Enya music that's calming as the scenery.
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The shoes we slipped on before leaving to go outside crunch on the top layer of snow and then slide down into the snow beneath. Azrael lent me snow boots that they had near the front door. Luckily they fit now and it's a good thing he did as normal shoes would not keep my feet dry.
Most of the sky is evenly split between patches of blue sky and clouds in round clumps. Light hits the scenery in matching patches in the sky and a weak cold wind plows over the smooth scenery.
I realize now in the light of day that there's mountains quite close to the farm, as well as the oceans. In fact, the flat bit of land that the farm sits on with the fence surrounding it appears to be a miracle on the earth, as the mountains n the right side of the scenery I observe are quite lose and to the left is the ocean. It's close enough that after walking some bit you could reach it and hear the waves.
Around the perimeter is the fence and also the forest of the Alaskan landscape. Pines trees point sharply up with their needle branches covered in snow. The mountains also are a beautiful blue where the snow does not cover them.
"It's a beautiful place," I say as my breath forms a cloud.
"It is," agrees Azrael, "it's been a while since I saw this view."
"When were you here last?" I ask curiously.
"Years ago," replies Azrael.
I nod silently, aware that Azrael most likely didn't return here because of Rafael. He stayed away from here for years because of that.
"Is there anywhere in particular that we're walking to?" I ask, turning around to notice that the house behind us is a little distance away and our tracks wind back to it.
"Um, nowhere in particular," says Azrael as he continues to walk through the snow, "I'm just walking around and exploring again places that I used to go to."
"Well, where are we going to explore now?" I ask.
Azrael smiles, and then says, "You'll see."
We continue to walk along the field buried in snow, and head to where Azrael leads us toward the forest touches the fence. Getting closer I can see parts of the forest floor have less snow, but in general there is a layer of white snow in there.
Near where we start to approach the forest, and fence stops to give an opening to walk through, which we do. Entering the forest, we tread farther in where Azrael leads us. He seems very accustomed to the landscape we walk in, but goes slow as he seems to take back in the scenery and the life he had with it in his childhood. Walking a ray of light between the leaves illuminates his searching eyes which I in turn take in. He looks younger walking here, in the quiet forest. It's a calm scene, and so is he.
We continue to walk farther into the forest, maybe a few minutes, until we arrive at a few large stones sitting under the cover of a pine tree. It doesn't have much snow on it, and less after Azrael walks up to if and brushes off that which there is. He gently sits down on it, and from the shape of the rock, Azrael can lean against a part of it which forms a backrest, and he softly closes his eyes.
"I'm pretty sure you're wondering," says Azrael, still with his eyes closed peacefully, "what this place is, and what the significance is."
"I somewhat am," I admit as I brush off snow from another stone near the one he sits on and take a seat there.
"This place," says Azrael, "is where I used to escape to when I was younger. I found it one day, and ever since I did I used to come here to do my homework, read, and anything else that I didn't want to do at home."
"Did you ever bring anybody here?" I ask curiously.
"Not really," answers Azrael, opening his eyes and connecting them with mine, "I had friends, growing up, but I didn't exactly care to bring them here. It was somewhere that I wanted to be alone."
"In order to unwind?" I ask with a smile, and Azrael returns it.
"Something like that," replies Azrael.
"I used to have something like that," I say, "though in my case, I just went riding horses on the ranch."
"I wouldn't mind riding a horse here," says Azrael, looking around, "it'd be magical to do that."
"Could you ride horses in the snow?" asks Azrael curiously.
"I think you could," I reply.
"Maybe, if I come back here," says Azrael with a contemplating countenance, "I can get horses."
He says it though as if he won't be returning here soon at all.
"You'd need a barn to put the horses in," I say and Azrael looks back at me.
"There is a barn," says Azrael as he stands up, "it's near the farmhouse. Past it actually."
"It really strikes me as strange that you'd live on a farm but not have any animals," I say as we walk away from the rock and back toward the farm.
"I suppose," says Azrael, "it certainly is peculiar."
He looks back at the rock, behind us.
"I feel though, there's many things of here that are peculiar."
Azrael looks at the rock for a while more, before leaving with me.
"Sorry, I may have dragged you to this spot for no real meaning," says Azrael as we crunch through the snow, though there's not as much as we walk over where our feet are.
"It's not any insipid meaning," I say, "I think that it's interesting to see spots around the farm. Not to mention I enjoy the outdoors."
Azrael smiles and we walk back to the farm, going through the space in the fence and across the field, our tracks from walking to the rock to the right and they lead back t the house.
Reaching the barn, which is quite old but still holding its shape, we look around inside. There's some old, unused metal farm tools that hang on the wall inside, and also some hay. The air inside is cold and stale, which makes Azrael sneeze once or twice, which I can't help but smile at it's a cute noise.
But soon there's nothing left to explore, and eventually Azrael is pulling the doors of the barn closed, and we're walking back to the farmhouse. I notice that a car has pulled up to the farmhouse, which must mean that Raphael and Duke got back from town.
Thinking now, I have to ask Azrael to take me to town in order to acquire a gift for him and the family that is hosting me. I don't know exactly what they are interested in, but if I get to know more about everyone maybe I can get personalized gifts.
Going in the front door, we pull off our boots and then head inside. Our feet with socks on are warm and have remained dry thanks to the good boots. Shuffling down the hallways, I notice that there's some more pictures, and every few of them I glance at and note the family pictures. But most of them I gloss over and we continue to walk farther into the house.
Entering the living room, I see that most of everyone is here. Shelly and Rafael sit at the kitchen island, looking at a computer with papers spread out, maybe working on taxes or finances.
Luke, Clementine, and Duke sit in the living room with the television on. It's the news about the weather and how the blizzard that passed through has worn itself out and has mostly ended. Every now and then the news flips to something else, like a local writing competition or Christmas-themed segments.
"Hey, Azzy," says Clementine as we both sit down on the couches, "and Hogarth. How was your walk?"
"It was alright," answers Azrael, "I think it wasn't as cold as it could be."
"Yeah," I agree, "it was very chilly to me, but I really liked the scenery."
"That's good," says Luke, "it wouldn't do to have you be uncomfortable during the stay of yours."
"What do you have planned for tomorrow?" asks Azrael to Luke.
"I don't have work, so that means that I don't have to do anything," answers Luke.
"Yeah, same here," says Duke and Clementine nods along, "we're on Christmas break."
"Do you think we could go to town sometime?" I ask to Azrael.
"We should be able to," he replies, "I have to go buy some gifts for everyone."
"What are you going to get for me?" asks Clementine as she smirks.
"I think I'll get you," says Azrael as he thinks for a moment, tilting his head, "some clothes. Sweaters, socks, shoes. Maybe."
"Oh, come on!" says Clementine, "You're rich. You can splurge on me more."
"What is it that you want?" asks Azrael.
"I want this diamond necklace at Jeff's," answers Clementine.
"Then I'll get you that."
"Thanks," says Clementine with a smile, but then frowns, "though now that I think about it, if you get me what I want, then there's no real sentiment about wanting to give."
"What do you want me to do?" asks Azrael in defeat, unsure what action to take.
Clementine sits and thinks for a moment, looking up with a finger on her lips.
"Just," says Clementine as she finds an answer, "just get me something that you want me to have, alright?"
"Alright."
"What's for lunch?" asks Luke to Duke.
"We bought two rotisserie chickens," answers Duke, "and we have bread as well, so I think Mom is going to tear it up and make sandwiches for everyone."
Turning around, I see that Shelly is doing that at the kitchen with Rafael, where she's cutting up the cooked chicken and Rafael toasting the bread on the stove and making a stack of them.
"Do you need help?" asks Clementine, calling to her parents.
"Well, we could use somebody cutting up some vegetables to put in the sandwiches," says Shelly.
"Also if you want anything else with the sandwiches," says Rafael, "like tomato soup, you might want to start getting those ready as well."
"You want any soup?" asks Luke to Azrael.
"I could go for some soup," admits Azrael, "though tomato I'm not sure is if that's what I want."
"What could you go for?"
"Mmm," hums Azrael as he thinks, "I don't know. I guess tomato soup is fine since I can't think of anything else."
"Well," says Luke, "I can get the tomato soup ready."
"I'm going to get some firewood so we can light the fireplace in the dining room," says Duke.
We all get up to go help out in getting ready for the meal. Luke goes outside for the wood and Clementine and Luke head to the kitchen to help out while Azrael and I help set up the dining table where we eat a few minutes later. The tomato soup that Luke got ready is canned, but he adds cream and is not tart at all, instead soft and delightful in the mouth. The sandwiches that Shelly and Rafael got ready is crunchy in the bread and the chicken is seasoned nicely. The tomatoes and lettuce that Clementine cut up also compliments the overall flavor so that all the components of the meal comes together perfectly.
And with the fireplace with the crackling fire, its a nice setting that is present and I think everyone else at the table enjoys the meal. Compared to the one we had yesterday night, I think Azrael and Raphael have somewhat gotten accustomed to each other's presence, and are acting a little more natural than previous. The moments that converse them aren't as rigid as before.
After we eat Azrael and Shelly help clean up the table and everyone else is in the kitchen tidying up. I help out as well and after most of the dining table and kitchen, I go off to the restroom.
I'm just coming out of the bathroom when I hear an angry snarl echo from the kitchen and into the hallway that I'm standing in. Concerned, I walk over to the living room and kitchen as I hear somebody stomp out of the room.
I've just walked into the living room and kitchen when I realize that the voice was Azrael. Because he's usually so subtly suave and urbane I didn't think that he could make that kind of noise. But if Azrael and Rafael were in the same room, then perhaps it was possible that he made that noise.
Sure enough, Azrael is missing and Rafael looks somewhat ashamed of himself while Shelly rubs his shoulder softly, telling him something while Luke, Clementine and Duke all avert their eyes to their tasks they occupy themselves with, such as wiping the counter or washing dishes and drying them.
"Is...uh," I say as they look over at me, "is Azrael, alright?"
"I think so," says Luke, "but you might want to go check in on him."
I nod, and walk to the direction that the stomps went in. It leads me to the back door, and the snow that is disturbed outside that I see when pulling open the door tells me that I'm going in the right direction.
Though, looking out across the snow-covered field, I don't see him, and he must've ran off. Thinking back to how he can do so, it doesn't shock me that he did.
Grabbing my coat and pulling on my shoes, I find the dotted tracks in the snow and head after him.