5YAT: Hey, Are Those Voices?
8 January, 2005 – Grey & Clear –10º
Snapped awake at Midnight. Heard 2 male voices out my bedroom window, and then a low chuckle.
It sounded like they were very close, as if they were just down the path at the School House.
So I rolled out of bed onto the floor so I couldn’t be seen through the window. Got dressed and went down to see what was happening. Nothing. No dogs barking. No loud skidoos or ATVs. No voices. But it’s pitch black outside, the dogs are agitated and I am completely shot through with adrenaline.
I’ve been alone on this island for a month.
No other people, no other voices. I grab the crochet hook and gauge I had in my coat pocket and go sit with Little Bear in the center of his run.
I’ve seen lots of hostile people show up randomly on the island – summer, winter, day, night. The skidoo marks I saw on the river yesterday means other people now know the river is safe, and some of them know there is a woman alone on this island.
Little Bear is big, loud and intimidating. No one will get to me without going through him first. He might lick them to death, but in the dark they might not notice he’s so damned friendly.
After about an hour sitting with Little Bear and hearing nothing, I’m still skittish, but willing to go back into the house.
By 0400 I’m willing to accept nothing’s going to happen, but my dreams aren’t! I dreamt someone was setting fire to the island, I beat him up with a folded raccoon trap and then tried to figure out how to get help. Weird dream.
Up again at 0730, phoned Di & Dad for … well… a sane voice. When the light was up I checked for footprints. None but mine.
Meet with Glen on the shore late. As we head to get the dog food, I tell him the story. His response? “You sound like Woody Allen” – a whiny paranoid city-folk. Humm… Not a comparison I’m even remotely flattered by, but maybe apt.
My plan to use the dogs to haul their own food back to the island is squashed by the always helpful Calvin clan who hook the loaded Komatik to the back of their ATV and haul it all the way over and up to the house.
