Friendly Retreat

‘Why’d I agree to this…’ Dustin shook his head over and over again as he thought about the vacation he’d planned with a friend he hadn’t seen in years. After growing up in the same neighborhood and being best friends up until high school he wasn’t sure why’d he’d planned an entire week vacation with someone he hadn’t had a proper conversation over 10 years ago. It was just a simple message online. Pete had just said hey. They talked for a while. Then they were planning on staying together in a remote location for a week. 

It was so weird to think about. Even though they hadn’t seen each other in years, it was like there wasn’t really a gap between them. The only real reason Dustin had left was because his parents were moving. They promised to keep in touch, but that just didn’t happen. Messaging was so easy; it could always be done later.

However, that didn’t mean Dustin still wasn’t headed up to this log cabin that Dustin had invited him to. The website made it sound amazing. A large wooden cabin, full running water, two full bathrooms, fully stocked kitchen with beer, right next to a lake with a dock and even some fishing poles and guns (if they were interested in that) were fully stocked. Dustin had grown to be quite the ‘city folk’ but that didn’t mean he didn’t remember loving to go out with some of the guys in the forest for some fun. 

‘No complaining now,’ he told himself as he saw the cabin in the distance. His small compact car looked so small next to the large truck already parked in the driveway. Trucks were always the most common form of transportation where they’d grown up. The large bed was perfect for hauling stuff around in. Not to mention it’s big occupancy.

Stepping out of his car, Dustin realized just how much bigger Pete had gotten since they’d been apart. As they were passing puberty, it was obvious the guy was going to be large but standing next to his 6’2” bulky frame seemed out of this world. The 6” difference between them made him feel so small. Not to mention how that thick body looked like he weighed almost double. Even if much of the weight was stored in a heftier belly, there was clearly some strength in his arms and legs. He just didn’t work out the same way that Dustin had.

Being more in the business world, Dustin had found himself in the gym often and counting nearly every calorie he ate. It gave him a more average physique that looked good in suites than anything that was prone to overall strength training. Being as big as Dustin would have made maneuvering the city far harder as his large cumbersome body would require more room in the already cramped spaces. 

“Hey. Hey. Hey,” Pete increased his tone of excitement with each word. “You fucking made it man. I almost thought you were gonna bail.” He held out his hand for a shake but then pulled Dustin in for a hug. 

“Come on,” Dustin smiled as he pushed away. He could already smell the beer on his friend’s breath. “You think I’d miss out on this? That website made this place sound amazing! And I needed a chance to get away.”

“I bet. Being caught up in that city has to be hell.”

“It’s not all bad,” Dustin found himself wanting to defend his choice. He wasn’t sure why he’d felt like he needed to defend it. He stanced up physically as though he was ready to play.

Pete shadowboxed his friend. They threw out a few friendly punches, dodging and counter attacking whenever given the chance. “C’mon man. It’s just a joke. I know you love it. But that doesn’t mean it’s as good as out here.” 

“Oh yeah?” Dustin was getting into it as he returned a few fake punches. “You think you’re fat ass could handle it out there?” 

“I think so,” Pete played back. Their bodies danced back and forth trying to avoid the other’s hand. “Don’t have to do much to survive. Fast food on every corner. Electric doesn’t go out. Constantly around people. Doesn’t sound all that hard to live in.”

“Oh please. Compared to what? Cheap housing. Land as far as you could possibly want. Long lazy days, roamin the country side. And a close knit community? That doesn’t sound all that bad either.”

“So why didn’t you come back?” Pete threw out something out that caused Dustin to falter. Instantly the big guy took his chance and punched him in the arm. It had a little more weight than intended. He’d gotten his ‘point’ and headed for the door. “C’mon I’m making burgers. They weren’t lying when they said the fridge was stocked. It’s like if I just think about a food I can find it. Real crazy stuff.” 

“Yeah?” Dustin found himself jogging after his friend. They went to the kitchen and Dustin showed off the fridge. It was stocked full with just about anything he could imagine. He grabbed and beer and popped the tab. “This is crazy…” Taking his first sip caused his nose to reel back as the strong beer went down his throat. Dustin didn’t go drinking all the time but he’d never had one that tasted so strong. Even with a sip it was a bit of a struggle to go down. He forced it down and tried to ignore the sensation. 

“Yeah…” Pete agreed. “I had a friend who said she couldn’t make it. Apparently she’d been trying to come up here with her husband for the last few years but every time they’re about to go something comes up. She finally said ‘fuck it’ and gave her reservations to me.”

Dustin let out a laugh that went through his whole body. “Hopefully you’re not plannin on makin this a ‘special’ retreat.” He jabbed his elbow into Pete’s side as the big guy flipped his burgers. “Eh?”

“I don’t know,” Pete joked back. “We’re you thinking about it?”

“Fuck you.”

“Sounds like you know what you want,” His big body lowered as he made some kissy lips towards his friend. Dustin pushed away but eventually had to give up the ground and go back to sitting at the table. “Fine. Be that way. I’ve got plenty of girls going after me to make up for it anyways.”

“Oh?” Dustin pried. “More than you’re mother?” 

“Plenty more!”

“And grandma?” 

Pete faked a blush. “Maybe…” he grinned. “Nah, I’ve had a couple but the small town just doesn’t give as many options you know? What about you? You seeing anyone yet?”

“Yeah,” Dustin lied. There was a girl at his work he’d been planning on asking out for a while now. They’d worked on a few projects together and started spending time outside work together. Most of it was with a group from the office but even with the large group of people she’d often spend more time as close to Dustin as possible. Now he had to just try to make it official.

“That’s good.” Pete said. “Food’s ready,” he placed the burgers on the buns and put them on the table. “Another round?” he asked already carrying over 4 more cans of beer. 

Dustin looked over and realized just how much the guy had been drinking before he even arrived. There were four empty cans lining the countertop. ‘Jeezus! I haven’t even finished my first one,’ but after the first sip he’d found it to go down a bit smoother. He’d never tasted anything like it but even with just a half a can gone he could feel a light buzz fogging his brain. 

“C’mon man, you gotta catch up,” Pete mocked as he shook the beer can. “You didn’t go soft did ya?” 

“No,” Dustin choked down the insult. He grabbed the beer and did the same, chugging it with all his might. The liquid struggled down his esophagus with each chug he tried to make. A strange sensation of taste and smell filled his nose. He felt like he’d smelled it before but wasn’t sure where. It didn’t smell like beer but more like a place. A place he’d go to a lot but he couldn’t quite place it.

“Good on ya,” Pete complemented. He popped another one open and downed half of it in one drink. “Damn, that’s good,” he smiled. “Really brings me back, ya know? Somehow whenever I drink it, it’s just like when we were younger jumping in the piles of hay on grandma’s farm. She’d get so mad and yell that we were gonna hurt ourselves. Don’t know why this shit would bring back those memories but…” He drowned the rest of the sentence out with the beer.

“Yeah…” Dustin agreed. The memory flooded back to him. It took him a little while to really feel the rush he’d gotten from climbing up the stacks of hay to the second floor of the barn. Then jumping down into the large pile of hay for the animals to eat. Pete’s grandma would yell at them for getting all messy and most likely getting mites or ticks over their bodies. But it was still fun to do. “What the..?” Dustin shook his head as he pulled back from the memory. He couldn’t believe how real it felt again. 

“What?” Pete asked as he chugged the rest of his beer. He clearly loved the sensation it was giving him.

“I don’t know…” Dustin stared down at the can and just how vivid his memory of the even though he didn’t know where it came from. Grandma Cain never had a working farm whenever he went over with Pete. Sure, she still had the barn but it’d been a long time since it’d ever been in any sort of working order. She may have been one of the strongest women Dustin had ever met, but that didn’t mean she could run a farm by herself into her seventies. The amount of work it’d require was far too much for the old woman to handle. She was supposed to have her son take over but he’d never wanted to do it. But now even that memory started to feel fuzzy.

“Then take another drink,” Pete shoved the beer in front of Dustin. “You’re fallin behind. I’ll let the four I had waiting for you slide.” The challenge was set as he chugged another one of the beers right in front of Dustin. 

“Fuck you,” Dustin tried to hide his already tipsy mind. Somehow that single can of beer had made him go woozy and Pete was already on seven. He grabbed the can and popped the top. A second of remorse straddled his mind as he could smell the beer wafting into his nose again. But this time the smell was a little more obvious. It didn’t smell like the woody smell of the barn but the more metallic smell of the gym. Dustin brush it off, ‘if I was as big as him I could take these down just as easy. Just don’t wanna be as fat…’ he smirked to himself. Taking on the memories of his college days, he downed the beer as quickly as he could. 

“Thata boy,” Pete grinned he stood up and staggered a little. His large beefy body made its way to the living room. 

Dustin forced his own body up as well. ‘Holy…’ his world spun as he held onto the table next to him. He couldn’t believe how dizzy that second beer had made him. His hand gripped the table and squeezed tightly as he felt like he was about to fall back over. It took a few seconds before he was able to think straight again. He stood up and adjusted his shirt. For some reason it didn’t feel like it was fitting right all of a sudden. 

“C’mon man!” Pete slurred from the other room. “We’re just getting started. Don’t tell me you’re ready to tap out yet.” Dustin looked at the clock and it wasn’t even eight, yet somehow his body felt like it’d felt like they’d been drinking all night. 

‘Quit being such a pussy,’ he scolded himself. Looking down he saw a beer that’d been left for him. He grabbed it and headed to the living room.