Chapter 2
802words
Anna decided to push forward rather than wait—waiting would likely mean death.
She studied the map and decided to walk in the direction marked "Novak." At any rate, this was better than wandering aimlessly.
Before departing, Anna left a note on the table, stating her name, travel plan and destination, promising to return to pay for the firewood she'd used if rescued.
This was the unwritten law of the wilderness.
She stepped back into the world of ice and snow, but this time with a clear direction.
According to the map, she needed to cross through a forest, over a frozen river, and then into a valley.
Walking through the forest was brutal. Snow concealed the terrain, and she repeatedly fell into deep holes or tripped over hidden roots. Bare branches stretched toward the sky like skeletal fingers, and occasionally accumulated snow would crash down from above with a muffled thud.
At noon, Anna heard something—unlike wind, unlike any animal.
Bells? Or some kind of metal striking metal?
She froze, holding her breath to listen. The sound came again, crisp and rhythmic, alternately near and far with the shifting wind.
Anna changed direction, moving toward the source. As she drew closer, she recognized it was indeed bells, interspersed with singing or chanting.
Pushing through the last cluster of spruce trees, she saw a strange sight: a group of people wearing heavy furs gathered in a circle around a small fire. They swayed gently to the rhythm of the bells, humming a low, monotonous melody. Nearby stood several moose, quietly waiting in the snow with packages strapped to their backs.
Anna froze, unsure whether to approach or retreat.
At that moment, an elderly man from the group turned his head, looking directly toward her hiding place. His face was weathered with deep wrinkles, but his eyes were astonishingly bright.
"Come out, lost one," the old man called in heavily accented English, his voice not loud but carrying clearly.
Anna hesitated, then stepped out into the open.
All chanting stopped. More than a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward her simultaneously. These people resembled Inuit or local indigenous people, but their attire was different, blending traditional and modern elements.
"I... I got lost during my hiking trip," Anna explained, her voice cracking from nervousness. "My equipment died, and the blizzard forced me off my route."
The old man nodded, as if he had known all along. "I am Atami, and these are my people. We are conducting our winter ceremony."
He made a gesture, and the crowd quietly dispersed, continuing their ritual without staring at Anna.
"Do you need help?" Atami asked.
Anna explained her situation, omitting the part about finding the cabin. The old man listened, nodding occasionally.
"You are heading in the wrong direction," Atami said after Anna finished. "The pickup point is on the other side of the mountain, but you are walking into the valley."
"I found a map with a place marked 'Novak.' I thought there might be people living there."
Upon hearing this word, the crowd suddenly grew quiet. The bell ringing stopped. All movement froze. Atami's expression darkened.
"You shouldn't go there," the old man finally said. "It's not a good place."
"Why? What kind of place is it?"
Atami shook his head. "It's an old story, not suitable to tell right now. Come back to our camp with us. We can provide you with food and warmth, then point you in the right direction."
Anna gratefully accepted the offer. After the ceremony, the group packed up and began to move.
Anna walked alongside Atami, with others following behind, maintaining a respectful distance.
"What tribe are you from?" Anna asked curiously. "I thought only the Inuit lived in this region."
"We are the Noatak," Atami said calmly. "Or rather, we were. Now most are just mixed-blood descendants scattered throughout various towns. Only a few elders still uphold the traditions, returning here each year to perform ceremonies."
Noatak. Anna's heart skipped a beat—that was exactly the name marked on the map.
"Why don't you live here anymore?"
Atami's gaze grew distant. "Our village was once in the valley, near the river. But many years ago, something happened... people began to leave. First the young people went to cities for work, then others gradually moved away too. Now only memories remain there... and something else."
"What else?"
The old man didn't answer directly. "Some places become filled with memories, especially places filled with intense emotions. Noatak is such a place. Joy, sorrow, fear—all these emotions have seeped into the soil and trees, leaving echoes behind."
Anna nodded, half-understanding.
She guessed this might be some kind of poetic expression, describing the melancholy of an abandoned homeland.
