Chapter 10: What We Carry Back

Friday February 13, 2026

I could hear the normal sounds of the Arctic: the whistling of wind, the crunching of the snow, and the occasional crack from shifting ice. My heart was pounding as I stood by the sled with the dogs, trying to wrap my mind around what I had just witnessed. The dogs weren’t afraid at all; they didn’t care about explanations or what science told us was real. They simply reacted to how things were, and there was nothing there to concern them.

Alasie knelt a few yards ahead of me, facing the empty spot where the Tornit had been. The tension in her shoulders was gone as she put her gloves back on and slowly stood. Looking toward the sky, Alasie let out a long breath before turning to face me. Her expression was complicated, but relaxed.

“The Tornit,” I said quietly, acknowledging that it was real.

“How does your science explain that?” Alasie asked, a teasing expression on her face.

“It can’t,” I answered simply. “And maybe it doesn’t need to.”

The ride back to the monitoring station was quiet, the only sounds coming from nature and the sled. I kept glancing at Alasie as she guided the team, noticing how relaxed she seemed. Her shoulder brushed against me as the sled shifted over the uneven snow, and I had to resist the urge to wrap my arms around her. It wasn’t my place.

“You okay?” I eventually asked.

She nodded, giving me a quick look. “Yeah. I think I finally am.”

“Good,” I sighed. “That’s good.”

We reached the station as the sun was dipping low, the sky shifting to a pale glow. Siku’s leg was better, so Alasie decided he could stay in the dog shelter with the others. I helped her get the dogs settled and fed, handing out food and head pats to the happy animals.

Back inside, we removed our winter gear so we could relax for the evening. Alasie used the radio to let her family know she was alright while I made us dinner. Sitting across from each other at the small kitchen table, I handed Alasie a drink. Our fingers brushed, but she didn’t pull away.

“Thank you,” I said, not entirely sure what I meant by it. “For, you know, broadening my horizons.”

Alasie met my eyes. “You stayed.”

“I didn’t like my chances if I tried to make it to Brevig Mission on foot,” I replied with a grin.

“You know what I meant,” she giggled. “You didn’t run, you didn’t abandon me.”

“Don’t give me too much credit,” I immediately responded, “I made sure to use the bathroom before we left to be sure I wouldn’t wet myself when we saw that thing.”

“The Tornit,” Alasie corrected lightly. “And don’t deflect with humor; I’m trying to thank you.”

“Well, you’re welcome,” I inclined my head.

We started talking about how no one would ever believe our story, although Alasie was convinced her grandmother would understand. She was also impressed that I managed to hold on to my love of science, despite discovering there were questions it could never answer. It was tough, but I had to admit that the world felt much more magical.

My work was great, but I hadn’t realized there was something missing. The beauty of the Alaskan tundra, the joys of the bonds between people that could last through generations; the last frontier was incredible. Alasie was incredible. She had a strength to her, an intelligence and a determination to live and explore.

After dinner, we cleaned up and took showers before relaxing on the couch with the first season of a popular TV show. We were wearing warm thermal pajamas with thick woolen socks. Fortunately, she was one of the paranoid types who always brought extra pairs of underwear on every trip. Alasie looked even smaller in my pajamas, but just as pretty as always. I loved the way her long braid hung over the front of her shoulder.

“I don’t know what comes next,” Alasie whispered at the end of the episode.

“Don’t worry, we have the second season too,” I replied immediately.

“No, dummy,” she giggled, scooting closer to me. “Not the show, in general.”

“Are you heading back tomorrow?” I asked, looking into those brown eyes.

“I probably should,” Alasie answered slowly. “I have another run, but I don’t have to set out too early.”

I swallowed weakly, realizing I wanted her to stay. “Well, at least we’ll have tomorrow.”

“I’ll stay for a little while if you don’t mind?” she replied nervously.

“I would like that,” I told her honestly. “I mean, you did say we’re buddies. Maybe we should hang out when we’re not afraid for our lives.”

Her hand found mine, fingers curling around my knuckles. “I’d like that.”

Two strangers met in the most unusual of circumstances, the intensity of the situation forcing us to cooperate. She had said she didn’t know what came next, and I wanted to make sure we stayed friends. I knew Alasie had her home in Brevig Mission, and I, I wasn’t sure what I was doing when the season ended. The idea of applying to stick around the station long term was appealing to me, but nothing was definite.

What was definite was how attracted I was to this amazing young woman. I forgot about all else, all my reservations and reasons why it couldn’t happen. I lost myself in those big brown eyes as I felt the warmth of her hand against mine. It was real. No data, no analysis, just living in the moment.

I didn’t know who initiated the kiss, I just knew her lips were soft and warm. I preferred to think we moved at the same time, our passion taking over our actions at the same moment. Her hand was in my hair, her nails lightly scratching the back of my head while I held her shoulder.

The kiss was soft and romantic, neither of us rushing as we moved closer and lightly held each other. Her tongue delicately probed at my lips until I opened my mouth and allowed her entry. Our tongues danced as she moaned softly, her hand lightly caressing my thigh.

Once again, we made our moves simultaneously. Her fingers brushed my bulge just as my hand closed around her large breast. Alasie moaned loudly, her tongue running along mine while she traced the outline of my erection. I could feel myself throbbing as I touched her, switching from one boob to the other.

I felt her hand tugging at the waistband of my pajamas, pulling them down enough to extract my erection. She started stroking me as we kept kissing, my hands still on her amazing chest. Nothing else existed but us. Nothing else was needed. It was one of the most sensual and sexual moments of my life.

Alasie broke our kiss so she could look me in the eyes. “Fuck me,”

I quickly nodded before we both sat back on the couch to remove our clothes. Pushing my pants and boxers to the floor, I stepped out of them while Alasie did the same. Then we were kissing again, unable to wait any longer to resume our contact. I got on top of her as she rested her head on the armrest, her fingers brushing my bicep.

“I, ah,” I whispered against her lips as I felt her wet labia against my hardness, “I don’t have a condom.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Alasie said while continuing to kiss me, one hand against my cheek. “I’m on the pill.”

In my surprise, I broke our kiss and looked down at her quizzically. “Really? You manage to keep on schedule for that while mushing?”

“Yeah, and I even manage to brush my teeth in the wilderness,” she let out an exasperated laugh. “Do you want to talk about this or do you wanna be inside me?”

“The second one, please,” I mumbled in embarrassment.

“Well?” Alasie arched an eyebrow. “Get to it!”

“Yes, ma’am,” I smirked, lowering my head to resume our kiss.

I had been in several long relationships, and they included regular sex. Yet, I was never able to laugh with my partner during the act. What had just happened was more intimate than anything I had ever done. I knew I was with the right person. We could laugh and we could love.

“Alasie!” I hissed when I pushed myself inside, feeling the constricting warmth of her tunnel gripping me.

“Slow, go slow,” she whispered against my lips. “It’s been a while and you’re big.”

“Okay,” I promised, feeling some pride at her last comment.

We slowly made love on the couch, our bodies moving together as we moaned. Over time, I increased the pace of my thrusts, reading her reactions to know it was what she wanted. My hand held her breast while her fingers dug into my bicep. She hooked her left leg around my waist, drawing me deep inside. It was amazing, although my legs were a little long for sex on the couch.