Eleven
The snow was still falling as I left for the sauna, piling up against the door and weighing down the trees. Stalactites on stalactites hung precariously from the roof and the wind howled as the blizzard swirled overhead.
I couldn’t imagine the storm stopping anytime soon. Although staying longer didn’t seem half so bad now the cabin was warm and cosy. In fact, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go anywhere for a while. But I’d make an exception for the sauna.
My tankini with the missing jigsaw pieces seemed inappropriate under the circumstances, but it was the best of a bad bunch. Ordinarily I liked a cheeky flash of flesh on holiday, but it was out of place here and felt ridiculous. I’d layered my thermals on and had less than five seconds before I started sweating, so I pulled my hood up to protect my hair and got ready for a cold, dark walk. My phone torch wasn’t much use, but at least it was a light in the mist as I kept my head down and walked into the wind. Into nothingness. And I suddenly felt vulnerable on my own in the middle of a strange forest.
Man, or bear?Man, or bear???
I was half considering turning back when a turquoise umbrella bobbed towards me, hiding whoever was behind it.
‘Hello?’ I called.
Henrik peeked around the side with a smile, looking like a Teletubby in his red snowsuit. ‘Hei, Sara. Are you joining us for Fire and Ice?’
‘Yes,’ I shouted into the wind. ‘I was just on my way.’
‘Great! I am accompanying guests down as the weather is so bad. We don’t want anyone to fall.’ He held out his umbrella and nodded me under, which I was grateful for on behalf of my blow-dry. What was left of it, anyway.
‘Norwegian service,’ he said, offering me his arm. I tucked in tight to make it easier for us to bundle along together. Henrik’s snowsuit was soft and puffy, but I could still feel his arm through the feathers. It almost felt like he was flexing under my grip. Muscular and taut, he was holding me up as I skittered on the ice. My boots were designed more for style than practicality, but they looked cute, so no regrets. I’d just have to watch my step.
‘The Swedes do it differently, eh?’
‘Oh, yes. It’s extremely poor over there.’ He smiled. ‘You won’t get door-to-door service in Sweden.’
‘I’ll let you know when I get there.’
‘These are for you, too,’ Henrik said, holding out two sachets. ‘Hand warmers.’
And they were already hot. ‘Oh wow,’ I said, popping them into my gloves and immediately feeling better.
‘Nice, huh? They help distract from the rest of the cold.’
‘Amazing,’ I said, shuddering. ‘How far is it to the sauna pods?’
‘Five minutes’ walk from here. They are next to the lake. Well, it’s a lake in the summer. Right now, it’s an ice-skating rink.’
Each step felt precarious as my boots tried to get some traction. I leant my head into Henrik’s shoulder and trusted him to lead the way as the wind tried to push us back. He was strong, so I wasn’t worried I’d fall, but I had to stay focused. A sauna seemed entirely frivolous given the circumstances, but Iwassupposed to be on holiday – I couldn’t sit inside all day reading.
Henrik stopped and left me to balance on my own while he opened the door, then he took my hand and led me into the calm and warm.
‘Another bird in the nest,’ Celeste said as I pulled back my hood. ‘That’s three of us, then.’
Celeste and Will were sat in matching Dry Robes cradling hot chocolates, ready to go.
‘Hey, you two,’ I said, anxiously eyeing their outfits and feeling entirely underprepared. I only had my towel from the cabin to cover up with.
‘I think three is going to be it for today,’ Henrik said. ‘I’m impressed by all of your commitment to wellness.’
I was immediately suspicious at that.Commitmentandwellnessas buzzwords didn’t do it for me. Even though we were going for a sauna – and a sauna was a sauna, surely? – I could sense some kind of socially embarrassing test was coming.
‘The saunas can be seen through the window, over there,’ Henrik said, pointing in the direction of some fairy lights. ‘I suggest that instead of swimming today, we run from here to the sauna for our first burst of ice. Then two minutes in the sauna and back outside for two minutes. Repeat, repeat, repeat.’
And there it was. I’d been tricked, again. Henrik saw my face and thought I was disappointed.
‘Unless you want to do the swim?’ he said.
As if.The wind looked about ready to pull the trees up by their roots and start hurling them around. ‘No, no. I’m good, thanks.’
