Chapter Text
I always hated hiking. So why did I let myself be convinced by my friend Sara to join her on her Scotland hiking trip? Shit!
It's already day three of our trip and my feet are killing me. She's about half a mile ahead while I'm struggling to keep up with her - after all I'm not the fittest person. Well, at least she's carrying our equipment.
We've been on our feet again since 9 o'clock this morning which - I check my clock - has been nearly three hours. Without break. Gosh, I'm really starting to hate Scotland.
There's nothing but green hills dotted with yellow whin and the occasional sheep. I hate sheep!
"Sara!" I'm thirsty and I need a break. "SARA!" She keeps pressing on. She's read about a reindeer herd living up here somewhere and we're currently searching for that. Fucking great!
"What? You're really starting to annoy me, Emily."
"Sorry, that I'm thirsty after three ours of running through the middle of nowhere."
"Right. Sorry." She's taking the backpack down and pulling out a bottle of water for each of us.
Exhausted I let myself fall into the grass next to the trail.
"What are you doing?"
"It's almost 12. Time for a break."
"Well, according to my map there's a resting area about half an hour ahead of us. Can you make it there?" Her tone is mocking and I'd love to punch her. Not everyone's got mile long legs and size zero.
"Sure." I slowly get back up and in no time we're walking again.
Haven't I been sick of going on holiday alone I'd probably haven't agreed to this trip in the first place. But I've been single for ages and I don't always want to go on holidays with my mum. Don't get me wrong, she's great and I like her, but after a few days she gets under my skin. So when Sara suggested this trip I was up for it thinking it would be a bit more cultural sightseeing and less hiking...
Again she's way ahead and I just don't care any longer as I think about my boring life. What am I doing wrong?
I've got a job I'm not overly fond of, my flat isn't all that nice and I got close to no friends. Am I that weird? Well, it's always been hard for me to open up to new people but once one knows me...
Unfortunately not many people seem to want to make the effort to get to that point.
Wiping a tear from my eye I suddenly see two lambs playing only a few feet away. So cute.
"Sara!" I wave at her and when she turns I point towards the little, fluffy creatures. They're too cute. Running about and driving their mother nuts as it looks. I could watch them all day but eventually they're tired and fall into the high grass.
With a smile on my face I turn around again only to see there's no sign of Sara.
"Sara?!" Light panic overcomes me and I start to run hoping I'll see her again as soon as I reach the next hill. Panting hard I look in all directions but other than a forest ahead I can't see anything. "SARA!"
Fuck! Where is she?!
Like mad I storm down the hill and into the forest occasionally shouting her name but there's no answer other than the occasional bird chirping. Shit, shit, shit, shit!
I don't know how long I've been following the trail but as I check my watch and see it's already past 1 o'clock I start to panic even more. My thighs and lungs are burning and sweat is running down my body. "Sara!"
As I turn the next corner I feel slightly relieved as there is the resting area and a map, however, no Sara. Fuck it! I need a break!
With a thud I fall onto the bench. Fuck! Sara's got the water and food. Fucking shit!
"SARA!"
Wiping the sweat off my forehead I think about what to do. The map! Getting up I study it but as I've got no clue where we were heading I quickly decide to just walk back the way I came. Maybe I won't see reindeer that way but I'll get back to the B&B near Aviemore that way.
After a few more minutes rest I walk back the way I came looking forward to a hot bath. I'm in good spirit for the next 15 minutes walking uphill until I come to a parting of the trails. Has that other one been there earlier already? Fuck!
Scratching my head I remember I've been walking facing the sun, so the most logic is to take the trail where I'll have the sun on my back. Great! I'll be home in no time.
I keep walking and walking until I'm finally out of the forest again and heading up the hill I've lost Sara on. Good. I'm on the right way.
It's still too early for many tourists and the previous days we haven't bumped into many hikers either, so that's nothing unusual. Well, the silence is nice for a change anyway.
Still thinking I'm going in the right direction I abruptly stop when I come upon a bridge leading over a small creek. There was no creek on the way we came. No, no, no, no no!
Have I been heading the wrong way the entire time?
Up ahead is another hill and I decide to go up on it and check if I can see something familiar from there. But of course all there is are green hills, yellow whin, white sheep and blue sky. Well, that's not true, I suddenly realise. On my right there's a huge dark wall of clouds. Seriously?!
As quickly as possible I head back and by the time the first raindrops fall I'm back at the parting. Of course the few droplets soon turn into a downpour and my rain jacket is in Sara's backpack. Great. Just fucking great!
Shaking like a leave I notice with shock that it's already 5 o'clock. Fuck! And it took about three hours to get to the forest! If only Sara hadn't insisted on leaving our phones back at the B&B...
I keep heading uphill and finally reach the top only to realise that it's still not the way we came as there's a fence. Fuck! Tears start streaming down my face as something crosses my mind. If there's a fence, there might be someone living here!
I've been following the fence for about an hour now and there's still no house or anything. The rain has soaked my clothes through and I'm freezing. At least I could gather some rain in my palm and drink it.
It's slowly getting dark when I suddenly see a roof peeking over a hill. Yes! I'm saved!
To get to it, however, I have to climb over the fence and of course - clumsy me - my foot gets caught when I'm almost over, I stumble and fall flat on my face.
"Oww!" I whimper as my wrist catches most of my weight, plus the barbed wire has scratched a deep wound into my left leg. Typical.
Limping I cross the field only to step into cow shit. Great. But finally the house is getting closer. I get faster and faster as I near the house and finally there's the last hill separating me from my salvation.
"Hello?! I'm Emily Walters. I..." I already start shouting hoping someone hears me but when I see that it's not a house but a barn in front of me I just want to cry.
"Mooooo." Cows! Well, at least I will be out of the rain...
I walk round the barn only to see it's half open and there are like ten Highland Cows hiding from the rain. God, I hope they won't spear me with those long horns.
"Hey guys." I slowly near them making sure not to move too quickly. "Do you think I can get in there with you guys?"
"Moooooo!" One of them is turning its head towards me as I step closer. I can already feel the heat radiating off them. Good. As they are all facing the field I brush past them into the back corner of the barn where I can see hay in the dim light. It's rather cosy in here and exhausted, hungry and thirsty I fall into the sweet smelling hay.
Closing my eyes I wonder if someone will find me here when suddenly something startles me. I nearly scream thinking the cows might trample me or something when I see a super cute little calf standing next to me.
"Oh! Scared me there for a moment, cuty." It's getting even closer and before I know it, it's licking over my face. Giggling I reach for it's head and pet it.
"Mooooo!" A big one's approaching as well and the calf answers with a sort of bleating that sounds more than a goat or sheep than a cow.
"Mooooo!" The calf turns towards the big one and buries its head underneath it.
"Ahhhh. That's your mummy, isn't it?"
Suddenly I realise just how hungry and thirsty I am, plus that I haven't peed the entire day.
"Right. Up you get, Emily." Not wanting to piss into the hay I drag myself up again and passing the furry bundle I sneak outside and around the corner where I tug down my jeans, crouch down and piss. God, I've never thought peeing could feel so good.
Once done I get back up under the protest of my thighs. I'll have the worst muscle soreness ever in the morning.
Wanting to tug up my jeans again I soon figure it's not that easy as the wet fabric is sticking to my thighs. Great. After struggling for a bit I've finally managed to pull them back up but no matter how hard I try the button doesn't close. Well, fuck it. Nobody's here except the cows anyway.
Once back inside I see the calf is still drinking and I figure I would die for a glass of warm milk. "Would you share with me, buddy?" I sink to the ground next to it but it's not to be disturbed. Well, how hard can it be to milk a cow.
Reaching for one of the teat I tug which earns me an annoyed "Mooo!"
"Shit. Sorry." Mummy is staring at me but doesn't move away, so I try again a bit more gentle and I actually manage to get a few droplets out. Like that I continue and manage to drink a few handfuls of warm milk.
Unfortunately the calf is done a few moments later which makes mummy cow walk away. Great.
Crawling back over to the hay I lie down. I'm still cold but at least feel a bit better. There is that bleating again and as I blink my eyes I see the calf standing next to me before it's lying down cuddling it's warm fluffy body against me as if it knows that I'm cold.
"Thank you, buddy. That's nice."
I wrap an arm around the fluffy thing and slowly drift off...