He licks his lips, but I tell him no. “Go, shoo! Get dressed!”
Jasper laughs, gulps down the remains of his tea, and with a piece of toast between his teeth, he leaves. With a big smile on my face, I spread some butter on a piece of toasted bread myself, and tears well up in my eyes. A single one makes its way down my cheek, as a sense of happiness flows through my soul, like a tremor of delight I didn’t think I would ever feel. My love for him grows endlessly, even when I think my heart is whole. He is the hymn my heart endlessly chants.
“Alright, Starling, ready?”
Startled, I turn around, and a piece of half-chewed toast drops from my mouth. He looks stunning in his black pants and sweater, all strapped in, as if he just stepped out of a session ofShibari. My voice catches before it forms, and I crane my neck as he steps into my space, towering over me.
“Let’s go,” he whispers dangerously low.
We ignore the piece of bread on the floor, a worry for later, and I follow closely behind him. Together, we march into the woods, a big backpack slung over his shoulders, and knives strapped to his thighs. These grounds are his, and he’s allowed to hunt, though only animals, not humans, but no one will question him. It’s early morning, and dawn is upon us, the air chilly as we hike for several hours. I don’t want to seem weak to Jasper, but I almost drop to my knees when he decides it’s time for a break. I do my best not to desperately inhale lungs full of air, but instead I try to breathe through my nose. I want to chug the water Jasper offers me in one go, but I know that would only make me vomit it all back up. Instead, impatiently, I take small sips and bite into a banana.
“Where are we going anyway?” I huff, doing my best to hide the shortness of breath.
“We go to the edge of my land, Starling. People often don’t know these woods are privately owned, and they’ll set up camp. Not knowing the forest as I do, it makes it easier to catch them.”
“What about them becoming a missing person?” I ask, puzzled.
“That’s exactly what they become, my love.Missing.Another camper lost in the wilderness, possibly taken by a wild animal or perhaps a serial killer. No one knows because they never leave my grounds. Eventually, most people forget about them.”
Jasper shrugs.
“There are wild animals here?” I look around me, suddenly awfully aware that we’re alone and any creature could decide we're the prey and pounce.
“Yeah, bears, wolves, you name it.” Seeing my shocked face, he smiles. “Don’t worry, my love, nothing is going to happen. I’m here with you, and as long as we don’t step into their paths, it’s fine. We don’t bother them, they don’t bother us. Simple.”
“Simple,” I whisper back.
Jasper puts the water flask back and drops the banana peel on the ground. Soon, the first insect crawls onto it and starts to munch, its tiny black body scurrying around. A sudden whiff catches my attention, and I no longer pay attention to Earth's little cleaners. I point my nose into the air and sniff. The scent is strange, a combination of thick sweetness and decay, like spoiled fruit left on the windowsill for too long, combined with the smell of overdue chicken. Something dead is near us. I get up and spin my body, trying to catch the hint of rot that assaulted my nostrils. Jasper gazes at me in fascination, and I feel my cheeks flush. I must look ridiculous, a city princess acting as if I can scout the wilderness surrounding us, tracing the smell, but I can’t help myself. The smell is demanding my attention.
“It lies over there,” he says, smiling.
He guides me to a deer carcass that lies not too far away from us. Most parts of its flesh have perished. Maggots and several species of beetles, like carrion and dermestid beetles, feast on the rotting meat that’s still attached to the ribcage. Flies eagerly lay eggs, as if the pool of writhing maggots isn’t enough yet. Half of the animal’s skull is visible, with patches of rancid flesh and fur hanging on; its eyeballs are dried up and sunken into the eye sockets.
I take out my phone and start taking pictures. First, the skull, then the mangled legs and hooves, followed by the rotting organs within the cage of ribs and dried flesh. Crisp, dead leaves are the ultimate background for decor. After a few minutes, Ino longer smell the putrid stench that surrounds the dead body, and I take a deep breath.
The breaking of a branch startles me, and I see Jasper spin on his heel as well, shielding me with his body as I’m still crouched down. I crane my neck around his frame to see who’s there.
A young man appears in my vision—blond hair, blue eyes, a sun-kissed tan—definitely an outdoors type. His eyes widen in relief when he spots us, and upon closer inspection, I see the dirt clinging to his cargo pants and mud smears on his face. I stand up and move behind Jasper. A malicious grin spreads across my face as I peek at the man from behind him.
“Are you lost by any chance?” I ask, my voice as sweet as cotton candy.
The man nods. “Yes, hi, I’m Patrick. I’ve been roaming these woods for hours. I went off the hiking trail and wasn’t able to find my way back. I’m so relieved to see other people.”
“We were just taking a break from our own hike,” Jasper says, his tone predatory, and I feel my heart rate increase. “If you want, we have water.”
Jasper grabs the water flask and offers it to Patrick, who hasn’t moved closer yet, his eyes darting between me, Jasper, and the dead, rotting deer behind us.
“What were you two doing?” The words are wary, as if Patrick begins to realize he might be in peril.
“Hiking, just like you. Water?” Jasper says, holding out the flask to him, the water sloshing to the sides from the movement.
Unsure, Patrick glances from Jasper to me, as if I can save him in this moment. I feel adrenaline rushing through my body, my senses are heightened, and I’m restless. I want him to run, like the prey he is, and for a moment, I’m shocked by my ownthoughts. He takes a step back, and it’s the words spoken by Jasper that make Patrick spin on his heels and sprint away.
“Run,” Jasper hisses as he stretches his arms and cracks his neck.
Leaves crunch as twigs and branches splinter, while Patrick throws himself into flight, darting into the tree line. Jasper waits a few seconds, watching Patrick and the direction he’s heading.
“Come, Starling,” he says, laughter bursting from his throat.
