Flight To Pandemonium

by Murray, Edward

  Mac and Tony stood assessing their success. “Think of anything critical we haven’t found?” asked Mac.

  “Yea, damned glad you asked… what about cooking our food,” replied Tony. We’ve forgotten a propane cook stove and propane bottles. And we haven’t found boots. We’ll need those for sure before winter is done with us.

  “And coats… definitely winter coats,” said Mac. “Shouldn’t we return and look for those in the safe houses?”

  They found a stainless steel cook stove and eight five gallon bottles of propane, but neither boots nor coats. No one was willing to risk gleaning homes again.

  Mac wondered what they would do for supplies next year but thought of Abel. His family was so well adapted to a simple life they would be doing well. Maybe by next year, their little band would be better adapted… or just make do.

  Everyone sorted, packed, and loaded supplies while the miners disappeared on foot without explanation. They returned driving a four wheel ATV quad towing an agricultural trailer loaded with a large plastic tank.

  “You two look pleased with yourselves,” said Mac. “What’s up?”

  “A parking lot full of cars going nowhere, that’s what. There’s gotta be gas in ‘em and we’re gonna siphon until that tank is full!”

  By the time the miners returned, a party was underway. The Scotch flowed as much to drown out memory of looking through windows as to celebrate success.

  The ladies prepared a feast with many of the newfound ingredients. After the miners explained their latest success, no more talk of gleaning was tolerated for the night. Most just got blitzed listening and dancing to sixties music on a CD player Judy found in the wonder house.

  Mac awoke hearing the cat fire up. Hirsh, Judy and Onita were talking quietly but conversation ceased when Mac entered the living room. The miners and the pilots were outside, apparently preparing to depart. Breakfast was nearly finished, so he happily settled for leftovers.

  Judy broke the silence, “Hirsh has reluctantly decided to join us.”

  “Great! But why the reluctance?” Mac asked.

  “Oh, personal reasons, really,” said Hirsh. “I’m not sure I really fit in your band. And I’ll miss the library.”

  “Sure you’ll fit in...” replied Mac. “So Hirsh, why don’t you go over there right now and select a year’s worth of reading. After we clean up, we’ll join you and box as many books as we can haul.”

  “There’s far more than just reading selections. There are references and other works that I may want to...”

  “Take ‘em with us! They’ll just rot otherwise.”

  Hirsh looked doubtful. “Well…”

  “Come on Hirsh… who’s left to value them but us,” encouraged Mac.

  Judy added, “You can organize your own library where we’re going.”

  “Jack will be very upset with any more delay,” Hirsh said.

  “Jack’s always chaffing at the bit, but Tony will wait for us no matter what.”

  “Come on… let’s go over to the library together right now and we’ll help,” said Judy. Onita jumped up and whispered a request of her own.

  “Good thought. I’ll bring everything I can find,” said Hirsh, “but kindly help me fend off those who’ll be upset waiting for me.”

  Mac quickly found works on natural birthing, midwifery and obstetrics. Hirsh’s references were easily found, but he was agonizingly slow with his other selections. As Hirsh filled each box, Mac loaded each one on the trailer.

  Jack was frenzied by the delay. He began drinking Scotch. “See those clouds,” he said. “That’s a storm comin’.”

  “A few more minutes won’t matter,” Mac replied.

  “Bullshit!” he thundered. “We’ve got more’n fifty miles to drive towing all that gear! We won’t get there before dark even now, slow as we’ll be!”

  Tony kept Jack outside and everyone helped to hurry Hirsh along. When Mac came out with the last box, Jack was nowhere in sight. “Unhappy with the delay!” Tony explained, “He’s so worked up that he went ahead by himself in the quad.”

  “I thought separating like this was a mortal sin,” Mac said flippantly.

  “Well… we’re all sinners from time to time,” replied Tony, irritated.

  Despite the pressure to leave, Mac couldn’t restrain a frivolous thought and paused. Had a bystander been watching, their lengthy hillbilly caravan would be a humorous sight… a bizarre and blemished motor grader towing a tarnished silver tanker towing a swaybacked wagon towering with peddlers’ gear in a train loaded with lean scruffy people brandishing guns dressed like gypsy hawkers with their dog perched on top. Mac chuckled thinking that a month earlier he had compared the same patchwork yellow taxi to a fine limousine.

  The weather was changing. As overcast reached overhead, snow began. The ice patched road became slick with a fresh coating of dry powder. While they remained on level ground, Tony thought it wise to stop and chain up the cat with what little help Mac could offer. Judy and Onita prepared a cold lunch. The pilots deployed the bimini canopy and once underway, everyone ate on the move thinking the day would be long after a very slow start.

  Tony drove the cat cautiously, his passengers bouncing to the rhythm of chains. As he ascended the slopes, clouds thickened and lowered, diminishing daylight. Tony turned on his array of headlamps and sped up, determined not to stop until reunited with Jack. Darwin hunkered down among canvas folds, watching forward, alert. Judy deferred to Onita, giving her the comfort of riding in the heated cab. Pappy and Mac rode in the watch seats, but with senses dulled by the weather and the monotonous rhythm of the tire chains.

  Darwin’s piercing bay focused everyone’s attention on two distant bear cubs moving about a larger black bear prostrate on the road. A man rose from the bear, stood up and waved. The cubs scampered out of sight. Tony recognized Jack standing in the headlights, shielding his eyes, waiting for the cat to reach him.

  The quad was off in the ditch with its utility trailer on its side still attached. Tony jumped off, left the cat running, hurrying to Jack, “Pard… you hurt?”

  “I’m okay,” he said, “busted my arm, maybe… smarts. Sum bitchin’ bear chased me off the road.”

  Tony glanced at the sow in a pool of bright frozen blood.

  “She got right close ‘till I emptied my clip. Then I went over the handlebars.”

  “Why were you lying on her?”

  “I was cold… she was warm,” he said, wincing in pain.

  “Her cubs?”

  “Yup. Didn’t have another clip. They don’t like me keeping her company either. Kept ‘em off me with the bite of my knife. Glad you came when you did, though.”

  “Buggy work?”

  “Dunno. Couldn’t detach it or right the trailer with my bum arm. Bent hitch.” Jack, who seldom acknowledged pain, held his left arm close to his chest

  Watching, Judy intervened and said, “Jack, please let me look at your arm.”

  Jack didn’t protest while she pressed gently.

  “Jack, the good news is that I don’t think the arm is broken. But you’ve pulled a muscle from its tendon at the shoulder. I can feel the knot of muscle. If you try to use it, you’ll make it worse and it might not repair itself. So… knowing you, I’m going to wrap your arm tight to your body. You’ve got to give it a break. You’ve also bruised some ribs.”

  Meanwhile, the men righted the trailer intact with its tank of gasoline. The hitch was twisted and needed repair. Tony levered it serviceable with a crow bar. Undamaged, the quad started without trouble.

  When Judy finished, Tony wanted to be off. “Those cubs are lurkin’ round here somewhere ‘cause they won’t quit momma.”

  “Don’t leave good bear meat, dammit,” said Jack vehemently despite his pain. “Tie
the sow on back of the trailer… it’ll take only a coupla’ more minutes.”

  Mac was to lead the caravan driving the quad. Riding on the bridge screened from the wind was a comfort compared to driving the open quad. In half an hour, Mac was chilled to the bone and stopped to wrap himself in a sleeping bag. No wonder Jack sought relief of the warm bear.

  Darkness settled, so Mac slowed. Weak buggy lights made leading difficult through falling snow. An hour later, Tony flashed his lights for Mac to stop. Onita insisted everyone be allowed a break and for Tony to leave the cat idling with the heater running full so that all might take turns getting warm.

  After a powwow, everyone wanted to push for the turnoff and camp on the spot where they had days earlier. Jack moved to the smoother riding trailer lying prostrate wrapped in sleeping bags. Thereafter Tony proceeded at a snail’s pace, arriving well after dark.

  The work of setting up camp without Jack’s help reminded everyone of how much work he contributed to daily necessity. The campfire warmed only those who could tolerate the smoke. Dinner was MRE’s all around lying in sleeping bags trying to stay warm.

  Morning dawned clear and cold, the low sun providing little warmth. Without heat, the night had been unpleasant . Up before dawn, Tony started the cat so Jack and the ladies could warm up in the cab. The rest gathered around a wind-blown smoky spruce campfire preparing a hearty breakfast of bear steaks and berry pan biscuits.

  Jack ate little and drank only hot sugared tea. He had not slept during the night and was so miserable that Judy finally persuaded him to take a strong analgesic. He slept quietly on a cot with his back to the sun while camp was cleared.

  Over strong coffee, the band discussed plans for the day. Pappy again pushed leaving for the four lodges located on the shores of Lake Louise twenty miles distant. At their recent pace, that meant a morning’s travel at least. Judy thought they should remain in camp to allow Jack’s ribs to recover for a day before resuming their bouncing journey. Tony was unusually insistent that leaving not be delayed even an hour.

  “Jack’s a tough boy, and he’d agree. I’m worried about what we’ll find there, so we need to get on with finding out.”

  Supporting Judy, Pappy added, “You’ll appreciate the accommodations. We could check the lodges while Jack recovers.”

  Tony wasn’t impressed. “Pappy, not one lodge we’ve seen since Talkeetna has been fit to live in… all chock full of plague trouble. What makes this any different?”

  “Surely, one of them can be made habitable,” he retorted.

  “You’re not gettin’ it… That’ll likely be more work and more delay. That weather yesterday was a warning. We aren’t hardened to live in a tent in winter.”

  “What harm is there in exploring ahead in the buggy?” replied Judy. “At least, we’re already set up here.”

  “That’s a day up and back, then another day to return in the cat, separating us in the meantime,” retorted Tony. “Member what happened yesterday?”

  “How can I forget,” said Hirsh, apparently blaming himself for the mishap.

  “Camping next to the highway doesn’t keep us safe,” replied Tony.

  Having thought only of Jack, Judy needed no further persuasion. “I suppose we could make Jack more comfortable riding in the cab tucked in a cushion of sleeping bags… but before we leave, nature calls for the ladies.”

  Judy and Onita accompanied by Darwin left camp carrying a basin of warm water to visit the trees. Others packed camp for travel. Jack slept.

  Darwin began howling a warning among the trees. Riotous snarling answered from another animal which sounded like a wolf.

  Tony grabbed his rifle and shouted, “Get your weapons!” and ran off toward the barking. Mac followed with his shotgun but heard Judy shout shrilly, “Don’t shoot, he’s just a boy!”

  Mac found Onita fumbling to dress, and among the trees, Judy struggling to hold Darwin’s collar as he lunged. Opposite her was a young man kneeling with his arms around a black Labrador retriever. Nearly hidden from sight, Tony pointed his rifle at the boy’s back. Strapped over the boy’s shoulder was a sophisticated military weapon.

  Tony ordered, “Take his weapon, but don’t get between us.” The moment Mac approached, the Lab resumed his fearsome snarling. If the boy let go of the collared dog to unsling his rifle, Mac was going to get the full brunt of his rage. He stopped. It was standoff as far as Mac was concerned.

  Tony said, “Then, cover me.” As Mac raised his shotgun to do so, Tony pulled his hunting knife and Mac feared for the dog’s life.

  Apparently, so did Judy for she screamed, “Tony, don’t.” But his only action was to grab the leather strap of the boy’s rifle and slice through it. As it fell to the ground, Tony retrieved it together with a knife sheathed on the boy’s belt.

  Miraculously through it all, the boy calmly and securely held the dog, softly whispering commands. He turned to Mac and said coolly, “You have no cause to threaten me and take my rifle.”

  The dog quieted down, so Mac lowered his shotgun and backed away. Unknown to Tony, Mac might have shot the dog, but never the boy. As with Jack, Tony gave no quarter and was uncompromising whenever he perceived a threatening situation.

  The pilots rushed up, and Tony turned to them, “Please, everyone go back to camp. Mac and I will talk to the boy.”

  “I trust that you will not harm the young man,” said Judy firmly. The boy stood and Mac studied him. He firmly commanded the dog to sit who did so without hesitation. He looked to be about sixteen, not quite physically mature, short with an athletic stance. The boy looked fit, cleanly dressed in modern outdoor gear, well fed and might be a local native with his dark hair and eyes.

  Tony asked the young man, “Why were you lurking just outside our camp?”

  “If I was lurking, you wouldn’t have seen me.”

  The boy showed spunk facing a gun, Mac thought.

  “Then, what were you doing here?”

  “I wanted to know what you were doing here…”

  “Were you spying on the ladies as they washed?” Tony interrupted.

  “Old man, I’ll do whatever I want. You can’t tell any man what to do!”

  “Disrespectful boy like you could use a thrashing.”

  “You won’t be thrashing anyone,” the young man said contemptuously.

  “Oh won’t I?” said Tony, raising his voice, deadly serious.

  “A run down old geezer like you won’t lay a hand on me,” he replied adding fuel.

  “All right… enough!” Mac said. “Tony, this isn’t getting us anywhere. Why don’t we introduce him to our happy band like we would anyone else?”

  “Nothin’ doin’! I’ll handle this,” he said angrily.

  “But you aren’t handling it at all!”

  Tony’s face expressed shock. He marched off with anger blazing in his eyes. Moments later, Mac was astonished to see that Tony had left behind the military rifle he had propped against a tree behind him. However, the young man had not lost track of his weapon and as Mac moved toward it, the boy reached the rifle first.

  The silent accomplishment was troubling, but Mac avoided acting rashly. He sensed that he was being tested by the young man as he looked down at his rifle strap warily following Mac’s eyes.

  “Fine strap… a gift from my grandfather… spoiled for no good reason. Such a shame,” he said almost mockingly.

  “Tony’s very protective of our little band,” Mac said by way of breaking the ice, “and I’m certain he won’t apologize.”

  “Way impulsive is more like it.”

  “Where did you learn such cool command of yourself for such a young man?”

  “What happened to ‘boy’?”

  “You didn’t hear me say it.”

  He looked
doubtfully at Mac for a long moment, but then seemed to soften the edge in his voice, “From my adoptive father… who was a university professor in Anchorage… and a white man.” He stared at Mac intently. Mac was still being tested.

  “So… how should a professor’s son be called?”

  “My given name is Richard… but my grandfather called me ‘Ahtna’ after the name of my Athabascan people. I prefer his nickname.”

  “I’m glad we’re off on a better foot. Mine’s Mac… from Seattle. I have a surname, but it really doesn’t matter any longer.”

  “I’m glad as well, but not with that impulsive old man. He’s trying to creep around behind us again. He must have remembered he left my rifle behind. I won’t allow it a second time.” His black Lab remained silent and under control, but was sitting behind his master, staring intently.

  In his loudest voice, Mac shouted, “Tony… cool that flanking shit! If he’s willing, I’ll bring him into camp! Safety the damn guns.”

  “You must have convinced him. He’s backtracking,” said Ahtna.

  Mac hadn’t heard a sound either way. “It may be difficult for you to believe this, but I know that most of my friends would like to meet you… maybe even offer you a spot of breakfast.”

  “That’s what I’d been hoping in the first place… someone to talk to.”

  “Why don’t we shoulder our rifles and just wander casually into camp.”

  “Any more nervous old coots ready to pick a fight?”

  “Perhaps… but the ladies won’t tolerate it.”

  He reached into a pocket, pulled out a leather thong, tied his rifle strap together and calmly slung it over his shoulder. Mac had his answer. He marveled at the outward confidence of the young man.

  Darwin’s long winded bay alerted camp someone was coming. The black Lab remained nervously silent and close to his master. When the pair arrived, everyone warily surveyed the young man while Ahtna stood silently scrutinizing camp. Each of the men, except Hirsh, had a weapon handy. Tony brandished his.