The fading light is making way to a dark purple and black skyline as Louis trudges up the cabin steps.
They found the place just in time.
When Louis steps inside, Harry is hanging a lamp on a hook from the ceiling. It throws shadows on the walls and lights the dim interior.
"Took me a while to figure out how to light this thing," he says with obvious pride.
"Pretty sweet digs, huh?"
There are bunk beds on the far wall, a pot-bellied wood stove, and a kitchen with a sink and curtains covering cupboards underneath. A small table in the center with two chairs is the only other furniture.
Harry heads to the kitchen and starts rummaging.
Louis opens the stove and tosses in a handful of kindling from the wood box beside it. He stuffs birch bark underneath and lights it. The loud snaps and pops fill the small room. Immediately, Louis sticks up his hands, palms up, in front of the little flames.
"What have we here?"
Harry holds aside the curtain to show Louis a shelf full of metal tins. He opens one and his eyes light up as if he's just won the lottery.
"Cookies!"
He stuffs two into his mouth and crunches.
"Mmm."
His grin is contagious and Louis walking over to take one when he spots a wooden box on the floor.
"Oh, that looks promising," Louis says.
Peering inside, he lets out a little cry.
"Snare wire!"
Harry eyes Louis with a fond look as he pulls the spool of wire and a pair of snips out of the box.
"You can catch something with that? Looks like wire to make jewelry."
Louis nods. Their luck has finally improved. Now they have means for feeding themselves.
"This is for—oh!"
He spots a dish on the floor.
"He does have a dog."
His gaze darts around the room, searching. And then he spots a large metal garbage can in the corner. When he races over and lifts the lid, his heart skips a beat.
"Dog food!"
The can is full to the top with kibble.
Another shiver takes hold, and Louis realizes he has to get warm before he does anything else.
He can't care for his dogs if he's too cold and weak.
"We have to take our wet clothes off," Louis says.
Harry looks amused with his cheeks full of cookie.
"Oo tryin' to het ee naked?"
With the k in the last word, crumbs fly out of his mouth.
"Oh, that's charming. No, you definitely keep yours on. I'll time you to see how long before hypothermia sets in."
Louis grabs a plastic bag from the bunks, and dumps out two wool blankets. Harry is clearly even more impressed with this find.
"I call top bunk," he says.
Louis turns his back to show Harry that he wants some privacy, and starts peeling off his wet clothes.
YOU ARE READING
Outlasts
FanfictionLouis has dogs. Lots of dogs. Lives in Alaska, and has a sled. Which you can guess, is for dogsledding. He's determined to win the White Wolf race in remembrance of his mother and tries to go cross country to find more dogs. He gets lost along th...
