Dawn of the Epoch

Chapter XXVIII - Coffee and Eggs

Tiyana woke up alone, but not surprised. Hunter rose early often and either worked or started breakfast. She dressed and thought about how badly she wanted a hot shower. Then she walked to the common room where she found Hongo cooking a number of small eggs in a cast iron pan set over a roaring fire.

“Good morning Hongo, what have you got there?” She asked.

“These are eggs. I think they came from a wild bird. Maybe a Grouse or a Quail?” Hongo replied.

“Okay…” Tiyana said tentatively. She went on, “but where did you get them and why are you cooking them?”

“Ms. Price, the eggs were sitting on the counter in the next room, but I have better news for you than eggs. I also found coffee beans. That copper kettle is boiling water and there is a French Press in the next room.” Hongo replied.

Tiyana let out a lusty breath, “Ooooh, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a cup of joe so bad in my life. Oh, and don’t call me Ms. Price, just Tiyana. We’ve been through a lot together Hongo. By the way where is Hunter?”

“I thought he was with you.” Hongo said.

“Hmmm, he is always running off and doing something. I suppose I’ll snoop around for him if you have breakfast under control.”

“I do.”

“Alright.”

With that, Tiyana began exploring the monastery. She found a large balcony on the second floor that overlooked the mountain range. Clouds leisurely floated by hundreds of feet below the precipice that the monastery was built on. The sheer altitude and the magnificent view took Tiyana’s breath away. She found no trace of Hunter or their eremitic host.

“That’s odd, I wonder where they went.” She said to herself.

Eventually, she found her way back into the common room where she ate wild-tasting eggs and drank the best coffee of her life. The beans had been grown at the highest altitude possible, resulting in enormous bean girth and lots of succulent caffeol oil. The size of the beans allowed for a long roast, which resulted in a deep and full-bodied punch of flavor. Despite the sheer decadence of the breakfast, Tiyana began worrying about Hunter.

“Hongo, where do you think Hunter is?’ She asked.

Hongo chewed slowly before responding, “I do not know. Maybe I should look for him.”

Hongo pulled his modified fully-automatic QSW-06 Chinese pistol out and began screwing a silencer onto the end of the barrel.

“Hongo, I really hope you aren’t going to go off and shoot someone. I think we’re going to be okay.” Tiyana said.

She had misgivings though. She did not know if their host could be trusted, even though he seemed alright.

“Not if I do not have to.” Hongo replied.