winter in greenland

Tango woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, the raging wind that had been raging before had stopped at some point, and the surroundings were quiet, only a slight rustling sound could be heard.The flame of the alcohol stove next to it was adjusted to the darkest, casting a huge and distorted shadow on the opposite tent wall.August's sleeping bag was empty, and the curtains of the tent had been drawn a slit, casting a blank light near his feet.

He sat up from his sleeping bag, put on his coat almost subconsciously, opened the tent and walked out.

The wind stopped, but the snow was still falling, and the ground was a blur of white.

The sky was dark blue, and snowflakes floated down from the sky lightly, and then fell on the ice field with an incredible softness.As gentle as a pure kiss.

August stood tens of yards in front of him, wondering what he was thinking, and didn't notice him coming out.

Dan didn't step forward, didn't make a sound, just stood quietly behind him.

At that moment, he suddenly had an illusion, as if the sky and the earth were big, and what happened in any other place had nothing to do with him. Only he and August really existed, and only their existence was meaningful.He suddenly remembered Mia's last request to him when he left Belfast almost a year ago.At the beginning, he was just out of curiosity, wanting to see Mia's brother, maybe mixed with an inexplicable guilt, he wanted to say sorry to him for failing to protect your sister .Even if he can't hear.

When did this relationship start to change?

Maybe when I heard him play Liszt?Perhaps when he was overwhelmed by his ability in training after training?Perhaps it was when he spoke of Ian and Newman with an undeniable strength and tenderness?Maybe it's when they rescue Datta back together?Maybe... the first time he looked at himself with a look of total trust?

He had never known or seen Arthur, but at this moment he suddenly felt an almost crazy poisonous jealousy in his heart. They had been together for so many years, from classmates to military service, so much time, so many memories, and then He left abruptly in the best years of his life, leaving endless thoughts for the living.

Ghosts have never been an invincible existence.

It may be a coincidence that he met Mia and came to Greenland, but the result is as inevitable and unchangeable as fate.

A thin layer of snowflakes fell on August's shoulders in the blink of an eye. He turned his head as if he had sensed it—seeing Dan standing silently behind him, he said apologetically, "Woke you up." Is it? It's just after 4 o'clock, you can sleep a little longer. Tomorrow should be a sunny day."

Dan didn't say anything, but felt as if he couldn't bear the look anymore, he simply nodded and turned around.

The moment he bent down, "There is no doubt that I love this person," he thought with some sweetness and sadness: "But I may never be able to get close to his heart."

During the following journey, Dan became more and more silent. This kind of silence does not mean that his attitude towards August has become worse, but that he speaks a lot less and smiles a lot less on his face.Several times during the breaks, August looked at him hesitantly, but when he really met his gaze, he knew what he should say.

Two weeks later, they approached the western coastline of the Greenland Sea.The terrain in this area is much gentler, and there are no mountains with an altitude of more than 300 meters in the field of vision, but instead there are stretches of low rolling hills.

Greenland has officially entered winter, and the temperature has dropped by nearly 10 degrees compared to before, but they have never encountered bad weather.On the contrary, in the past two weeks, the night sky has been so clear that people suddenly have the illusion of "clearness"-the Milky Way lies on a velvety dark blue background, and billions of diamond-like stars shine in it.

The days became shorter and shorter, and August slowed down a bit.Dan usually sits alone in the snow for a while before going to bed at night. In such an environment, people usually feel a kind of remoteness and loneliness. Freedom in the soul.He let his thoughts wander on the ice field, like a wandering soul, until the cold branches quietly climbed up his back, and the trembling leaves caressed his neck, he suddenly came back to his senses and understood time to rest.

It was late November when they found the seal's body.

It was August who was the first to notice that something was wrong, and they were driving the sled over a low hill.As soon as he reached the top of the mountain, August grabbed the rein suddenly, and Rogers let out a low growl of anxiety in his throat.

Dan was a little confused, and looked forward following August's gaze: "What's wrong?"

August looked a little serious, and he made a simple gesture to Danby: "Stay alert." Then he jumped off the sled, untied Rogers' rein, and led the dog down the snow slope.

Dan squinted his eyes and looked into the distance. As far as he could see, there was snow white. A thick ice shelf had formed along the coast of the Greenland Sea. There was an inconspicuous dividing line between the ice shelf and the land. It is a crystal white that reflects sunlight, and the latter is a thicker and silent white.On the edge of the ice shelf, there is a small black spot, I can't see what it is.

August led Rogers straight to the black spot, bent down to check for a while, and his somewhat low voice came from Dan's radio channel: "Dan? Come down with the sled, there may be some accidents .”

Dan stopped the sled about ten yards away from them. The sled dogs smelled something strange in the air, and the leading dogs seemed a little anxious.

Only then could Dan barely see that it was the body of a seal. Where the brown fur should have been, there was only blood and flesh left. Its eyes stared blankly at the sky. There was a faint smell of blood.You can almost imagine what kind of struggle it endured before it died.

August frowned, squatting halfway beside it, Rogers sniffed the ice around him, his front paws kept scratching the ice, and there was a low, threatening growl in his throat.

"... Poaching?" Dan's throat was a little dry.

August nodded, with a disgusted expression on his face, and a heavy voice in his voice: "This should only be trying to get to the habitat before the estrus period. Greenland sends guards to patrol near their habitat every year. Thinking about being taken advantage of by poachers."

"So are we going to track down the group of poachers now?"

August stood up and pondered for a few seconds: "Follow the patrol route for the time being. December is coming soon. It is estimated that this group of poachers will not venture north again. Apart from weather factors, they should also be more inclined to go north." Go south to the habitat of the seals to see if you can catch a few more solitary ones. Be more vigilant these days, these people usually set off with 12 to 3 people, if you encounter them halfway, there will inevitably be a scuffle.”

After starting again, they moved at a slower speed. August took Rogers alone, stopped the sled from time to time, and led Rogers to the edge of the ice shelf to check. He was really found by him when it was getting dark. Some traces of others passing by.

At this time, the northern part of Greenland is about to enter the polar night. Just after 3 pm, the sky has already darkened.The weather has been fine these few days, and they found some messy footprints on the edge of the ice shelf. There was only one section, which suddenly appeared in the snow, and then disappeared abruptly.

August boarded a small hill and looked into the distance, then turned back and said to Dan, "Let's camp here."

As soon as the two put up the tent, August said, "I'll take Rogers around, are you staying here?"

Dan nodded: "Don't go too far, radio contact."

They walked for about an hour, and the radio communication was always silent. Just when Dan began to worry, August returned with the dog.

Dan was taken aback when he saw him—the look on his face was something Dan had never seen before, excitement mixed with some inexplicable resentment, and a little bit of relief, the light in his eyes almost twist up.

"what happened?"

August seemed to come back to his senses when he heard his voice, and the complicated expression on his face disappeared within a second: "It's nothing, I found the group of poachers."

Dan didn't speak, and looked at him carefully for a few seconds, and August looked away uncomfortably.

Dan is such an exquisite person, he immediately noticed his unnaturalness, and then recalled all kinds of things on the road, and connected all the clues in his mind: "Have you met this group of people before?"

August looked at him in surprise: "How do you know?"

Dan didn't answer. After a second of silence, he continued: "Is it related to Arthur's death?"

August's face sank when he heard the name "Arthur", and he didn't speak.

Dan made a clear mind: "What are you going to do next?"

August said almost without thinking: "You just need to stay in the camp."

It wasn't until Dan didn't respond for a long time that he felt that something was wrong and added a little bluntly: "There are about 5 or 6 of them. I am enough. You stay here in case any accident happens."

The corner of Dan's mouth slowly curved into an arc, and there was undisguised mockery in his voice: "Yes, sir."

August heard the sarcasm in his voice, frowned, and seemed to feel the need to explain a few words: "This has nothing to do with him... Arthur, it's just a matter that must be settled. You stay in the camp and don't care It is the safest arrangement for everyone."

Dan stopped looking at him, turned around and walked back to the tent, his voice was very soft: "I have no intention of questioning your decision. I will stay in the camp and wait for your return."

August watched his back for a few seconds, turned and left without saying anything.

For the rest of the day, Dan kept looking for things to do for himself, until he moved the tent to two positions with a difference of only a few feet and fixed it again, he had to admit the anxiety in his heart.There is not only dissatisfaction with ghosts, but more worry about August.

August went by himself, and Rogers circled Dan's feet the whole time.Letting out a long breath, Dan bent over and rubbed Rogers' head: "OK, I won't bother you anymore, and you shouldn't bother, go and rest."

Rogers let out a low cry, but did not leave.

Dan sighed: "Why, you want to chat with me?"

Rogers looked at him with watery blue eyes, not moving.

Dan simply sat down at the door of the tent and tugged Rogers' ears a little viciously: "You are also worried about him? But there is no way, who told him not to take you?"

Rogers seemed to feel his uneasiness, but just shook his ears, and docilely arched his nose into Dan's palm.

Dan absently stroked the fur on its head, and muttered: "Forget it, it's useless to tell you. I really can't imagine that one day I will become like Mia. If I have a chance to see her in the future, no I know how to be laughed at by her."

Rogers stretched out his tongue and licked his hand comfortingly, and lay down docilely at his feet.