A Camping Trip With Isak

[colonelcannibal]

 *Ives is enjoying himself tremendously. It's been too long since he went camping, doing so again is a lot of fun--especially with a friend. (The fact that he has a friend is pretty amazing all by itself.) He enjoys pointing things out, and enjoys even more when Isak notices things for himself.*

We can go fishing tomorrow, if you would like? Or just swim, one way or the other.

Comments

[isak_cederstrom]

"I will be okay with the left over fish here, and the rest of the fish I purchased for the week," Isak said with a laugh. "And the food that I brought, as well."

[colonelcannibal]

Well, that's the sane part of the answer . . .

[isak_cederstrom]

"I know, I am no fun," Isak replied with a playfully solemn shake of his head. He held his whiskey glass up and gave it a little shake. "Get more of this into me, and I loosen up."

[colonelcannibal]

Well, I suppose that's fair. *He takes a sip of his own, then goes to check on his disturbing meal.*

[isak_cederstrom]

Isak was a bit startled at the fact that the "meat" the Colonel was cooking smelled more or less like some kind of wild game. Venison, perhaps. It could even disguise itself as beef. It was a weird thing to discover. He finished up the rest of his whiskey and poured himself another three fingers' worth. He went to the front door and went to stand outside in the fresh air, breathing deeply and sighing happily.

[colonelcannibal]

*It looks like pork, almost, aside from the horrible grasping fingers. He'll be kind, though, and eat those quickly enough that Isak doesn't have to look at them.*

Nothing quite like the long sort of pork to make me feel better.

[isak_cederstrom]

Isak glanced over his shoulder at Ives from the doorway. He caught a quick glimpse of the fingers and felt a slight lurch in his stomach before he turned back around and took another sip of the whiskey.

"As long as you happy and enjoying yourself, that is what matters," he said, braving another look. He was relieved to see the fingers gone by that point, so he came back and stood near the table, leaning against the wall.

[colonelcannibal]

I appreciate the sentiment. It can't be easy for you to, ah, accept. Can it?

*His meal looks almost normal now, the only hint of the truth being the sinister glint in his eyes.*

[isak_cederstrom]

"It is easy to accept," Isak said, swirling his whiskey around in the glass, "When I think about it in terms of survival. The rabbit does not like that the fox has to eat it, but it has no choice. The fox has to survive, just as the rabbit will eat the grass to survive. I see no difference except for the type of animal."

[colonelcannibal]

But that's not likely to make the rabbit feel any better, is it? You're in the lion's den now, lad, and the fact that the lion likes you doesn't make it any less of a lion. *He takes another bite, savoring his meal--which is kind of horrific, really, if you think about it for long.* I might not kill you myself, but . . . lets just say that I would hate to waste you.

[isak_cederstrom]

"The rabbit does not have to like it. The rabbit merely has to accept it. The fox may eat it, it may not. The rabbit merely has to acknowledge and understand the risk of possibility."

[colonelcannibal]

I'm glad that you have managed to accept, at least. Humans are no longer used to being anywhere but the very top of the food chain . . .

[isak_cederstrom]

"I won't lie and say that it is still a little unsettling, but when I think of it in those types of terms, it is easier to understand and easier to accept. We do a good enough job of destroying each other that the risk of being eaten should not be that surprising."

So I found a James Taylor song that fits this guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HbnOJvaLmA

[colonelcannibal]

For what it's worth, I would savor you. I always do, with people I like.

Probably not worth much, but it's hopefully better than nothing.

URL didn't work ..

[isak_cederstrom]

"I will -- ehm, do my best to take that as a compliment," Isak replied with a slightly uneasy chuckle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HbnOJvaLmA should work, its just not capitalizing right oO

[colonelcannibal]

Making you uncomfortable, am I? Well well, good to know that you have a survival instinct around here somewhere. I was starting to wonder. *He smiles, looking mildly relieved, and then rather unhelpfully goes back to eating.* Mmm, I think our meals have both turned out very well.

[isak_cederstrom]

"A bit, yes. Not enough to make me go running, but yes." Isak finished off the last of his whiskey and set the glass down on the counter. "I think -- Well." He went quiet for a few moments, glancing down to the ground. "I think sometimes that I used my survival instinct up at too young an age. And that is why it is not strong as it used to be." He gave a bit of a shrug. "I am glad you enjoyed yourself," he replied with a very faint smile. "Thank you for inviting me again."

[colonelcannibal]

May I ask what happened to cause that, or is it something you'd rather not think about more than you have to?

You're most welcome. It gets rather lonely out here, after all. Which is my own fault, admittedly, but I can't help that.

[isak_cederstrom]

Isak considered the Colonel's question for a few moments, wondering how much he wanted to reveal. It had nothing to do with Ives himself, but rather Isak's own inability to discuss certain things with those he did not know painfully well. Even then, he was very discerning. Still, it wasn't as though Ives was going to judge him for anything; he knew that by now. He went and grabbed his whiskey glass, poured himself another, and sat at the table across from Ives. He fiddled with the glass while he spoke.

"I -- I am not comfortable going into a lot of detail, but -- I will say that it is because of my father. He is not and has not been a very -- good person." He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "When I was quite young, he was all right enough, though he was not home very often. He is the CEO of the largest bank in Sweden, and so work took priority over his family." The exact opposite of the culture of the country. "But then as I grew older, he became more and more angry. Mean. Little things would set him off. He enjoyed throwing things to -- I guess alleviate some of his anger or stress. His favorite were crystal glasses. Walls had to be patched and repainted many times from where he'd throw things or punch them. One time, in the dining room, he threw a glass against the wall while I was standing nearby. Shrapnel shot out and hit me all over my body." He pointed to the scar on his cheekbone and pulled his collar away to reveal the one along his collarbone. "All I remember is the pain and the blood. There was so much of it, from what I can remember. I remember crying, trying to pick the pieces out of the cuts." His face is flushed a shade of pink now as he remembers. "He did not apologize. He simply walked out of the room. My barnskötare heard me crying and brought me to the hospital so I could receive stitches." He took a long, deep sip of the whiskey and set the glass back down. He cleared his throat and shifted in the seat. "There were other incidents. But -- that is why. I had learn to learn how to survive that. How to survive him."

[colonelcannibal]

Well well. A man who can walk away from his own child, in pain that he caused . . . a good man would not be so cruel even to his own dog.

Not that I'm a good man by any means, but if I had a child I would probably be an overprotective father. I know what's out there, after all.

[isak_cederstrom]

"He was considerably nicer to the dogs," Isak replied, bitterness in his words. He took a long sip of whiskey and set the glass down with a bit of force. "I still do not know the extent of what he did to my mother. But I made sure that he never laid a hand on me or my siblings ever again. Not after that happened." Of course, Isak did leave to go to the States for university, but he was still working through that guilt. "I did the best that I could," he added, his voice a whisper, his gaze lost in the whiskey.

[colonelcannibal]

Made quite sure, did you now?

[isak_cederstrom]

"Quite sure of what?" Isak asked, lifting his eyes to meet Ives'.

[colonelcannibal]

That you didn't have to deal with him ever again . . .

[isak_cederstrom]

"My father is still alive," Isak said, deciding to leave out the word 'unfortunately,' though it was what he felt. "Though his health is not very good at the moment. It may not be long before he passes."