The Trip Pt. 01

Places are meant to resemble parts of Eastern Europe, the setting is used to enhance the plot and set the ambiance. A lot of the places are fictional.

*****

I stood outside an old industrial building on the corner of Korva street. My eyes peeking from under the hood of a large manly jacket I had purchased at a suspiciously cheap store the day before arriving. The sign on the side of the building in big yellow letters read: "Private Tours of Spyros and Co. 100% Safe. Guaranteed!"

"Sounds legit." I muttered under my breath before opening the door and stepping inside.

...

"There is no Co." The man called Spyros told me as i signed my name on the rental forms "But i make for sound professional." He had a thick Greek accent and a large toothy smile.

"But Private Tours of Spyros and Co is 100% Safe GUARANTEED" He said slamming his fist down onto the table, spilling a half empty glass of vodka. I watched the liquid dribble down the corner of the table and disappear into the dusty shag carpet. There had been a cigarette butt in there as well. I realised.

Outside I could hear the wind howling, rattling the window frames and forcing itself into the crack underneath the door. People might think me crazy to be going on this trip in the dead of winter, i thought to myself, But what choice did I have? If I did not do this now I would never be able to...

"Your driver is Yegor. Is very good driver." Spyros said, interrupting my thoughts and handing me my insurance forms. "Is only driver for come during winter. On short notice."

I nodded apologetically. We got up and he led me outside. The weather was suspicious, it seemed to be bordering on the verge of a storm but Spyros assured me that it wouldn't.

My driver, Yegor was waiting for me by the car that I rented for the next two weeks. It was oil black, slick and already humming warmly, its windows slightly tinted, its front left door a little dented. Yegor, was holding the door open for me. He wasn't smiling. Nobody in this part of the world seemed to enjoy doing that very much, and especially in this weather. I didn't blame him. I looked up at the sky and it glared back down at me.

He looked to be in his early 40's, with black hair and piercing grey eyes, he stared intensely at me, not menacingly but intimidatingly. As if used to being challenged. I had to look away. I was caught back at how appealing he looked in the middle of the cold parking lot, my bags already out beside him.

Appealing for what exactly? I thought nervously. I hesitated and glanced behind me at Spyros. Spyros probably saw the question in my eyes, so he gave me a reassuring thumbs up. "Dont worry! Yegor is very nice man." He said, "He know all road and is strong for protect little girls."

"I dont need anyone to protect me, i just need a guide." I said defensively, clutching my Bulgarian phrasebook to my chest. "And he doesn't look like a guide."

"Yes is guide, sure" Spyros said matter of factly. "Yegor know ALL parts of Bulgaria and Eastern Europe. He walk everywhere, and is fisherman before and seller of fine shoes."

"Shoes? He looks more like a.."

"Hit man?" Spyros joked pretending to shoot me with his fingers.

"Well yes actually..." I said avoiding Yegors gaze, suddenly aware of being entirely too female despite my baggy jeans and incredibly puffy jacket. I was expecting more of, well...of an old man with a hat and gloves. Yegor wore a tan jacket and had a four o'clock stubble, his dark hair looked tussled, as if he had just gotten out of bed.

"Dont worry little girl, you are in capable hands of Yegor. He has all credentials and is checked by company. Background check, health check, STD check..."

"STD?...hey, and im not a little girl." I said narrowing my eyes at Spyros who chuckled.

"Maybe under that jacket of man you are a woman. But we will never know."

I glowered at the old man as he helped load my suitcase into the trunk of the car.

I climbed into the front seat, not wanting Yegor to think of me as a haughty tourist by riding in the back and shoved my backpack infront of me.

"If you have any problems, tell Yegor." Spyros said leaning into the window crack to speak to me, his breath steaming. "And if you have problem with Yegor, you call me. But dont worry is his first time for drive little girl around country, but he is very safe. "

"His first time?..." I started to say but Spyros was already gone, walking back up the path to his office like a small bald eagle.

Yegor opened the drivers side and slid into the seat beside me. He smelled uncomfortably like musk and faintly like old leather. He had large hands and i began to notice faint scars on his knuckles.

"Hello Yegor. My name is Ruth. " I said finally, extending my hand. If we were going to be spending a whole week together, it would be good to start as friends. Or at least civil.

"Apparently I will be your first time." I added cracking a smile before turning completely red at the realisation of how that came out.

"I-I meant im your first customer for.."

Ignoring my hand, Yegor turned on the engine, and nodded his head politely, shifting the brake into drive and looked behind his shoulder. My face felt hot and I lowered my hand sheepishly, allowing myself to sink into the dark leather seat, resting my chin on the phrasebook.

"You are wearing a jacket of man," I heard him say suddenly as we sped away into what looked very much like a blizzard.

"Pardon?" I asked peeking out from behind the collar of my jacket.

"This jacket" He repeated, his accent thick and frosty, "is for man."

I sighed. It was going to be a long two weeks.

...

The first few towns we passed were derelict and gloomy, all around us were the remnants of the iron curtain being inexorably taken down, one bullet at a time. Women in babushkas walked carrying bundles of wood and smoking pipes, smoke curling around them like clouds in the cold air. This was it. I was alone, finally, as far away as I could have possibly taken myself. Horse drawn carts and signs advertising things in letters I could not even fathom to understand rushed past us.

Yep. Here I was. In Bulgaria, on my way to Transylvannia with a chauffeur because i was too scared to take the tours and buses like a normal traveller. Like someone with the balls to backpack alone, like NORMAL people.

I glanced quickly at Yegor, who was concentrating on the road before us. Snow swirled around the car, and his large hands gripped the stirring wheel surely. He didn't look like the driving miss daisy type. His cold grey eyes focused on the road, his jaw sharp on his face, muscles working intently.

I made a mental note to message a friend about my whereabouts. That I could possibly be in the company of one of those serial killers that would take me to the woods and dismember me after having his way with me, possibly when I was dead, because psychos liked that stiff and unmoving business. I gulped, aware that I was starting to sweat.

I suddenly wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Um...Yegor-" I started to say before he pointed ahead of him.

"Divos."

I blinked. "Huh?" I said in response.

"Is first town. I take you for see the shrine of water."

"Oh..," i managed to say. Unable to articulate just how much I wanted to just go to a hotel and rebook everything before we started going deeper into the country. Before I found what I was so desperate to find..

"Shrine of water-uh...Thank you Yegor, but I think I might just-"

"Its important for Eastern Europe. The water is source of life and have many healing qualities."

I watched his face thoughtfully. I was always someone who couldn't pass up on a chance of being cured 'miraculously'. So he got me there. I allowed him to take the road out of the highway, a winding one that cut into a forest of trees, we passed a UNESCO sign just before we came into a small town. I zipped up my coat to my chin and prepared for the biting cold again. Divos was full of decrepit buildings, it looked deserted except for the tourist information building that looked brand new. It was painted an olive green and had a gift shop in the front advertising SOURCE water in blue bottles.

A big tourist bus outside was slowly starting to trickle out people in brightly coloured coats and scarves, plodding their way happily into the snow. As I got out myself, I heard a distinctive "Bloody hell its cold!" And realised it was a bus full of Aussies. Which was surprising given how very far away we were from that continent.

"British." I heard Yegor murmur, lighting a cigarette, his face disappearing into a cloud of smoke. "They dont appreciate nothing."

"Actually, they are Australians." I said smiling up at him.

He looked down at me with indifferent grey eyes and shrugged.

"Same thing. Come from same queen. I dont trust country run by woman."

I gave him a weak smile and walked towards the information centre, Yegor following close behind me like a shadow.

...

"Is that your body guard love?" A tall blonde woman asked, whispering into my ear, smelling strongly of synthetic strawberries.

"Oh-no he's not" I said, "He's my chauffeur- well, driver. He came with the car company to take me around."

She blinked at me with enormous false eyelashes and broke out into a grin.

"Cant you drive?"

"No, not really." I admitted embarrassed.

"Are you rich or something?"

"Well, I-"

"You dont have to answer that. Nosy, I knows." She chuckled heartily, jabbing me in the ribs with her elbow. "But you can tell me what car company you rented from Coz if they all look like that," She motioned to Yegor who was standing by the door gloomily." ill gladly forgo tourist buses Any old day. " She smiled hugely at Yegor. He stared back at her and then at me. I shrugged.

"Oh god he is HOT." She said jabbing my ribs with her elbow again, i winced.

"How can you STAND to be in the same car with him without taking his clothes off?"

"Er... im sure he doesn't want that, Cecil. He's very professional."

"Could be a lot of fun to try." She winked at me before walking up to Yegor.

Blushing, I turned around and pretended to look at some bottles of water that had the words SOURCE OF LIFE on the front.

"Might as well.."I sighed and picking up one, heading for the counter.

Before I was able to make a purchase, i felt a hand cover mine where I had my credit card out.

"No."

I looked up at Yegor looking down at me.

"This is not real source water. You need to see the real source water."

"Ok..." I said. He took the bottle from me and placed it back on the shelf. Ignoring the blonde woman who was talking about the weather and trailing after us like a puppy.

Yegor took something from inside his leather jacket, handing them to me. They were pamphlets in english describing the town and the famous mineral spring it came from. As we headed out the door, I hear Cecils distinctive high pitched voice calling out to me.

"You still haven't told me which company you got him from!"

"Private Tours with Spyros and Co." I called back. "But there isn't actually a Co. Just...Just Yegor."

...

The REAL source apparently was a bath house in the middle of the woods with an ancient spa in its basement. Hot water poured out and steamed the entire place , giving it an eggy smell that only went away if you were on one of the top floors.

"Take a bath in source." Yegor told me, translating a sign "For all bad hummers."

"You mean humors?" I asked biting back a small smile.

"Yes bad humour and sickness." He said seriously.

"Uh...yes im sure its going to be amazing but..."

"I go with you if you are shy."

I gulped. Staring at the queue.

"You dont have to unless you really want to Yegor." I said, not wanting it to sound too much like i was trying to shake him.

"I go. " He said calmly, eyeing the people in the queue. "I can help you out of man jacket if you like." He said calmly, folding his hands across his chest.

"Oh no its ok, dont worry" I said self-consciously.

"You are too small for this jacket. And it will get hot." he said matter of factly. He shrugged off his camel skin jacket and i realised he only had a white t-shirt underneath. His chest was much more broad than I had ever imagined. Shoulders strong and wide...chest rising and fall rhythmically.

I coughed suddenly before pulling my jacket closer around myself. Was I really going to do this? Subject myself to another kooky faith healing remedy? I stared at my boots, the laces were frayed a little. There were a lot of Germans in line with us, I noticed a few ladies staring over at us and whispering. I had never felt so self conscious in my life than when I was next to Yegor.

In my large man jacket with my boots, I must look a fright. But why did I care how I looked next to him? I thought, annoyed all of a sudden. I was going to do this trip, even if it killed me.

...

The pool was large in the cavernous room, people lay sprawled in heated bliss across the wooden floorboards that covered the once rocky ground. Steam rose and fell in waves as i stepped out of the changing room, holding my ticket number as i tried to cover my breasts.

What was i doing, really? Trying to get better in a room full of half naked people??

I could not fit my petite frame into any of the regular adult bathing suits so i had to make do with a kiddie sized one that squeezed my boobs embarrassingly and made me try desperately to hide my butt. Im also sure no kid had a butt like mine.

I made my way tentatively towards the pool. A couple of old men leered at me from the sidelines and I tried desperately to disappear. dipping my toes into the murky water, i realised i couldn't just plunge in, it was scalding almost. and i was stuck in this tiny bathing suit, inching my way slowly into the water.

Then from beside me, I noticed Yegor. He had been following me. And he wore nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. He had droplets of sweat on his chest hairs and his face was a little red from the steam. he was carrying a small wooden pot.

"This will make it easier for go in the water." He said, watching me with his grey eyes.

"Oh hi...i...thanks." I croaked. He opened the pot and dipped his fingers into what looked like a minty cream.

"Can i touch you?"

"What?" I blinked.

"Your skin. For cream."

I was confused but he did not wait for my answer. He bent down and began rubbing the cream on my legs, like a child. I tried to get away but he held my thigh in his strong hands. I gave up finally and rested my hands on his broad shoulders. Feeling the muscles there, taut and hard.

He worked the cream slowly into my skin and for the life of me i began to stop resisting. I closed my eyes and lifted my face to the ceiling. Refusing to look at him or the other people around me. I was sure they were staring, and judging. But I just wanted to be in that moment, where I was not me, and I could just be free from everything.

His hands were big, so big and warmer it seemed than the steam itself. Soon my legs felt cool and comforted. He rubbed the cream into my knee where I had hurt it, I winced a little but he was gentle. I opened my eyes and realised he had stopped and was staring at me. I blushed even more if that was possible.

"Er thank you-" I stammered awkwardly, still trying to hide myself from him.

He rubbed the rest of the cream on his hands and stood up. Towering over me.

"Is easy to go in now." He said.

"what-"

"The water. is easy now with cream."

I looked around me and realised I was still in the pool to my ankles. People milled about in the steam, like disembodied ghosts and apparitions. I nodded and began inching my way slowly more and more into the bath.

The water was milky, with small mineralised particles floating around in it. There was also that unmistakably eggy smell hidden under the heady aroma of lavender.

Soon I was up to my chest in the water and a warmth spread over me and I began to relax. A smile slowly grew on my face. The water felt so good, like a glove almost, a womb. I began to forget about everyone else around me. I began to forget about being alone in a strange land, at the mercy of others. Not being able to be independent at my age because of what I had gone through...

I felt the water suddenly shift around me and I opened my eyes. Yegor had waded in until we stood next to each other in the blue pool, the water to my neck, and it reaching only to his shoulders. I felt a little bit self conscious but not as much as before, the water allowed me some kind of cover, and we stood quietly for a while, watching people steam.

"Yegor.." I began finally.

He paused and looked at me.

"Yes?"

"Is everyone here...naked?"

I heard him chuckle.

"Yes. Only the children and very old people wear the bathing suits."

It dawned on me that he was right. I was absolutely the only one wearing a bathing suit. I sank to my chin in the water.

"You are too much shy no?" He asked, clearly amused.

"No not really, I mean I have my moments"

"You need try to enjoy."

I looked at him, my face beginning to burn.

"I can enjoy A LOT." I said defensively.

He was looking at me.

"Ok." he said. then motioned to my suit. "Enjoy like the locals. You need feel water on all skin for feel better."

I eyed him suspiciously. This could be what serial killers did. Lure you into a steamy room and stab you in the middle of a bunch of people and leave your body in the bottom of the pool for the attendant to discover hours later, cooked and...

I closed my eyes and finally wiggled out of my small suit, grateful that the water was so murky it was almost like milk. I felt my body crying out in relief as it was unbound by the suit. I finally held the small garment in my hand and stretched my back.

"Better?" Yegor asked, leaning back against the side of the pool.

"Yes actually." I said softly, my chin still resting on the skin of water.

The reached forward to take my suit from my hands and I let him.

"I put this back." He said.

"Wait! what if i have to get out?"

"I will not look at you when you get out." He said crossing his fingers on his chest.

He made his way out of the pool and i realised he was absolutely naked and had been the whole time. I turned my eyes away suddenly as his nude and muscled backside stepped out of the water.

When he returned, I had my eyes closed, enjoying my little world. Then a throng of new people arrived. A German lady, blonde and naked made a beeline for our little corner of the pool, her eyes catching sight of us, it was one of the ladies from the queue. I sighed. Her large breasts bounced as she made her way with her friends into the water, giggling. I stepped forward trying to make room but she bumped into me and I was forced back. I felt Yegor then, automatically holding out his hands, catching me around the waist. Circling them.

The woman shrieked suddenly as the man she was with dumped ice cold water on her head and me in the process. I jumped backwards again, sputtering. The shock of water was total on my skin and face.

Suddenly I was aware of being pressed against Yegors body, my feet standing tiptoed, on his. He still had his hands on my hips. For a few terrifying moments I felt the full length of him on my tailbone, I froze. My body responding completely and unashamedly.

"Oh.." I said softly. Despite the commotion, I felt something stir in the pit of my stomach, and I closed my eyes, looking for it.

"You are so small." I heard Yegor whisper somewhere near my ear. I could swear he had his face buried in my hair.

"sorry.." I said breathlessly, confused as to what was happening. The water seemed like a drug, and all fear left me. I felt frozen and languid at the same time, aware of the maleness of his body next to mine, completely sandwiched between him and the others, it took all of me to not turn around and face him.