We Survived!

By Thomas A. Timmes

The Canada Goose hit the Cessna exploding the aging acrylic windshield into dozens of slicing slivers of plastic that ripped throughout the interior of the plane instantly killing the pilot and injuring the other eight passengers. Crashing into the tundra, the plane came to a stop resting atop a snow-covered frozen Alaskan lake. After exiting the mangled wreckage, Carl and his family raced against the sound of the cracking ice to escape to the nearby shore. Trained by the U.S. Army as a Physician Assistant, Carl treated his injured family as they watched the plane slowly slip below the surface taking the pilot to a watery grave. The Kellers’ ten-day guided Alaskan Adventure became a life-and-death struggle to survive the intense cold, feed themselves, and fend off predators while walking across the empty frozen expanse.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas A. Timmes
• Release date: Jun 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463306055

Thomas A. Timmes

Thomas A. Timmes, a 28 year active duty veteran of the U.S. Army, holds the Bronze Star for Valor and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry for combat in Vietnam. He served with the 3rd and 8th Mechanized Infantry Divisions in Germany during the Cold War as an Infantry Platoon Leader, Company Commander, and Battalion and Brigade Operations Officer. Tom has extensive experience with Military Psychological Operations as a Team Leader, an Executive Officer, and Battalion Commander of an airborne unit. Tom also served on the Department of the Army Staff and the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. After retiring as a Colonel, Tom joined the Office of the Secretary of Defense and was involved with the planning, deployment, and execution of numerous overseas military operations. He worked in the Department of Defense for 42 years including 24 years in the Pentagon. Tom earned military and civilian awards including the Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service, the Defense Superior Service Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, holds a Master’s Degree in History, and is a member of the National History Honor Society. In 2013, he was designated a Distinguished Member of the Psychological Operations Regiment. Tom is married and has five children and nine grandchildren.

Book preview

We Survived!

Seward Peninsula, Alaska

Published by Thomas A. Timmes at Smashwords

Copyright 2019

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter1 The Crash

Chapter 2 Carl’s Ancestry

Chapter 3 John and To-Wee

Chapter 4 Carl Keller

Chapter 5 After the Crash

Chapter 6 June and Dereck

Chapter 7 Dereck

Chapter 8 Reunited

Chapter 9 Cabin Hopping

Chapter 10 Dereck

Chapter 11 Cabin Four

Chapter 12 Peter

Chapter 13 Wales and Beyond

Epilogue

About the Author

Other books by this author

Preface

Besides my interest in all things Roman, I am fascinated by authentic and fictional survival stories. The ones that stand out are Kon Tiki: Across the Pacific by Raft by Thor Heyerdahl, 1950. Another incredible book is Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing, 1959, which is a compilation of Shackleton’s personal dairies from his 1914 unsuccessful trip to the South Pole. Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Paul Read, 1974, is an unforgettable read, and And I Alone Survived by Lauren Elder, 1978, is a true-life story of a woman who survived a plane crash in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains.

This book, We Survived! is my first attempt at a fictional survival book, and it is a dramatic change from my usual swords and sandals offering. Such a drastic change of direction was more than a little intimidating, and it has been exceptionally challenging, as well as personally rewarding.

Carl Keller is the principal male character of this story. He plays a key role in the survival of his family after their plane crashes on Alaska’s Seward Peninsula.

Johann Keller, Carl’s great grandfather and founder of the Keller family’s wealth, immigrated from Germany in 1840 and served with the 45th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Johann’ son, John, Carl’s grandfather, kept a journal of his adventures while working in the gold fields of Montana and Alaska during the late 1800s. He continued writing about his life in Eureka, Montana with his Kootenai (Koo-en-i) Native American wife, To-Wee.

Carl’s father, Gerhard, edited John’s journal into an exciting third person narrative with dialogue and contextual information and is presented as Chapter 2.

I owe a sincere debt of gratitude to my wife and to my son, Andrew, for reading the drafts and asking the right questions. I also want to thank my editor, Julie A. Weinkauf, for her careful editing and suggested rewrites. As all writers know, a good editor makes all the difference.

Chapter 1: The Crash

The Cessna 208 Caravan shook from propeller to tail as the violent impact splattered brain, blood, flesh, and dozens of slashing slivers of acrylic windshield down the length of the plane instantly killing the pilot. Jagged pieces of shattered bone and dagger-like shards of window framing were further propelled by the hurricane-strength, freezing wind that rapidly filled the plane’s interior. The torrent of wind and debris battered and ripped everything in its path. Nothing was spared, and time stopped for the eight bleeding and stunned passengers.

Sitting in the copilot seat, Carl blinked hard against the wind, squinting a quick sideways glance at the pilot, Billy, and immediately wished he hadn’t. His face and half his skull were a ghoulish mess of blood, flapping flesh, and brain tissue streaming to the rear of the plane.

Already in a low, 155 MPH tight left-hand turn to view the four unique volcanos, the nine-passenger Cessna began to dive toward the featureless white blanket of snow below, picking up speed as it careened downward. Straining hard against his harness, Carl reached for his copilot steering yoke and began pulling it back hard and turning it to the right as he squinted at the altimeter―100 feet! The nose began to lift slightly as the left wing struck the ground causing the plane to cartwheel, then violently spin on its belly before its landing gear dug into a smooth, rock less hummock hill, ripping off the wheels from the undercarriage and flipping the plane over onto its back. The roof crushed inward with a deafening roar as the fuselage continued skimming the tops of several more hummocks before plunging down a steep forty-foot side of one of the ancient volcanos.

The now battered and unrecognizable plane came to rest upside down on a flat, smooth, snow-covered expanse and was engulfed in an eerie silence. Even the fierce wind grew silent as if mourning the death of the two men killed by the collision impact force of 80,000 pounds – ten times the weight of the plane.

The momentary peace was abruptly shattered when the smell of gasoline pouring from the one remaining wing tank overpowered everything else.

Get out of the plane! yelled Carl as the smell of gas gripped his gut with a primal fear. He unbuckled his harness in a frenzy, dropping him onto the torn, jagged ceiling. Like his command to evacuate, his scream of pain as a sharp piece of metal roofing pierced his knee, went unheard. The intense noise of the crash and wind had deafened everyone’s ears to all sounds, including the cacophony of cracking ice surrounding the Cessna.

Crawling into the passenger section, he watched Dereck, his daughter’s football-player boyfriend, lower himself with one easy motion and quickly crawl to the passenger door. When it failed to yield to his considerable bulk and strength, he headed toward the cargo door which fell outward taking Dereck with it. The gaping hole was a magnet encouraging others to unfasten their seat belts and drop to the floor.

Carl’s wife was hanging upside down in her seat before she undid her seat belt and dropped hard. Darting his eyes around for the rest of his family, he saw his three children struggling with their belts. His sister-in-law, TeeLa, was not moving, her head hanging limply, blood dripping from her long, braided hair onto the ceiling.

Blood and feathers were everywhere and Carl saw mouths silently moving, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. Settle down and take control, he told himself, but he wasn’t in control. He remained frozen in place, fixated by the bewildering sights and smells that assaulted his senses. Lacking any frame of reference for what his brain was processing, he stared like a confused child, not scared, not moving, just numb. He slowly raised his hand to reach out and touch one of the many feathers floating throughout the cabin while his eyes searched for more until he saw enough of the head and one wing to identify the bird, a Canada Goose. He withdrew his hand to wipe his eyes, and realized his scalp was bleeding as well as his forehead.

He noticed his seventeen-year-old daughter, June, staring at him from the back of the plane as she mouthed, Daddy, help me, her words faint and muffled as though coming from a great distance. Carl felt a surge of adrenaline and awareness as his brain began to sort out the jumbled mix of seats and equipment. Everything came into focus along with the urgent need for immediate action. Peter and Kim, his other children, dropped to the floor, their parkas ripped and bloody. Everyone was now out of their seats except TeeLa, his testy sister-in-law. He could see Dan, the Alaskan State Trooper, who’d hitched a ride with them on his way to the Inupiat village of Wales, crumpled in a heap on the ceiling of the plane.

His confusion mounted as Carl felt conflicted by the strong smell of gas, signaling the need to evacuate the plane immediately, and the pressing need to care for the injured.

TeeLa is unconscious and bleeding from her head and face, yelled LoMa, his Kootenai Native American wife, in a voice way too loud.

LoMa looks terrified, but she’s functioning. I see blood on her hand and splatter all over her face, noted Carl.

June, Peter, Kim get out of the plane―now! shouted Carl as loud as he could, and watched his kids slowly moving to the open hatch while he crawled over to LoMa. Don’t shout. I can hear you now, he said to his wife. June, Peter, Kim! Grab our baggage on your way out. Move faster! You’ve got to snap out of it!

Well, I can’t hear a damn thing, she shouted trying to hear herself. Carl, you’re bleeding from your head pretty bad. Why are we alive? Why didn’t we die in the crash?

I don’t know. Looking up at TeeLa still locked in her seat belt, Carl could see the dripping blood and flap of skin on her scalp, her ripped cheek, and a small jagged piece of plastic stuck in her neck. It’s more important to evacuate her than to treat her in the plane.

Besides Dereck, June was the first one to step out of the plane and into the frigid air. She froze in place as the cold air invaded her lungs, and the snow beneath her feet began cracking and sizzling like oil in a frying pan.

You’ll have to get on your belly and slide, hollered Dereck, from the rocky shoreline twenty-five feet away. The ice is only about three inches thick. But wait! First get your knife out of your gear in case you fall through. And bring my rucksack and rifle.

As she leaned out of the plane and put her arms onto the ice, she could see the thin bubbly ice where Dereck had cleared the snow as he slid toward the rocks. She looked in vain for any clear, thicker ice, then pulled herself back inside the plane and yelled, Dad, we’re on a lake and the ice is too thin to support our weight. At that moment, the front of the plane dropped. She leaned out to look and could see the propellers and half the engine had sunk into the icy water. Dad, Mom, get out now―it’s sinking! she desperately screamed.

Reaching up, Carl unbuckled TeeLa, and her considerable weight landed on him, hard. LoMa, help me drag her to the door. Peter, come here and give us a hand – quickly! he shouted. Kim, start grabbing our gear and throwing it out the door. June, you and Dereck drag it to shore. Move!

Dereck, we need you here to help get our stuff out. The plane is sinking! June screamed as she slid his pack and rifle case out the door. Where’s my stuff? I need to get my knife out.

Too dangerous. I’m too heavy. I’ll fall through. Just slide it here, and I’ll help lift it onto the rocks. Drag the stuff behind you, but keep it as far away as possible so you don’t concentrate the weight, he yelled helpfully.

She stared for a second in disbelief then turned to grab more gun cases, rucksacks, cases of water, boxes of food, and all the gear that was supposed to go in the snowmobiles, so no one would have to carry it. Sliding the boxes gently out of the cargo door and onto the ice, she grumbled, If he made it to the rocks once, surely he could come back to help, but no, he is too heavy. Bullshit!

Peter and Kim were also pushing gear out the door when the ice under the heavy pile threw out spider webs in all directions. Heart pounding, June carefully slid out onto the ice, crawled around the pile until she found her pack, and grabbed her knife. She had learned about ice during years of ice fishing with her Dad, and knew she’d need to plunge the knife into the ice to pull herself out of the water if it broke beneath her. Grasping Dereck’s pack and gun case, she began inching her way to him. First Peter, then eleven-year-old Kim followed, pulling rifles and rucksacks.

When they reached the shore, Dereck leaned down and lifted the heavy packs off the ice, then grabbed June’s parka and lifted her up and out. She looked at him through narrowed eyes. Dereck, please follow me back out; there’s more gear to bring back, she pleaded through clenched teeth, yet managing a weak smile. Don’t piss him off, June.

Sorry. Too dangerous. Can’t do it. Stay here with me. It’s safer.

Seriously? was all she could think of as she lowered herself onto her belly and began the trip back to the plane.

Peter, Kim, let’s go. Hurry up, she yelled, her voice rising with each word as she encouraged them. Maybe Dereck’s right about being too big to get on the ice. He’s at least 190 pounds, and I’m barely 100. Gingerly crawling back, she saw her Mom and Dad pushing TeeLa out of the plane and onto the cracking ice. Then her Mom got out and began dragging TeeLa to shore. Her Dad followed carrying a plastic box with a bright red cross on it, then joined LoMa in pulling her sister.

June and her siblings grabbed the remaining items and were on their way back to shore when more of the plane went down with a great splintering and crunching of ice. The huge puddle of aviation gas beneath the wing ran along the side of the plane and spread its rainbow colors over the surface of the newly exposed water.

Approaching the shore, Carl glanced up at Dereck. Saved his ass and could care less about the rest of us!

Let me help, said Dereck, grabbing TeeLa’s shoulders, and easily depositing her onto the safety of the rocks. Where’s the Trooper? he asked.

Dead, responded Carl as he crawled onto the rocks. I could feel the break at his C-1 cervical vertebra. I checked for any sign of life before I left. He wasn’t wearing his seat belt, so his head probably hit the ceiling when the plane flipped over and snapped his neck.

How about the pilot? asked LoMa, reaching out to brush the blood off Carl’s forehead.

Dead too. The bird just about ripped his head off. He didn’t stand a chance. Suddenly his voice rose an octave and his eyebrows shot up. I need to get their personal items for their families, and he began making his way back to the plane on his stomach. Over his shoulder he shouted, Maybe the pilot has survival gear on him. I shouldn’t go back to the plane. It’s sinking. This is crazy, but I’m committed. I’ll drown doing this! Why do I keep inching toward the plane? LoMa call me back!

LoMa looked around at everyone and saw blood splatter on ripped clothes and skin as well as shock and horror on their faces. Little Kim was crying and shaking. Peter was holding the side of his head with his hand and just rocking while blood seeped between his fingers. She could see that June was furious with Dereck, but neither of them appeared to be badly hurt.

Look, she said firmly, everyone is going to have to treat his or her own wounds. June, you help Kim. Her nose is cut and bleeding, and she may have other injuries. Use Dad’s Army medic bag and the First-Aid kit from the plane to get what you need. Stop the bleeding, sterilize the wounds, and cover them with gauze or a Band-Aid. Dad will sew up what’s too big to close on its own. Also use some of the duct tape to seal up any rips in your jackets.

Kim, we’re going to be alright, said LoMa gently. Take a deep breath. Peter, you hear me. We just survived a plane crash! I need you to get a gauze pad and press it up against whatever is bleeding on your head. I don’t want you losing any more blood. Get up and do it, now! My neck is hurting more and more, but I can’t feel any cuts. June, is my neck bleeding? she asked turning her head and pulling down the top of her parka.

Could be, Mom. Your parka is torn and bloody. I’ll look at it when I finish with Kim.

Carl pulled himself into the plane―Don’t sink!―and began rifling through Dan’s pockets and stuffing his own parka’s right-hand pocket with mementos of Dan, including his badge, to give to the family. This plane is sinking, and it’ll take some heavy equipment to get to the bodies. These cone-less volcanos, or maars, are at least three hundred feet deep. It will be a massive challenge to recover the remains.

The pilot was still in his safety harness, but Carl wanted his survival vest, so he released the harness, letting the body crash to the floor. After putting on the vest, Carl rummaged through the papers next to Billy’s seat. A clip board with radio frequencies, maintenance logs, allowable takeoff weight, maps! Nothing we can use, he thought as the plane shifted and dropped a little more through the complaining ice. Carl hurriedly searched his pockets grabbing mementos and stuffed them into his left-hand pocket while looking around the cockpit for a flight bag. Nothing. Time to get out.

As he readied himself to slide out onto the ice, he scanned the interior of the plane for anything that might be of use. Seat cushions, he thought and began throwing them through the hatch as quickly as he could unsnap them from the seats. Slipping onto the ice, he saw June and Peter pushing the cushions toward the shore across the blood-stained ice when he heard cracking all round him. Grabbing a cushion, he waited for the icy water to envelop him, but it held. LoMa, throw me a rope – quick! he yelled. It’s in my pack. Ice is breaking under me!

Dereck instantly jumped up. Mrs. Keller, I’ve got this! he called out, tearing open Carl’s pack. He coiled the rope and sent it sailing through the air. As the rope arched through the falling snow, the ice gave way dropping Carl’s feet and lower legs into the maar’s numbingly cold waters. He kicked against the water, thrusting himself upward and grabbed the rope as it landed on the ice. Pull, he yelled. Dereck put his back into it, and Carl slid like a puck at an NHL game.

Thanks, Dereck, said Carl as he dragged himself onto the rocks. Looking around, Carl thought, This is an old volcano that’s now filled with water, and we’re now sitting on what was thrown out of the ground thousands of years ago. This is insane! LoMa, how’s she doing? Carl asked, looking at TeeLa and retrieving his old Army medic bag. You’re a well-trained Army Physician’s Assistant with combat experience, so fix them up like you did on the battlefield, he ordered himself while mindful that he was soaked from his knees down and was already shivering. My scalp is beginning to hurt, and I’m dripping blood down my face, but it could be worse!

She’s not good. Lost a lot of blood, in pain, and going into shock. She groaning and beginning to thrash about.

Everyone suddenly looked in the direction of the plane as the ice cracked loudly and eased the 4,000-pound Cessna and its precious human cargo down to a watery grave. God be with them, Carl prayed and turned back to TeeLa and the living as the remnant of the plane was pulled nose down by the heavy engine.

Suddenly, Kim started crying. What’s going to happen to us, Daddy? Are we all going to die?

Peter also began to panic. This isn’t good at all. No one will ever find us.

I’ve got to console them before this fear and uncertainty consumes us all. Listen to me! Carl said above the roar of the wind while rummaging through his medic bag. We’re in a bad situation. Peter, you’re right. This isn’t good at all, but think of it, we just survived a terrible crash that very few people walk away from. We’ve been spared, and we’re going to fight to continue living. No Kim, we are not going to die out here because we’re going to use our brains to stay alive. Yes, we’re in a tough situation, but by helping each other and keeping a good attitude, we’ll come out of this. You’ve got to believe that we will come out of this. That belief will give us the strength to go on one minute, one hour, and one day. Don’t any of you quit on me. We’re going to make it, okay? he insisted as he readied the Morphine Sulfate Pen Injector for TeeLa’s thigh muscle.

Okay Daddy, whimpered Kim, wiping her tears.

Good, now let’s help ourselves get better, he said as the morphine shot into TeeLa’s muscle. LoMa, you are your sister’s comfort nurse. Keep her head on your lap and monitor her heart. Kim, I want you to be my operating room nurse. Can you do it? It’s a lot of work and bloody.

Just tell me what to do. I’m okay, Kim said with a shaky smile, but obviously proud for having been asked.

Peter, what’s wrong with your ear? Carl could see a bloody hand covering his ear and lower scalp.

Before he could answer, June piped up, Dad, part of his ear was ripped off. It’s just hanging there, and part of his head is a bloody mess too. I think his scalp is ripped.

Just then, Peter emptied his stomach. I don’t feel so good, he said weakly, the color of his face matching the snow around him. June moved away from Dereck and sat next to Peter to hold the gauze pad against his ear.

That’s good, June, help your brother, said Carl encouragingly. Get some of these cushions under him and elevate his feet above his head. Open your parka and hug him to keep him warm. Dereck try to warm TeeLa. Throw your leg and arm over her. Kim, find a large piece of gauze and give it to June to press on Peter’s scalp and ear until I can get to him. Reaching back, Kim handed June the sterile wrapped gauze pad from the First Aid kit.

Okay, Kim, two things: First, look in the bag for the stethoscope, and secondly, find the two-inch blue packets of a gel called ‘Wound Preparation.’

While Kim pawed through the many items in the medic’s bag, LoMa asked, What’s all that for?

Before answering her, Carl said, Wait. Kim. I think what we need is right here in the Pilot’s Survival Vest. He’d forgotten that he’d slipped it on while in the plane. Jackpot, he exclaimed, and pulled out five gel packs while quickly noting the other items in the vest: drinking filter, space blanket, multi-tool fire starter, waterproof matches, small roll of duct tape, sunglasses, needle-nose plyers, crescent wrench, safety wire, and zip ties. Kim, hand the stethoscope and a gel pack to your Mom, and one of the packets to June to put on Peter. LoMa, listen to TeeLa’s heartbeat for any changes, and open a gel pack and rub it on my head wounds. Good, I’m alert and thinking clearly.

June, listen up. Rip open one of the gel packets, but don’t squeeze the packet while you’re ripping it open, or it’ll shoot all over the place. June, did you hear me? Put some of the gel on Peter’s ear and scalp. LoMa, keep pressure on her scalp while I work on her neck. Glancing at LoMa while wiping blood from his forehead, he answered her question. This stuff disinfects, numbs, and sanitizes all at the same time. It’s a lidocaine 4% and benzethonium Cloride 0.25% mixture. TeeLa, open your eyes. Look at me. I’m rubbing your neck and head with something that will help with the pain until the morphine kicks in. Stay with me. Nod your head if you understand.

She opened her eyes and blinked a few times. Just get the goddamn stuff on and quit screwing with me. Hurts like hell! Am I going to die? she snapped in her normal irritated tone.

As long as you can still swear like that, you’re going to be fine. Ignore her tone. Just be nice to her. She probably needs a transfusion. May have lost two pints by now. She’s not out of the woods yet. TeeLa, do you know your blood type?

It’s on my dog tags around my neck, idiot. I was in the Army, you know, she snarled in pain. He smiled to himself. That’s Tee being Tee. Be tolerant. She’s hurting pretty bad. Even combat vets snap at people when they hurt.

Kim, look for a little brown, 6x3 inch kit tied with strings. Open it up, and touching only the dull end of the hook, take out a suture needle. Unspool about a foot of that black thread and rub it down with the gel. LoMa, signal me if anything changes and look at her dog tags for her blood type.

LoMa fumbled with TeeLa’s parka and finally said, O-positive. And Carl, I’ve got to bandage your head. You’re losing blood. He nodded. Kim, hand me a few gauze pads and some tape, said LoMa, and went to work on Carl’s head and forehead.

Good, her blood type is the same as mine. We’re compatible. I wonder why TeeLa is still wearing her Army dog tags?

Carl’s combat medic training and two years of intensive training to be an Army Physician’s Assistant guided his hands as he deftly sutured her deep neck wound with a simple running suture while leaving room for the drainage tube, which he stitched in place. Kim, hand me one of the gauze pads and the tape, so I can cover Tee’s neck. Get ready with the scissors. LoMa? he asked, looking at her.

No change.

TeeLa, how do you feel?

Like shit. I may throw up, she said weakly as her face began to go from faded pink to ghostly white.

Suddenly LoMa shot her hand up. Getting weaker, she said as her eyes widened.

TeeLa’s eyes rolled back as she passed out.

At least she’s out of pain. Damn, I really don’t want to do this, but she’ll die if I do nothing, he thought. And I hope she doesn’t have Hep-C or something else.

LoMa, the stethoscope. He listened to her fading heart to validate that she was, in fact, dying. Kim, look at the syringes and needles and find one with 20 ccs on the side. It’s the biggest one in there. Here, just hand me the bag; I have to get a few other things.

Once he found the IV catheter, smaller syringes, and a small plastic bottle of saline solution, he said to his younger daughter, Hang on, we’re in for a ride! And, Kim, open a gel pack.

After cleaning the back of TeeLa’s hand, he took the IV catheter and easily inserted it into the largest vein he found and taped it down. Dereck twitched as he lay next to TeeLa with his eyes closed. After looking at him for a few seconds, Carl looked at LoMa and mouthed, He’s almost asleep. Just like soldiers, he thought. They can sleep anywhere, anytime. Dereck, you doing okay? You’ve been a big help.

Yeah, I’m okay, thanks.

Knowing people usually donate one pint of blood or 473 ccs, I would have to fill this 20-cc syringe twenty-three times. A whole pint may leave me too weak to function. I’ll give her half a pint or ten syringes, he decided. Kim, look in the bag for a pencil or pen and something to write on. Count how many times I fill this syringe with my blood. Taking a deep breath, he took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve. Lifting up the large syringe, he pushed it into his vein near his elbow joint. Pulling back on the handle, his blood surged into the tube.

Watching the blood fill the tube, Kim started sweating and then her stomach began to feel nauseous. It was coming up and there was nothing she could do about it, so she turned her head to the side and quietly threw up. Sick and pale she bravely said, That’s three vials, Dad. What can I do?

God, I just love you. You’re so brave and grown up for eleven. Okay, it’s time to flush the catheter to avoid a clot. Use the gel to wipe the end of the catheter. Take the saline solution bottle and screw it onto the catheter. Take your time. No hurry. Now slowly push the plunger down a little and then pause for a second and keep doing it until the solution is all gone.

Only three syringes! This’ll take forever. Any change to her heart?

No, still very weak, replied LoMa.

I’m very sorry for your sister, and you too, he said, suddenly feeling intense compassion and love mixed in with his growing fatigue and pain from his cut scalp and his cold, wet legs and feet. He watched LoMa’s eyes fill with tears. I’m doing everything I know to save her life.

Dad, that’s number ten. You’re finished! Carl’s shoulders slumped. The strain of this whole ordeal was finally kicking in.

Thanks, Kim. I’m exhausted. I need a minute, and promptly put his head between his legs. LoMa, that’s the best I can do for, Tee. It’s now a waiting game.

Thank you, Carl, but you can’t quit yet, said LoMa. You get over there and sew up Peter. You’re not finished, she said with a stern, this-is-for-real-look on her face.

He knew she was right. I was in charge, and now she’s in charge. She’s picking up the slack, and that’s one reason we’ve been married so many years. Mutual support. When one falters, the other steps in. I’m lightheaded. I need a minute, he repeated.

Okay, Carl. Rest for a few minutes, then I need you to be the brave warrior I married. Push through it. We need you; don’t let us down. Peter needs you. Hey, have you seen your face? she asked, showing concern and trying to distract him. You look like the pictures you sent me from Iraq.

Covered in little specks of blood? he asked. Memories flooded back. The hot explosion, being pelted with metal fragments, sand, pebbles, and pieces of concrete. I felt like I was being sandblasted. Lots of bloody specks on my face, but thankfully no real damage. I’ll look at it later. Feels okay. LoMa nodded.

It’s getting colder, and the wind is picking up, Dereck suddenly interjected loudly as he sat up. And it looks like a lot of snow is coming right at us. Look up there, he said, pointing to the north. We need to get out of this wind and on the other side of a hill, if there are any hills around here, before we freeze to death.

Couldn’t agree with you more, Dereck. Soon as I sew up Peter, we’ll move, he said, grabbing his bag and climbing the rocks up to Peter and June.

Well, I’m going, now. June, let’s go, ordered Dereck. You with me? We’ll freeze if we stay here. Look, it’s getting late, and it’ll be dark soon, he continued. June didn’t move. Fine, how about if I go and scout out a campsite and try to get a fire going?

That may actually be a good idea, Dereck, said Carl.

I can’t go, Dereck, June said quietly, her brow furrowed and with a slight edge to her voice. Look around. Shit’s all over the place; I need to sort it out and help carry. How about taking one of those cases of water with you if you really are going to go without us. She sucked in a quick breath and froze. God, I hope I haven’t pissed him off. It just came out. I’ll apologize later, she thought fearfully.

Okay, I’ll take a case with me. Follow my tracks if they’re not covered up by the snow or blown away. I’ll try to find a place out of the wind and get a fire going. And with that he took his rifle out of the soft case, slung it and his ruck on his back, grabbed a case of water, and climbed to the top of the slope. He disappeared into the white mist without looking back.

Kim, find your book on Seward Peninsula and tell me the temperatures in October and when the sun sets and rises. Okay, Peter, let’s fix you up, he said with an encouraging smile. Your ear will need a bit of cosmetic surgery when we get back, I can already see that, but I’ll do the best I can to keep you handsome. I’ll use a vertical mattress suture to make sure it doesn’t come apart." This is going to get infected, I can sense it. When it does, I’ll hit it with the antibiotics that Doctor Kruger gave me. I’m sure the Percocets are going to be needed too. This is going to hurt for a while, poor kid. Peter, I’m going to wrap your ear and then wrap it snug against your head, so it won’t pull away.

Dad, I found the information, said Kim happily after several minutes of scanning pages. She was definitely cementing her reputation as the smart one, and was thankfully recovering from the trauma of the crash.

Let’s hear it, Carl encouraged while continuing to wrap Peter’s ear.

Okay, Dad, average high for October on the Seward Peninsula is 32 degrees and the average low is 24, and we can expect sixty-nine inches of snow. That’s five feet nine inches or about as tall as you, Dad. Back home in Montana the average high temperature for October is 57 and the low 33. Wow, that’s a big difference! she said with surprise. "It also says that with any kind of wind, we can expect lows in the single digits. The book also notes