winter in greenland

Chapter 27

When Dan walked into the tent with the first aid kit in hand, it was August lying lifeless on his sleeping bag.It was as if a stone was falling heavily on him, and he almost lost his footing.Fortunately, his sanity came back in time. He pulled the tent curtain with one hand and barely supported himself. After he collected his mind, he put the first-aid kit aside and went forward to check August's breathing and pulse.

After confirming that August's breathing was smooth, and that he should only be in a coma for a short time, Dan let go of his hanging heart.He fetched the first aid kit and began cleaning the wound on his arm with alcohol.

Under the rolled flesh, more than one trace of secondary injury can be seen, and the locations of those wounds have cleverly avoided important blood vessels, as if someone had deliberately stirred the original wound with the tip of a knife.

After the wound on this arm was sterilized, and the medicine and bandages were put on, Dan's face had completely sunk.

August was awakened by the pain, and Dan bandaged him until the end, and his men showed no mercy at all.August opened his eyes and saw a pair of cold eyes.

He groaned and tried to prop himself up on his other arm, which was not injured: "How long have I been asleep."

"About half an hour." Dan replied simply, without stopping.

August wanted to move his injured right arm, but Dan held it down just a few inches before he lifted it. "Don't move!" There was rare anger in his voice.

August touched his nose with a guilty conscience: "I just..."

"Don't talk," Dan cut him off again.

He had no choice but to shut his mouth resentfully, his eyes drifted idly for a while and then fell on Dan's eyes.This was the first time he had observed a person so closely.Under the light of the alcohol stove, Dan's eyeballs glowed a deep blue color, and the clusters of small flames danced in his pupils, like an object with its own life.His eyelashes are long and slender, and they are a very light golden color. For some reason, August thinks of the golden leaves of ginkgo in autumn, which is a color that symbolizes the extreme enthusiasm of life.

Dan fixed the last bandage and looked up: "Okay. No signs of infection have been found for the time being."

August caught his gaze unexpectedly, and felt that the waves in those green eyes were surging, as if the most complicated and deep emotions were brewing.

"The anesthetic was applied to the dagger that scratched you. The effect of the drug should have occurred immediately, right? You insisted on walking back and didn't want to tell me, let me come to meet you?" Dan's voice was very soft.

August didn't recover for a moment, he only saw his lips moving, and didn't hear what he said at all: "What did you say?"

Dan stared at him for a few seconds, taking the doubts on August's face into his eyes.He didn't answer, stood up after being silent for a while, "I put away the medicine box." After speaking, he walked out of the tent.

The strength of the anesthetic hadn't passed yet, and August fell asleep again in a drowsy state.It was almost noon the next day when he woke up, and the snow-bright sky light came in through the tent, which made him feel a little dazzling, and he could hear a few voices from outside sporadically.

He tried to move his right arm, and there was still some stinging pain. It seemed that the few stabs he stabbed himself on the road were still a bit harsh.Rubbing his head, he slowly stood up and opened the curtain and walked out.

Dan was feeding the dog, talking with the radio in his hand, and Rogers was at his feet, tail wagging merrily.

"...I know. The wound is not deep. I will pay attention to it in the next two days. If there is any sign of infection and inflammation, I will contact the base. Okay, I will leave it to you to deal with the aftermath." While speaking, he turned his head inadvertently and saw Ao Gust was standing next to the tent, his face was unshaven, and he was rarely haggard.

"You're awake." He walked over.

August let out a "huh" and raised his chin at the communicator in his hand: "Base?"

Dan nodded: "It's Lieutenant Heath. He said that the coast guard has arrived at the scene. You don't have to worry about what we say, they will contact you. He also said that if your injury worsens, you should return to the base for treatment in time."

August nodded noncommittally.

Dan looked at his expression, and Heath's unbelievable voice flashed in his mind, mixed with rare anxiety: "...I couldn't believe it when the other party contacted me, and none of the five other parties was left alive. I read The photos they sent back from the scene, anyone with a discerning eye can see that it is simply... Although we have been cooperating with the Coast Guard for so long, this matter will not cause much trouble, but Dan, you better look at him , if such a thing happens again, I can't guarantee whether the headquarters will transfer him directly."

August noticed his gaze and turned his head: "What?"

Dan walked up to him and met his eyes straight: "What do you mean when you said you dealt with those people last night?"

August frowned almost invisible: "literally."

"No matter what they did, I don't think you have the right to—"

"Are you blaming me?" August interrupted.

Dan was silent for a while: "I remember you once asked me what you think of the people who died under my hands, can you answer this question now?"

August sneered: "If you mean the group of people yesterday, then I can say that they deserve what they deserve."

"Because of what? Arthur? Or the accident that year? Is it because of this group of people that Arthur died?"

"This has nothing to do with you." August's voice really sank, and he turned around to avoid him.

"It's really nothing to do with me. It's just that I think that as your soldier, I have the right to remind my commander when he acts in a stressful manner."

"What do you mean?" August turned his head abruptly, sweeping away the haggard look on his face, his eyes were cold and sharp.

"Literally." Dan delivered the sentence back to him unchanged.

August stared at Dan, but didn't speak for a while.

"I only have one question, please answer me truthfully. Did you defend yourself last night?" Dan's voice was very slow, and he paused every word.

The expression on August's face became a little mocking: "What's your definition of 'self-defense'?"

Dan pursed his lips, but didn't answer.

"You can fulfill your 'obligations' as you please, report to the base or the headquarters, I don't care."

Every word August said was like a heavy hammer, hitting Dan hard, his face was pale, and he still stood in front of August unrelentingly: "Before you question my motives, can I ask What is your motive?"

August stopped in his tracks, his gray-blue eyes fixed on him. After a while, he laughed and said calmly: "Very well, since you want to know so much, then I'll tell you—it is indeed Self-defense is indeed for Arthur. If it weren't for these bastards, Arthur would not have died at all."

silence.

For the first time, Dan felt that the snow field was reflecting the skylight, which made people's eyes hurt.

Rogers seemed to be aware of the tense atmosphere between the two, and walked to August's feet with some anxiety, arching his calf.

"I see. Next time before you act rashly, I hope to know the purpose and possible consequences of your actions, just as your team members and soldiers." Dan said abruptly, turned and left first.

August stood where he was, silently watching his back, with a gloomy expression, not knowing what he was thinking.

Seeing that the master didn't respond, Rogers suddenly remembered something, turned around and trotted to the side of the tent, picked up something dark green in his mouth, and then trotted all the way back to August, raising his head like offering a treasure.

Startled by it, August bowed his head and absently took what was in its mouth.The green cover had softened after being dropped on the snow overnight, and he recognized that it was the little notebook that Dan usually used to write and draw.

After hesitating for a second, he turned to the first page, and then his eyes widened in surprise—it was neatly filled with grids of staves, different musical notes were drawn on it with a pencil, and there were some blank spaces on the page. Simple doodles.

This notation seemed to remind him of something. He stroked the old green crust with his fingers, his eyes looked nostalgic.

It was already past noon after Dan got the sled dogs ready, and this area was about to enter the polar night, and the daylight was almost only 2 or 3 hours short. At this moment, the sun was hanging tremblingly in the western sky, and the afterglow was dim Dusk had already spread over his head.

He looked back, August was not outside, he should have returned to the tent.He walked back with light steps and glanced in through the gap. As expected, August was lying in his sleeping bag and fast asleep.

He tiptoed in, and after confirming that the person's temperature and pulse were normal, he backed out quietly.

In just a few minutes, the sun had already sunk below the horizon, and a circle of dull golden red was reflected on the horizon.They were located close to the coastal ice shelf, and as far as the eye could see, they could barely see a narrow line of iron gray, which was the sea that had not yet frozen.

The wind picked up, and he walked aimlessly along the low hills behind him for a while. When he raised his wrist to confirm his position, he suddenly noticed the date, which showed that there were still four weeks before Christmas, and it was already Advent before he knew it. .

His eyes became a little softer, and the irritability from the previous dispute with August faded a little.He still remembers that when he was a child, Advent symbolized the beginning of Christmas every year. All the children in the family eagerly counted the days with their fingers. Pick a candy from his back, and when all the candies are gone, Christmas will come.While in Northern Ireland, Mia would light one candlestick each week for four weeks, and when all four candles had pierced the cold, long winter nights, they would go out and eat a big Christmas meal to reward themselves for a year work.

After walking this way, he didn't want to be left alone in the end.

Dan lost interest for a while, so he simply found a seat and sat down, and took out the harmonica that he always carried with him from his trouser pocket.