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Never Walk Alone; Sequel to Black Friday Rule
Topic Started: May 13, 2008, 10:14 am (47,731 Views)
Verity
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The Story Girl
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I could see it being very difficult to sleep like that. They'd have to give me something to knock me out.

At least Shanetalya was able to have a little fun out of the situation. :)
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Wishful
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Cliff and Lars Lover
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you'd think they'd have black out blinds wouldn't ya?! btw HOT!!!
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Lucifer's Angel
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Heavy Metal Seanchai
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These are the islands they're on: Lofoten Islands

Chapter 126

Natalya looked out on the railing of the ferry as the Lofoten Islands came into view. It was still bright out at 10:00 P.M, the sunlight shining up the still blue waters.

The jagged peaks of the mountainous islands appeared to come out of nowhere, rising like an ancient sea monster from the calm sea. The town of Stamsund on Vestagoy Island emerged, a collection of neat white wooden house clustered near the harbor. People were standing on the dock to greet the ship, waving to them.

Shane emerged from the cafeteria with two ice cream cones, handing one to her. "Ice cream makes you sleepy, we ought to rest so we can do some walking tomorrow. It does feel weird for the sun to be out at this time, but we'll have to get used to it", he shrugged, licking at his ice cream.

The ship docked at the harbor itself. Shane grabbed their bags and led them off the boat, past the crowds of people on the docks. The town was as it appeared from the deck, a collection of small houses surrounding the harbor.

"We're staying in a hostel with a few other people. It's like a small house, there's a kitchen, a parlor and bunk beds. There aren't any real hotels here, but I heard they're comfortable", said Shane.

"Interesting", she mused aloud.

The hostel was located just outside of town, a cluster of small, white-washed wooden houses painted in red and white. It was near the harbor with it's own dock, several fishing boats bobbing on the water, the briny scent of fish and salt water in the air.

The warden was making the rounds when he saw them approach. He was a middle-aged man wearing jeans and a flannel shirt, his gray hair tucked under a cap and a gray beard hanging from his chin.

"Ja, God nat. Hvordan ma jeg hyelp de?", he asked.

"We just got off the ferry, and we've reserved a place here", he said.

"Ja, follow me. Your names please?", he asked, speaking with a heavy accent.

"Shane Burton and Natalya Stankowski", he replied.

The warden checked his records and nodded. "Ja, here you are. You will be sharing your place with another couple, they are taking a walk. There is a kitchen and a TV, if you need anything, just ask. I am Bjorn Bjornsen", he said.

"Thank you, sir", said Shane, as Bjorn led them to their house. Like the others, it was a red and white wooden house, one story tall and long. Inside, the walls were bare and the floor of hard, dark wood. A tiny kitchen was behind a door on the left, two bunk beds on either walls. In the right corner was a TV next to a lamp, the light almost unnecessary under the Midnight Sun.

"Enjoy your stay here. If you want, we have daily fishing trips from here, you can grill the fish at the grill outside, each house has one. And you can buy beer in town, but I do not like drunkenness, it is annoying to the other guests", said Bjorn.

Just then, another couple entered the house. The man was tall and slim, white-blond hair falling past his ears and his blue eyes gazing at them. He wore jeans and a flannel shirt, sturdy boots on his feet. His girlfriend was quite pretty, shoulder-length brown hair framing an elfin face dominated by large blue eyes and prominent cheekbones; she also wore jeans and a flannel shirt.

"Are you our roommates?", asked the man, a very slight accent to his words.

"Yeah, we just got here. I'm Shane Burton and this is my girlfriend Natalya Stankowski", he said.

The man shook their hands. "I am Jens Jensen and this is my girlfriend Noora Jokinen. My mother's family is from here, but I live in Oslo", he said.

"Awesome, we were down there, it's a great city", said Shane.

"I do not like it much, it is too crowded, I like it better than here", said Noora, speaking with a heavy, unusual accent.

"Where are you from, Miss Jokinen? You have an odd accent", asked Natalya curiously.

"I am from Karasjok, in Finnmark. That is north of here, I am a Sami", she explained.

"Oh, you mean the Lapps? Cool", he said.

"And you are Americans? I have never met an American before", said Noora.

"Shane is, but I am from Poland", replied Natalya.

"We have some beer in the refrigerator, would you like some?", asked Jens.

"Sure, sounds good, dude", replied Shane.
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Wishful
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Cliff and Lars Lover
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Uh oh do I sense some problems or a possible 4some?
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Verity
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The Story Girl
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Hey they made some friends!
I just hope that they don't all get drunk and trash the house, though it would be funny.

Now I seriously want some ice cream. :)
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Lucifer's Angel
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Heavy Metal Seanchai
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Chapter 127

The brilliant sunlight streamed in through the thick glass windows. Shane stirred in his sleep,his eyes fluttering open. The clock on the nightstand read 5:00 A.M., the red lights winking at him.

Natalya was asleep in his arms, her head resting on his chest. Shane smiled, gently stroking her blond hair. He looked across the room and saw Jens and Noora fast asleep, their soft snored the only sound in the room.

It's damn early, but that sun is so bright. Luckily I got my sunglasses, he thought, going to the bathroom.

After taking a quick shower, Shane went to the kitchen and prepared the coffee. The kitchen was tiny, containing a small refrigerator, a microwave on a long wooden counter, a coffee machine, a toaster and a small two-burner stove. Above the counter were some shelves, containing bread and some salt and pepper shakers. Inside the fridge were half a carton of milk, a bottle of orange juice and some eggs and half a package of bacon.

Shane sipped his coffee and looked at the map in his guidebook. There's some good hiking nearby, and the warden says the fishing's good. Let's see what the others have to say, he thought.

Natalya entered the kitchen. "Shane you are up so early", she chided, a sleepy smile on her face.

"The sunlight woke me up, baby doll. You wanna go hiking?", he asked, making her coffee.

"Dziekuje, Shane. The weather looks like it is going to be nice, hiking sounds like a good idea. But what about Jens and Noora?", she asked, drinking her coffee.

As if on cue, Jens and Noora entered the kitchen. "Takk, Shane. Noora and I are going fishing, we are going to grill them for dinner", said Jens.

"Sure, that's cool. What time are you guys coming home?", he asked.

"We should be back around five or six", replied Noora.

"Okay, we're going hiking after breakfast. Do you guys have breakfast here?", asked Shane.

"There's a good cafe' in town with a buffet breakfast. And that bacon and eggs have been there since we arrived several days ago, I don't know when they were purchased", Jens chuckled.

"I don't wanna know, it's probably growing new forms of life", joked Shane, as everyone laughed.


Half an hour later, they were all at a cafe' in Stamsund. It was a pleasant little restaurant overlooking the harbor, the scent of the sea wafting over them. The sun had brightened even more, the sky a brilliant blue with only a few wispy clouds.

On a table in the corner was the food: hard-boiled and scrambled eggs; ham, bacon and sausage, grilled salmon and gravlax served with sour cream; pickled herring; oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins; and fresh coffee.

"If you are going to go hiking, fill up. On the far end of the island where there is the rugged scenery, there are only only a few villages and no place to eat. Most people either fill up on breakfast or pack a lunch", said Jens, taking a bite of scrambled egg.

"Gotcha. That part of the island looks rugged as hell. There's a bus that'll take you there, right?", asked Shane.

"Ja, otherwise it's ten kilometers, you will waste a lot of time. But the scenery there is so wild, the sea is so rough", said Noora.

"Is your place like this?", asked Natalya.

"Nej, Miss Stankowski. Karasjok is in Finnmark, inland. It is very cold during the winter and we only have a month of summer. My father owns many reindeer and so do my mother's family. We are visiting after we see the islands, we are taking the boat to Tromso and then the bus to Karasjok. It is a very long trip", she replied.

"Awesome. Good luck on your trip", said Shane, as they continued to eat.
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Verity
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The Story Girl
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This story makes me hungry. They are definitely eating well on their expedition. :) I probably wouldn't want to touch the bacon and eggs that have been sitting around in the fridge for weeks either. Moldy food frightens me.


This story rocks! :dance
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maisy blue
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Some Kind Of Monster
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OMG, I missed so much (we were getting ready for the Hurricane - we had SO MUCH to do since we didn't do any of the hurricane prep stuff we were supposed to do before the hurricane season started!) I am catching up now.
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Battery
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Some Kind Of Monster
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^ Good luck Maisy!!! :huggie:


Lofoten Islands look soooo beauitiful. And it rocks they made new friends, Jens and Noora sound great, as well as this hiking! :horns2

"I don't wanna know, it's probably growing new forms of life", joked Shane, as everyone laughed."
hahaha, it made me think od that scene from 'Poltergeist' when a piece of meat is crawling on the kitchen stool :lol:

Awesome chapters :biggrin
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maisy blue
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Some Kind Of Monster
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Thanks, Maggie! We did okay. It was a little scary when it hit, but we stayed on our island for a much more severe storm and *that* was really terrifying.

Vanessa, I was never interested in Norway but now I am totally obsessed! All the stuff about the crazy terrain and the weird sunlight- it all fascinates me. I am doing research on it online as we speak. I love interesting places on the planet.
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Lucifer's Angel
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Heavy Metal Seanchai
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Maisy, glad you're doing okay. And Norway is a fascinating, beautiful country, glad you're enjoying it :P

Chapter 128

After breakfast, Shane and Natalya bid the others goodbye and walked outside. An old school bus stood outside the square, a line of people waiting outside. The doors opened and they all got in, paying the driver.

"Dem bra, vi gen gang til vest stranden", said the driver, closing the doors and starting the engine. Within a few minutes, they had left the town, nothing but the shore and mountains around them. The towering peaks rose majestically on their right, the sea on their left. It was calm, the deep green water topped with lacy white foam pounding the rocky shore, the loud booming sound audible inside the bus.

Shane observed Natalya as she gazed out the window. She wore denim shorts that came to her knees, a plain white t-shirt and sturdy hiking boots on her feet, her blond hair in a long braid down her back.

Man, I didn't know the mountains were that high. At least the sea looks calm, we're not going in the water anyway, he mused. Shane also wore denim shorts and hiking boots, but a black Motorhead shirt instead, his auburn hair tied back from his face. His gaze fell to her strong, shapely legs under the shorts. She's got strong legs, she's a healthy peasant girl as Mom would say. I wouldn't want any other kind, he chuckled, an amused gleam in his eyes.

The bus stopped at an abandoned village on the west coast of the island. The old wooden buildings sat forlornly on the shore, the wood rotting and soft. Some of the windows had long since been gone, some of them missing roofs as well.

Beyond the village, a cliff path led up to the mountains. The people got off the bus and started to hike up the mountains. "Shane, what happened with these houses?", she asked, peering inside one of them.

"I suppose the people got tired of fishing, and it's in the middle of nowhere", he replied. Inside the house it was almost empty, only a cast iron stove and an old couch with the stuffing falling out.

"I do not like that, Shane. Let us go hiking", said Natalya, hastily crossing herself.

"All right, baby doll. I'll save you from the evil ghosts", he chuckled, as they followed the trail. The trail was made of gray gravel which crunched under their feet, the initial ascent gentle as it led them above the town.

The trail made it's way into the mountains, leaving the road and the shore behind. It was more rugged, hardy pine and birch trees clinging to the slopes and large rocks on each side.

Around lunch, they had reached halfway up the mountains. There were smaller trees here, the grass heavy and coarse from the cooler temperatures. The roar of the waves against the shore was but a soft whisper now, barely discernible in the still mountain air.

Natalya found a clearing on a ledge overlooking the ocean. It had a carpet of soft green grass and tiny wildflowers, as she lay down on the grass. Shane joined her, sitting down with her head in his lap.

"Man, I wish I had a camera, this is such a great view", he said, looking out beyond the ledge. Below them was the abandoned fishing village and the ocean, the green-grey waves pounding the shore.

"Tak, it is lovely. The bus will not leave without us?", she asked worriedly.

"Jens said that they do have a head count, otherwise they'd get sued. We're gonna be fine, baby doll", he whispered, running his fingers through her hair.

Natalya shivered at his touch, closing her eyes as his fingers ran through her hair. The pale sun gleamed on the golden mass, as it shone like corn silk.

"You are so beautiful, lalka", he said, the huskiness in his voice making her shiver.

"Shane, we are outdoors", she chided.

"So? There's no one here except for the birds", he said, silencing her protests with a kiss.
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Verity
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The Story Girl
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That hike sounded beautiful with the ocean, mountains, and rocky cliffs. I LOVED it. :heart: If I were them I would stay there all day. :D

Maisy- I'm sooooo glad to here that y'all are alright. I was worried about you guys.
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maisy blue
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Some Kind Of Monster
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That hike *did* sound amazing, but those empty houses are creepy. I'm still doing research on the weird stretch of land before Bodo. That sounded really creepy, too.
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Wishful
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Cliff and Lars Lover
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Is that safe? thinking about making out on a ledge what if it gives way?!
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Lucifer's Angel
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Heavy Metal Seanchai
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Yeah, it does look creepy, Maisy. That's why relatively few people live out in the wilderness in northern Norway, the people live in the towns because of the extreme weather and the harsh scenery.

Chapter 129

"So, how was your hike?", asked Jens, poking at the fish on the grill.

Shane took a sip of beer from his can. It was evening and they were outside grilling fish for dinner. "It was gorgeous, the scenery is something else. I wish I had a camera with us", he said dreamily.

"Ja, I know. The scenery on the west coast is so rugged, but beautiful", he said, drinking his own beer. The aroma of grilled fish hung in the air, combined with the tangy scent of the ocean. The sky was still bright as ever, the sun shining brilliantly in the blue sky. Seagulls circled above them, attracted by the scent of fish.

Meanwhile, the women were in the house, preparing the other food. "Is the fishing here good?", asked Natalya, adding mayonnaise to the potato salad.

"Ja, that is we come here. The fishing on the islands is so very good, the fish are so many you can reach into the water and grab one", replied, Noora, cutting up a cucumber and adding it to the salad.

"Too bad we are leaving tomorrow, the Lofotens are so beautiful", said Natalya wistfully.

"I understand, once you have been here, you fall under it's spell. Me and Jens are leaving at the end of the week, we must go to Karasjok before the weather gets cold. The weather gets colder much sooner than the rest of the country", said Noora.

"It does sound very far. We are going to Nordkapp, from there we go to Ostersund, Sweden", replied Natalya.

"But neither you or Shane is Swedish. And why Ostersund, it is in the provinces", she said.

"Noora, it is a long story", said Natalya, explaining everything.

"Wow, that sound like a soap opera. So you are going to help Shane find his grandfather? Good luck, I do not like the sound of his grandparents, what cold people. But his mother sound like such a warm, caring woman. She certainly does not sound like her parents", said Noora.

"Tak, Pani Burton is such a kind, gracious lady. She was so generous in offering us a place to stay when we first came to the states, she is a good Christian woman. But I do know that in a way, I envy Catriona, his sister. She is so beautiful and elegant, like a queen, and she sings so beautifully. She is in a band called Beren's Dream with her boyfriend, they are very good. They have just come back from a tour of Japan with Megadeth", she sighed.

"Oh, I have heard of them. They sound like Nightwish, but more American. Jens loves Nightwish, we saw them in Oslo on the Once tour, that was the last tour they did with Tarja. She was so beautiful and sang like a goddess. The new band is not bad, I do hope Anette will grow into the role", said Noora.

"Girls, the food's done!", yelled Shane.
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