Chapter 3 - A Mystery Man With An Eye For Art

The highlands of Scotland were a wondrous blend of hills, woods, and mountains. Even the air was lighter, and fresher which was a nice change from congested cities, and people at every turn.

Patina had taken a bus to the outskirts of where the Bothy was located, but to get to it required a few miles of hiking. She didn't care as long as she could make it to her Bothy. At the airport, she had bought some food (mostly protein bars, chocolate, pre-packed burritos etc) but she would be burning it off so she was comforted by that fact. She wanted to get healthier, and this had been a battle for her since her grandparents died. She made it over the hill before pausing taking in the crisp air, the sun was shining all over the mountains this morning. She took in the fresh air when a crow dove in front of her causing her to stumble back. She felt herself falling, and squeezed her eyes shut, the numbers of regrets she had swirled in her head until a warm hand grasped onto her own pulling her away from certain death. She opened her eyes, and was greeted with a godlike man who was tall, with thick short curls that were gelled into waves, he had the generic attributes of a prince including a muscular frame but his deep-set hazel eyes sparked with mischief.

She felt her stomach tighten with her heart thundering inside of her chest. He waved at Patina who stuck up her hand before putting it back down. The words she was dying to say fumbled around her lips. "I'm Eric. Who might you be little lass?" She gave him a quick inspection. Patina was slightly disappointed when she didn't see a kilt covering his legs but his denim jeans fitted him well. He had stopped talking, and was now staring at her during her examination of him. "So, why no kilt?" she asked, quickly regretting it. He laughed scratching behind his ear "Well little lass, its winter, and most folks would have to be doolally to wear one in this weather." he told her. She nodded. "Would you like to accompany me? I've got a campsite a couple of miles from here." He asked giving her an earnest grin. She ignored her brain screaming at her about how crazy it was to follow a strange man in the woods. "Sure, I'm Patina Garcia. Thank you for saving me by the way." she answered turning her head away as a blush tinted her cheeks. He laughed before heading in the direction of his campsite with Patina stumbling behind him.

Eric sat on a log rubbing his hands by the campfire whilst stealing glances at Patina who was stacking chopped logs. He scratched his chin; an afternoon shadow coated his chin that irritated him terribly. She noticed his discomfort, and pulled out an unused razor for him, she cleared her throat getting his attention. She tossed the razor to him and he caught it "Thanks cutie." He said giving her a wink. Patina looked away getting on with her tasks.

The clouds rolled by with each hour falling into the next one. Patina had taken a bath at the stream but had almost broken her ankle on a rabbit hole when she was heading back to the campsite. He was reading seemingly absorbed by a particular passage. She coughed, only at that point did Eric breakaway from the book he was reading and made his way over to help her limping form. He shuffled his feet as he went over, and picked up Patina's bag handing it to her. He saw a scratch on her shoulder but dismissed it for now. She made it onto a nearby log. He crouched and took her ankle into his hand. He examined her ankle. "It's just a pulled muscle you'll live." She turned crimson at his ministrations. Abrupty, he let her go, causing the warmth she had felt from his hands to be replaced by the harsh chill in the air. He looked at her bag. "Excuse me Miss Patina, did you draw these?" he asked. She eagerly nodded. "Do you want to see some more?" she asked. "It would be my pleasure. You are quite the bonnie lass." She rubbed her neck giggling.

Patina showed him each piece of her Artwork including photographs of previous work she's done. Her eyes were doe like as she waited in baited breath for a smile, a compliment, or even critic. "As long as he feels something, it's better than no reaction." She thought as she observed him for any indication of joy or distaste.

Eric is an Art dealer, and knew people who get her works on a couple of displays. Patina felt entrenched by his stories of artists he had met; wilderness hikes he had taken. "You took down a bear?" Patina inquired hardly believing how Eric, for all his bravado, and charm, could take on a creature that was able to kill humans. The way he shifted his hands made her uneasy but she dismissed it as they continued their conversation. "What about your parents?" He asked. Patina hesitated; her parents were always a difficult subject to talk about. Partly, because she only knew what her grandparents would tell her. She had never met her father's side of the family. "I don't know much about them. My grandparents raised me so." she informed him watching the fire. She couldn't remember the last time she had thought deeply about her parents but she had learned to be okay with that. He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. His touch had a ripple effect on all of her senses. "It's okay, there's no shame in it." She smiled, before enquiring "So what about you? I'm surprised that there's no wife or husband or kids." Sweat formed along his brow as he turned away from her hopeful stare into the wilderness. "Well, Patina, that's a quite long, and complicated story. The thing is lass, I can't find anyone that has aroused my attention until now." he relayed to her shifting on the log.

They had talked for hours and Eric's patience widdled away. He offered Patina a cup of coco which she happily accepted since the cold had successfully chilled her bones. Patina watched him as he adding various things. "Must be a Scottish thing." she thought to herself as she watched him work. He handed her cup of coco which she gently took from his hands. She slipped away, his expression changed from polite and charming to disturbingly sinister. "Eric?" she asked as she put her cup down onto the leaves. He had his back to her as he started laughing manically. His voice began to slur and she felt her body starting to shut down. His actions became clear in that moment. She got to her feet reaching out, she wanted to yell, or run but she couldn't move. Her face started to go numb along with the rest of her body. He went towards her but he was blurred. The last thing she saw before she started falling was the obscured edges of his grinning face. "Sleep tight, Dearie." He teased whilst he watched as Patina hit the ground face first into a patch of bluebells.

The paintings were gone along with her rations. Patina had woken up near the treeline, her head ached but she made it back to her campsite. She fell to her knees. Eric has tainted her heart with his smile, his lips infected her with his lies, and the hands he had touched her with so fondly had stolen a part of her soul. Patina lay in the dirt holding herself as she wept the light dimmed in her eyes as the flames burned out.