Alive and Alone (24 page)

“What about rabies?”

“According to the base conservation department, there are no documented cases of rabies in the area and never have been.  We’ve kept records since the Second World War and not a thing has ever been recorded.  That means our P.J. can most likely just treat him for puncture wounds and minor cuts and be done.  Now, there is always the danger of infection, because badgers will eat almost anything and they’re dirty.

“Frank, I’m a nurse, or did you forget?”

“No, just reminding you is all.”

“Now, was that the good or bad news?”

“Bad, the good news is we’ll have a five hour window the day after tomorrow to go in and bring our men home.”

Cathy jumped to here feat, screamed and then said, “Oh, thank you, Jesus!”

Wilcox, a little embarrassed lowered his eyes.

“And thank you and your men too Frank!  I’m so happy right now!”  Then she suddenly quieted, sat back down, and asked in a low voice, “Do you think it will really happen?”

Shrugging, with his hands out, Wilcox replied, “Cathy, I’m going by what my weather boys told me and I have the general’s permission to launch the mission, so yes, I think it will really happen.”

Marie asked, “What’s a badger?”

“It’s a cocky little critter, not much bigger than my housecat, which thinks he’s the king of the woods.  He’ll attack anything and I do mean anything.  They’ve been seen attacking grizzlies, moose, and of course, humans.  Small, but mean too.  I think David can tell you all about them in a couple of days.”

“I don’t think I ever want to see a real one!”  Marie said and then laughed.

“Your brother is okay, or Sergeant Banks would have reported otherwise.  See, the P.J. has a lot of training in the medical field, so he’s fully capable of treating any one of us.  David is
almost
as safe with Banks as he would be with a doctor.”

At the mention of a doctor, Cathy broke into tears.

“I’m sorry Cathy I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Frank, it’s me, not you.  I have to learn to accept the death of Jim and that will take time.”

“Smile for me, please, because we’ll have Dave home soon and two days from now you’ll have dinner with your boy.”

Lowering her head, Cathy replied, “I hope so, but this has been a real rollercoaster of a rescue.”

“Some are like this, but very few.  Usually we have the survivors out within 24 hours or so.  It’s the weather that has been holding us up.”

Giving him a weak smile, she said, “I know and I’m not blaming you for a single thing.  I appreciate all you, the Air Force, Civil Air Patrol, and FFA have done for me and my family.”

Standing, Colonel Wilcox said, “It’s our jobs, remember?”

“That others may live, right?”  Marie said, gave a thumb up, and then smiled.

“The leg looks bad to me,” Vittles said from beside the fire.  The night was very cold and Banks had told him it was fifty below zero.

There came a loud popping sound outside the shelter and David asked, “What was that noise?”

“Likely a limb just broke from the cold.  If it gets too cold the moisture in tree limbs freeze and they can explode,” the old trapper said with a grin.

“You’re not serious!” David said with a frown on his face. He suspected the old trapper was pulling his leg.

“As serious as I can be.  Things start to change in weather this cold.  Right now, if we were out, any exposed flesh would freeze in under a minute.”

Banks, speaking as he opened his medical bag said, “What he’s saying is true David.  Weather like this is a real killer.  Be thankful we have a fire, shelter and sleeping bags.  If not, we’d have a rough night of it, with no promise it would be warmer in the morning.”

“Why do you have a needle in your hand?”

“Dave, your injury has an infection and I need to give you a shot of penicillin.  Do you know if you’re allergic to any drugs or anything else?”  Banks asked and then pushed the plunger just enough to rid the syringe of air.

“Not that I know of and I’m sure dad would have said something about it if I did.”

“Okay, I need for you to lower your pants and roll over on your belly.”
“What!  I’ll do no such thing.”

Banks and Vittles laughed hard.  After a few minutes, Banks said, “David, as cold as this medicine is I have to give it to you in your rear.  Besides, that’s were a doctor would give it to you anyway.  If we don’t treat this with antibiotics, you’ll only get worse.”

“I’ll do it, but I don’t like it!”  David said as he unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, and then rolled over.

“Good and I’ll remember you don’t like this!”  Banks replied and then grinned at the young man’s spunk.

“Ooowww, that stings!”  

“Beats dying of infection, doesn’t it?”

“Yea, but you didn’t say anything about it hurting.”

“You can roll back over and pull your pants back up now.  The sting is slight and knowing you’re a man, well, I didn’t see a need to warn you.”

Redressing, David asked, “How long will the lump be in my rear?”

“Until the medicine warms a little more and is absorbed by your body.”

“I hope it’s soon, because my leg really hurts.”

“I have another pain killer I can give you, but I won’t give it to you until later today.  It can lead to addiction and I don’t like using it.”

“I can survive until later, because my dad warned me about drugs.”

“The use of drugs is fine, as long as they are not abused.  Just follow your doctor’s orders and you’re safe enough, most of the time.  The key to safe drug use is talking to your physician on a regular basis.”

“Ya got some opiate based drugs?” Vittles asked.

“Yep, codeine and it works for moderate to serious pain.  I just don’t like using them if it can be avoided.”

“From the look of his leg, it has to hurt ‘em some.  I’m sure he won’t turn into a junky over the next few days.  Although I did see drugs abused in Vietnam a few times.”

Banks laughed and replied, “I’ll give him some near bed time to ease the pain so he can get some sleep tonight.  And, we’re not in a war zone.  Now, you and I have to go out into this storm and gather some more wood.”

Two days later, Zee and his crew lifted off from Elmendorf with the ambient air temperature minus forty.  The sky was a clear blue and the trees were covered in frost as the chopper moved toward the rescue point.

Nearing the site Zee said, “As cold as it is, I want Williams to go down the hoist and help bring them up, if need be.  Hopefully I can land and then bring them aboard.”

Staff Sergeant Williams replied, “Copy, sir.”

“With this weather like it is, make sure they’re bundled up good for the ride up if we have to use the wench.”

“I got a beeper on guard.”  Captain Baldwin said in a casual voice.

“Radio on guard frequency, this is Save One, do you require assistance?”  Zee asked after he keyed his microphone.

“Roger that, this is Angel One and I need a ride home.”

“Angel One, we are ten mikes to from your location, over.”

“Copy Save, I have you visual.”

“I see a large yellow panel of some sort.”

“We are fifty feet to the west of that marker.  It’s the raft, so keep it in mind if you land.”

“Understand you are fifty feet west of the marker.  John, move your people from the shelter and position them to your east.  Make it about a hundred meters from your camp.”

“Will do, Save.”

Turning, Banks called out, “Grab your coats and what gear you want to take home and let’s move!”

Vittles and David were soon standing beside Banks as the chopper approached.  Smiling, David asked, “What now?”

“We need to move a hundred meters east and wait.  Once the bird lands we can board.”  Then speaking into the radio he asked, “Save One, are you sending a P.J. out?”

“Affirmative on the P.J..”

“Okay,” Banks added, “When the P.J. exits the aircraft we’ll go back with him one at a time.  David, since you’re injured I want you to go first, then Vittles, and last will be me.  Now, let’s move out a ways.”

“Angel One, this is Save One, do you have smoke?”

“Roger on the smoke.  I am popping it now!”  Banks pulled the lanyard on his MK-13 Mod-O flare and a thick orange smoke filled the air.  

“Why the smoke?” Vittles asked.

“So the pilot can see wind direction and land into the wind.”

“Cool,” David said, “That’s smart!”

Banks laughed and watched the chopper as it lowered slowly toward the ground.  He used both arms to signal the pilot from the air to the snow. It seemed to take it forever, but he knew it was because he was cold, tired and hungry.

“Angel One, I’m on the ground.  Willie will be out for you in a few seconds.”

“Remember, we go back to the bird one at a time.  I don’t need any confusion and here comes Willie right now,” Banks reminded the two survivors.

The man approaching wore his dark visor down on his helmet and hunched over as he walked under the big rotating blades of the helicopter.  When he neared he asked, “Can all of you walk?”

Banks replied, “We’re fine Willy, but take Wade first, he’s been injured slightly.”  Then extending his hand, he and Staff Sergeant “Willie” Williams shook hands.

Within a few minutes, the survivors were loaded, strapped in, and the chopper was rising from the frozen tundra.  When the aircraft had gained about a hundred feet of height, Williams handed each of them a hot cup of coffee.  Smiling, he gave a thumb up and all three returned the sign quickly.

In the cockpit, Zee was speaking to the command post, “Roger, we have the survivors and are returning to base.”

As if in disbelief, the pilot heard Colonel Wilcox ask, “Understand you have all
three
, is that correct Save One?”

“That’s a big Roger, colonel, all three, so I’d suggest you give this boys mom a call, sir!”

“Well done, Save One, very well done.”

“We’re coming home, Save One out.”

CHAPTER 19

T
HE
AIRCRAFT
made too much noise for any of them to speak without a headset, so the three survivors sat quietly with their eyes closed.  All were cold, David was excited, Vittles was worried about the loss of his cabin, and Banks felt satisfied.  He’d done what needed to be done and overall he found no fault in his actions.  Every few minutes Williams would appear and see if they needed more coffee or anything else during the flight.  While each was shivering, though wrapped in thick wool blankets, so David knew his body temperature was low and he was very likely dehydrated.  Knowing this, he still drank cup after cup of the steaming hot coffee.  Banks had warned him earlier not drink too much coffee, because the caffeine only made dehydration worse, but David was cold his hands shook.

An hour after liftoff from the tundra, Williams appeared and said in almost a scream, “In five minutes we’ll land.  Wait for my instructions before you leave the aircraft.  Each of you will visit the hospital first.  Nod if you understand me!”

All nodded and then suddenly David felt fear gnawing at his stomach.  He’d be facing his mother and now he had to tell her dad was dead.  Oh, he was aware she knew, but it was something he had to tell her himself.