finally they were at the highest point. From here Jacinda could see the zipline. It ran for at least a couple miles. She felt her heart flutter at the sight. It was the X-treme Zip, as they called it. Highest level. And she felt that churning in her gut, the hunger to defeat the challenge before her.
"I'm not sure," Jill said hesitantly. Her face said 'hell no!' The crisp cold air was pure, laden with pine. Jacinda felt her nostrils flair as she breathed in deeply, as if it were an alcohol she were inhaling. It fired her blood.
Her breath misted, voice strong, "You can do this, Jill. It's safe. Trust me." Jill looked at her, warring plain on her face. Jacinda took her hand and her arm and pulled her close. "You are so much stronger than you think, Jill. You are!! You can do this." On a whim she pulled her closer and hugged her, their bodies tight. An idea occurred to her.
A question to the attendent later and Jacinda strapped in, then moved Jill in front of her. The attendant strapped her in, looping their handholds together, as well as made sure they were hooked in tight to each other.
Jill's helmet was in front of her face and she had to yell. "You ready?" Jill was still, then gave a thumbs up. God, she was awesome!
And then they were free, flying through the tops of the trees, hair blowing with the wind. The bright blue sky above, the white painted ground below, green tree fingers of the earth reaching out to catch them. Jill's whoops filled her ears, the feel of her in front of her, between her legs, the warmth and solidity of this woman. The cold air filled her nose and played against her face.
It was glorious.
They hit the ground amid spraying snow, laughing, and, when unhooked, rolling and wrestling with the pent up adrenaline from the fall. And then there came a point where Jacinda was partly above Jill, looking down at her, feeling the press of their bodies together, laughing with delight at the crazed smile on her face, when a familiar sensation crept up on her.
And she recognized it. God damn!
She was shocked and pulled away immediately- perhaps too quickly. Thankfully, Jill was riding high on endorphins and didn't notice the sudden movement or what it might mean..
On the ride back down, Jacinda was quiet, all the pieces clicking into place. Well...huh...hmm... her mind churned, as if caught in a loop. This was not something she expected. But it all finally made sense.
I didn't see that coming. The idea she was attracted to Jill didn't bother her. It was just new. To her anyway. It was just...She simply had never looked at women like that before. For her, attraction had always meant men. And men meant Regan. The standard. Natural. Habit, maybe.
But realizing she was sexually attracted to a woman was surprising. And she was curious. She found herself sneaking peeks at Jill. Found herself wondering if she had felt the same thing. A burning sensation seemed to kindle in her stomach, anxious and hungry and scared. All new. Yeah, she was curious, now that she understood. Curious and excited.
But she didn't want to play games with Jill. The woman had been hurt enough. She wasn't some horny guy she could shine on, use, and then drop. And yet the idea of blowing her off, of holding her at arm's length, of getting superficial with Jill, bothered her too.
Neither was something she could do.
But opening up to someone....taking that chance. Already, she had let her guard down. She couldn't- shouldn't- take it further.