Flight To Pandemonium

by Murray, Edward

  “The first storm blew the barge and our two fishing boats into the willow swamp west of here. The wharf gets hit hard in a storm… something they didn’t think about when they built this place. I was going to retrieve the boats and the firewood, but then all the trouble started.”

  “Where did you cut all that good hardwood on the porch?” asked Jack. “We couldn’t find any source for it.”

  “There isn’t any around here… just spruce and a little soft wood. The Fowlers paid to have hardwood delivered and we brought it across on the barge. The barge has a full load ready for winter.”

  “Barge and two boats… definitely be useful next summer. We should find ‘em,” mused Tony…“and that firewood.”

  “How do you track down that caribou herd?” asked Jack.

  “Not so easy,” said Ahtna. “They roam mostly on protected land, so I never hunted ‘em… much anyway. They cover ground fast when they’re pressed. Only a wide sweep will find ‘em. Hope all of you like a good walk.”

  Finally, Judy said, “Guys… give him a break. There’ll be lots of time later.”

  “Just one more quick one, then,” said Jack. “There’s a coupla cabins north of the lake. Think they’re safe to check out? Were any occupied before…?”

  “One of them belongs to my brother and me. The others were summer cabins, but all were taken over by sick people.”

  “How did you keep people out of this place?” asked Jack.

  “After my brother died, I didn’t come here much. No… that’s not an honest answer. Truth was… someone died on the front steps. I suppose sight of a corpse must have scared others away. I know I didn’t want to go near. Probably gave the disease to the Fowlers, but I don’t know what happened to them, I’m sorry to say.”

  “You clear away the body?” Mac asked. “Wasn’t one here when we arrived.”

  “No… I was afraid I would get sick, so I left it alone. Probably scavengers…”

  “Alright guys, enough!” said Judy. “This is Thanksgiving Day, remember? Let’s talk about something positive… like how happy we are to have Ahtna healthy and Onita joining us.”

  During breakfast, everyone realized that Onita’s nurturing had evolved into fondness for Ahtna. Beaming smiles revealed their joy and longing. Obviously restraining themselves, they managed long glances and gentle touches.

  Whenever Judy caught Mac’s eye after the couple’s display of affection, she winked and beamed happily. She was quietly enjoying the budding romance, empathizing with their positive human emotions after Ahtna’s ordeal. He wondered whether catching his eye at such moments might be a message of her own.

  Pappy’s intended plan for the morning was to bring the floatplane ashore for safekeeping during winter. Tony reassured him that the craft’s water logged float could be restored one way or another. He would provide an air compressor for repairs.

  Pappy asked Ahtna, “Have any idea what happened to the starboard float on the airplane?”

  “Sure I do,” he answered, “I removed the plugs. When the Fowlers heard of the spreading plague, they decided to weather out trouble here rather than return to Anchorage. One night, Doctor Fowler caught someone trying to break into his airplane. He worried that the next time someone might cut it loose on the lake before trying to start the noisy turboprops. He had me rope one float tight and remove the plugs on the other.”

  “Happen to remember where you put ‘em?” Tony asked.

  “In the box of spare parts locked in the tail compartment.”

  “Great! That’ll make things way easier,” said Tony.

  “I’ll join you and watch.” When Ahtna attempted to rise, he stumbled and nearly fell over backwards. Onita immediately caught him and prevented the spill. Obviously Ahtna had recovered his keen mind, but his body hadn’t caught up.

  The four men assembled on the veranda after sunrise. The day dawned bright, clear and warm with less wind. The surface of Old Man Lake had changed dramatically. Wave action had swept the lake nearly free of ice. A ragged ice rim remained along the shoreline, but most of the fragmented floes had been driven north. Only a few were trapped around the floatplane, impeding the work.

  Tony stood ready on the dock with his compressed air tank and the float plugs. Purging the float required inserting the air hose into the lowest hole located in the bottom of the submerged float that could be reached. Volunteering for the frigid duty, Jack said, “I’ve been charging into mean water all my life, but I’m goin’ skinny-dipping this time and keep my new clothes clean.” He stripped off, jumped in, ducked under water to find the hole, stuffed in the hose and quickly returned to the dock.

  However, when Tony opened the air valve, the hose instantly rocketed to the surface, violently blowing bubbles. Without hesitating, Jack returned to the water and this time inserted a long length of hose inside the float, holding it steady. When it remained inside filling the float, Jack braced himself on a strut and leaped out again. “Damn, that’s cold. I’m gettin’ soft.”

  “Sorry, pard, but we got two more chambers to purge after this one and I’m manning the valve,” said Tony with a Cheshire cat grin.

  “Army should ‘a taught me ‘bout volunteering,” but he jumped in again. Shortly, the airplane floated nearly level. While getting dressed, Jack explained that not all of the water had been purged from the float. “But now I’m blue, so close enough.”

  “Beautiful sight,” Pappy said and stepped into the cockpit. He quickly returned to the dock. “Batteries are weak,” was all he would say. Mac realized that Pappy intended to start the craft rather than haul it ashore by hand. While Tony retrieved a jumper battery, the others shoveled snow and gravel to make a shore ramp beyond the stone wharf.

  Pappy intended on beaching the aircraft under its own power. After performing his checks and draining condensation from the wing tanks, he was ready, “I’m going to have a quick look around while we’ve got weather. Anyone wantta go for a spin? You’ve all earned one, for sure.”

  “Spin… as in a flight?” Mac asked. “Sure, I would.”

  Tony also jumped at the chance, but Jack said, “Naw… you’ll need someone handy to stand by the canoe and fish you all out… and I’m already cold.”

  “Such confidence you have in me,” said Pappy. “Well then, cast me off when I hail.”

  Once inside the aircraft, Mac marveled at the spaciousness of the cabin and its luxurious upholstery. “Looks like a brand new airplane.”

  “Not new, but less than four hundred hours on it,” replied Pappy. “Nothing but the best for the doctor. I couldn’t afford this thing in my dreams. Damn nice toy.”

  “You guys should take a good look around the lodge,” hailed Tony from shore.

  “We’ll be lookin’ for anything we should know about… like that barge,” assured Pappy. “Okay clear; here we go.”

  The turboprop wound up quickly and smoothly. After a brief taxi, the floatplane rapidly gained speed and effortlessly lifted off with little more than a few rapid bumps as the floats skimmed the chop. Mac was thrilled by the powerful acceleration on water, his first such experience. Once airborne, the turboprop was remarkably quiet.

  Within a minute, they crossed the southern shore of the lake, but to Mac’s surprise, Pappy continued south, leveling off low until they reached the Glenn Highway and then banked west following it. “Help me look for tracks crossing he road, or any other sign of life.”

  They passed the tourist roadhouses as they had a month earlier. Nothing but old moose tracks disturbed the snow without sign of people or live game.

  “Looks like none of those gang-bangers followed us here either,” said Pappy.

  “Nothing on the road but animal tracks,” said Mac.“Looks like we’re safe for now.”

  Reaching the unmistakable landmark of Gunsight M
ountain, Pappy banked sharply and followed the highway east, lowering down until Mac felt uncomfortable. Pappy followed the highway all the way to Glennallen, and then circled town widely. “Nothing’s changed here either except that caribou herd crossing the road.”

  Mac asked Pappy to make several more circuits of town while he marked points of interest on the map. “Lots of possibilities to check out for supplies,” he said. “What’s that business along Moose Creek near the intersection? Is that a pump station?”

  “Yup… Pump Station Eleven.”

  “Think those tanks might hold diesel fuel?”

  “Maybe the small one.”

  “I hope so. That would postpone the inevitable for a long time.”

  “What’s inevitable?” asked Pappy.

  “The day our diesel generators go silent forever without fuel.”

  Pappy headed northwest following Moose Creek and slowed. The view was of a vast white wilderness with hundreds of small lakes interspersed with stands of black spruce. The horizon appeared even more forbidding with towering mountains enclosing the Copper River Valley. Not a wisp of wood smoke rose anywhere in the pristine air. Their lodge appeared to be isolated from humanity.

  Mac spotted animal tracks in the snow… thousands of them in a swath a quarter of a mile wide.

  “Pappy, are those tracks from a caribou herd Ahtna was talkin’ about?”

  Pappy banked sharply to get a better view and then leveled off, “Can’t be anything else. Let’s follow ‘em.”

  “Yea, but which way? Comin’ or goin’.”

  “Trust me. I’ve done this before… hunting guides paid me good money.”

  “To shoot ‘em from the airplane?” asked Mac.

  “Oh, gimme a break. I found the herd and set down on a nearby lake. Then they were on their own until I came back. But we’re not goin’ down this time.”

  “There they are ahead! Hundreds of ‘em,” said Mac.

  “Spot ‘em for us, will you Mac. Get a couple of good landmarks on the map so we can come back. I need to keep high so we don’t spook ‘em.”

  The terrain had so many similar landmarks… dozens of lakes with nearby stands of spruce trees blending together with nothing that stood out. Mac was even doubtful of where they were on the map. Pappy circled until he felt oriented and could return. Heading west, Pappy said, “We should come back today before they wander off. Oh, oh… that’s a bad… damn pack of wolves.”

  “They’ve already got one down,” said Mac. “Look how far from the herd they chased that fawn… into that willow bog.”

  “Well, I think I can find all this again, so I’m going to look around Lake Louise before we return to the lodge.”

  Shortly, Pappy circled the two large lakes and lowered. “Damn, can you believe all that? And I was about to lead us right into the middle of these wretched camps,” said Pappy.

  “This has got to be the worst plague trouble since Wasilla,” replied Mac. Every road and wayside surrounding the lakes was crowded with vehicles. “Look at that crush of cars… but I don’t see a single corpse. Damned spooky. No wonder Ahtna avoided this place.”

  Pappy had been looking elsewhere, “Look at all those floatplanes… must be a hundred of ‘em. And there’s a Cessna turbo just like this… and parts if we need ‘em!”

  “I don’t want to get any closer than this,” replied Mac.

  Pappy circled again in silence and headed south to Old Man Lake. He descended as he approached the lake veering north. On the second pass, they found the barge and the fishing boats widely separated among willow bogs a mile across the lake just as Ahtna had predicted.

  “One of the boats is beached near shore,” said Mac. “If we could reach that, then we might rescue the barge and the wood.”

  “Will you look at that mountain of split firewood? Might last all winter.”

  Landing on Old Man Lake was smooth and uneventful, but Pappy paused far short of shore where Jack stood waiting for them. Mac asked, “Problem?”

  “No problem… just lowering the wheels,” he said, pumping a lever.

  “This thing has wheels?”

  “Hey… lake’s not always handy when you need one.”

  Presently, they were gently moving. Before reaching shore, Pappy powered up and the craft swiftly gained momentum. It struck several submerged rocks without mishap and then rose smoothly out of the water onto shore. As Pappy halted, the airplane nosed down as it came to a rest. Operating another control, the airplane settled fully onto both floats and wheels together, nearly level and safe on the beach. As the turbo spooled down to silence. Mac said, “Fine ride, Pappy… and lot’s to talk about.”

  Jack, impatiently waiting, greeted Pappy with a rebuke. “Nothin’ but a little spin, huh? You might ‘a said so ahead a time. You’ve been missed and the ladies are upset. Mac… think you ought ‘a go talk to Judy and settle ruffled feathers.”

  As Mac headed for Judy, Pappy joined him and said, “I should do it. You were just along for the ride.”

  However, Jack gently placed his hand against Pappy’s chest, restraining him. “She was askin’ after Mac, not you.”

  Judy was waiting for him just inside the door in the lounge. She didn’t look angry, but rather emotionally upset. “Thank God, you’re all right,” she said, and embraced him in a trembling hug. Mac returned the greeting and stuttered foolishly, “We’re all fine… no problem.” But when he looked into her watery blue eyes, she was quietly weeping and said, “I mean you… you boob, especially you.”

  Tears streamed down her face while Mac stood silently staring, struggling to contain his own emotions. He was fond of this lady and was disturbed that he had made her so anxious. They looked into each other’s eyes tenderly for a long moment; she seemed to sense Mac’s emotions. He started to speak fondly of their intimacy, but with everyone coming in, the moment was lost.

  Immediately, she grasped Mac’s hand and led him to a remote corner of the lounge behind the fireplace. When the voices of the others faded away, she wiped her eyes and said, “When you were gone so long, I thought my terrible year of sadness hadn’t ended after all. Please, please, don’t take any unnecessary risks again. Promise me?”

  “I do promise, but that didn’t seem like much of a risk. Pappy is a talented pilot.”

  “That’s just it. Pappy’s whole calling in life is to fly. He’ll fly without even thinking of the risk. I was worried when you all worked on that airplane this morning. You might remember that Jack didn’t go along and he never shrinks from anything… and Tony loves machines. Let Pappy take the risk. He’d rather perish than give up flying.”

  “We should talk about us. Finding privacy isn’t easy, living as we do.”

  “Let’s be patient. We both want to find the right moment… but I should be getting back to our Thanksgiving dinner. That’s what’s important for now.” She stood on her tiptoes, her belly pressed tightly against Mac’s, and gave him a passionate kiss far beyond friendship.

  Mac found the other men at the bar. They were obviously talking about the flight. Pappy wasn’t happy. Jack brought Mac into the conversation, “We’re talkin’ ‘bout that caribou herd. Pappy wants to go get ‘em this afternoon. I’m thinkin’ that’s a bad idea. You saw ‘em, so what do you think?”

  “They’re hell ‘n gone in the middle of the black spruce lowlands. I think we ought to start in the morning so we have the whole day. Otherwise, we might be lookin’ for ‘em after dark. Sun sets before five… doesn’t leave us much time.”

  “I’ll find ‘em from the air and lead you right to ‘em,” said Pappy. “If we wait until morning, the herd could have moved anywhere. We saw wolves pressing ‘em.”

  “They’ll still be leaving tracks but far from leaving this valley,” replied Jack. “I think we should plan
this out properly and not run off half cocked.”

  “Well… there’s another thing,” Mac said. “I’m not running off with Thanksgiving dinner sitting on the table. The four of them have been working all day to make it a celebration. We can’t leave them… and Ahtna now.”

  “Neither am I,” said Tony, “… for lot’s a reasons.”

  “Well, if the weather turns shitty tomorrow and we can’t find that herd, you all should remember I pressed while we had the chance,” said Pappy.

  “After dinner, why don’t we plan our next move,” Mac said.

  “That makes more sense,” said Jack. “I’ll bet we find the herd before lunch.”

  Pappy scowled, lit a cigar, and said no more. The men joined him with snifters of brandy. The conversation turned to the interesting discoveries of the flight, particularly the vast lake wilderness surrounding the lodge and the scene at Lake Louise.

  Onita called dinner by ringing a tiny silver hand bell. An elaborate table had been set with silver service, sparkling crystal and bone handled cutlery. Candlelight diffused from a silver candelabrum surrounded by dark green spruce boughs and clusters of blue tipped cones. Hot platters of carved goose and roast moose, a boat of brown gravy, assorted delicacies from the magic pantry and a platter of flakey biscuits provided a feast worthy of the season’s celebration .

  Judy directed everyone to be seated, sat down beside Mac smiling, and gently patted his leg under the tablecloth. The Captain, dressed in a clean pressed uniform stood with a glass of wine, said, “I suppose I’m expected to lead traditional grace and then express something profound… but words fail me. So I’ll just say… Thank you Dear Lord for our survival, our safety, our health, this marvelous food and such fine company. Good cheer!”

  Ahtna rose to speak and everyone paused, somewhat surprised. “This isn’t easy for me... I’m honoring a tradition that I’ve never acknowledged before. When a man acts unwisely, he is expected to confess publicly before his family and seek forgiveness.