Chase The Aurora

“Well, that was dramatic, Jesus!” Simon remarks.

As he watches my dog Parker, trip and tumble down the stairs like an out of control avalanche, in excitement to see him, walk through the front door.

 “Oh fantastic your here! Are the others ready?? I ask.

Let’s go!

“Yes there all outside, Jennifer don’t forget your camera!” Simon shouts to me.

“Okay, I’m just looking for my old lenses!” God dam it! The mess of which I call my bedroom, has now come back to haunt me!

How do I manage to lose everything, in five minutes?!?

“Ah I found them!” I shout with no one left in the house to reply, apart from Parker, whose now quite fearful of the stairs! “Your legs weren’t built for this life, my boy,” I add, he smiles as I pat him on the head.

I grab my yellow sweater

and start shovelling all my gear into my leather bag, quickly running out the door.

Hey! hey! What happened to “never leave a man behind?!” I shout. Those bloody bastards!

“Seriously Wait up guys!”

 I follow the noise of the others up ahead, until finally catching up.

The full moonlight reflecting of the white snow, certainly helping us navigate through the darkness,

this time.

Where are we all going, you ask? ...

Well, every year in late autumn, we chase the Aurora through the Nordic Sky. Until we reach our favorite camp spot, passing through the local forest to get there.

It’s about a 5 mile walk from our small town here

 In Sweden, which most of us grew up in. Our families migrated from England, during the logging boom, here in the early eighties, let’s just say they needed the money!

It’s around this part of the trip, especially now that we are much older, that the first sip of our good friend ...whisky, usually comes out.

“Hey Jennifer, remember that old swing we built, when we were around 7? The rope is still hanging over there, we have to rebuild it one day!” Thomas comments, pointing to our left, near an old branch covered in snow.

“Of course, I remember! You say this every year and every year I agree, but tell me what happens Tom ....?“

 We both look at each other with a smirk.

“Yeh alright Jen, now shut up and take a drink, your dry mouth sod.” The group starts laughing, as he passes me the flask.

Sophie quickly turns to the group, “guys be quiet! Can you here that??

I think we have company tonight,” and with a evil smile, she turns around and marches ahead.

“You mean the wolves? Good, I’m glad!

Maybe they like whiskey and s’mores and perhaps we can ride them home tomorrow, when we all hungover, on deaths door. Save the walk?” I add.

“Now you’re talking Jen,

But I think I’d rather to ride a bear, i prefer comfort over speed,” Corey adds.

“Still doesn’t explain your right awful haircut, though does it Corey? Did your mum want you to look like a twat, or was that specifically what you were going for??

You look like Fredrick who owns the rug shop intown and we all know, a man with that many rugs... is hiding something! ” Thomas replies.

“Okay, okay, I get it guys, just leave poor Frederick out of it. You know he hasn’t been the same since his wife left!” Corey replies.

 “Did she leave or disappear?” Thomas questions

“Yeh someone better check under those rugs!” Sophie remarks

“Haha ok enough with the conspiracies, anyway I think my mother did a cracking job, with my hair. At least she didn’t cut my ears off, besides It’s lockdown guys, who have I got to impress?. I’ve got more chance with a muskrat, then any girls in this bloody town!”. Corey adds… and he was right. He hadn’t had much luck with the women for a while and it was mating season for the muskrat.

 Finally, we arrive at the clearing of our campsite.

“Thank god!” I thankfully drop all my heavy gear onto the ground and stretch my arms.

“I swear Jen, like mother like daughter, every time I see your mum in town, she’s carrying around 10 bags on each arm, like she’s marry bloody Poppins and your worse!”

“Thanks Sophie, what can I say my families been carrying this town for generations! Now let’s grab some wood for the fire, before you complain about the cold again.”

 We both race off, to find something we can burn, in between the distant howls and echoes of the wind that chase through trees.

As we sit around the newly built fire, we start to sing a few drunken tunes, from our childhood. Cleary part of our ridiculously ongoing tradition!

“Three cheers to winter,

What feels like a splinter,

Lord knows it might kill ya,

So pour me a drink!

And if i die hastily,

From pork rum and pastry,

The heavens shall chase me,

So pour meeeee

A

Drinkkkkk!!!!”

We all shout.

Almost falling into the fire as will spill our baileys and whiskey with laughter.

“Sophie, Sophie please tell me you brought your camera!? I think we need a group photo, before we can’t stand anymore ha-ha.” Thomas joyfully shouts.

 “I didn’t, but Jen did!

She also brought her whole house with her if you want anything?” Sophie jokes. “Oh, how I missed you all” I sarcastically reply

“I second that Jen” Corey adds

“Just Make sure you get the tripod so you can be in the photo, because as much as I’d love a cheap looking selfie with the bears, that may or may not be watching us right now... i think we could use your photography skills on this one!

 Plus, we can send it to max, who bailed on us today, you know, rub it in a bit!”

“Yeh that little grub, he’ll regret this! To busy with his new friends, I guess.” Thomas remarks while overcooking his marshmallow.

“Ah bollocks! He’ll never replace us, I mean look at us!” Sophie mumbles, while attempting to poor wine, into a nonexistent glass.

“Brilliant alright, let me get my legs under me, for a second, I’ll grab the camera! ” I say, stumbling over to my backpack, to grab the camera gear.

 “Okay guys, we are good to go for the photo! Now, I have it set on a timer...so we have ten seconds!” I shout.

We all squeeze up against each other, pulling hideous faces to attempt to appear half sober. “Okay everyone in 3, 2, 1 “

(Flash)