by Benson, Tom
Satisfied that they’d had a good day, the three men went into the railway station and used the cafe facilities to cook the food they’d brought along. Sleep came easy to all three of them.
.
Friday 26th August
Flint and Tracey were on the water again at six o’clock in the morning after an early breakfast and a gentle stroll back to where they’d tethered the kayak. They secured their gear and then both slid into position in the cockpits. A gentle push with a paddle saw them float out onto the water.
“What’s the brief on landmarks today?” Tracey said as she dipped her paddle.
“Today ought to be a good day for us. We’re presently at the northern end of Loch Tulla which has always had the River Orchy naturally flowing from the southern tip. We’ll mark off a couple of places as we follow this loch and then when we reach the river it should be plain sailing if you’ll pardon the pun.” He grinned when Tracey slowly shook her head. “The river will pull to the southwest, which is where we want to go.”
“Will we pass that damaged service area where the sub-station is melted?”
“Clifton—no, that’s only a landmark for completing the journey on foot. While we’re on the water, we’ll by-pass it by a couple of miles. Our first major recognition feature will be seeing the main road for a couple of miles on our left as we leave here. We’ll follow the river for about twenty miles, and where we change direction is where the villages of Stronmilchen and Dalmally are submerged. There are church spires visible on the right and left. Lochawe village is also underwater, but it’s a bit farther ahead near the bridges.”
“Of course, the spires are seen from the roadway so we’ll be close to one of them.”
“After the first two underwater villages, we’ll go under the damaged concrete road bridge, and then over the sunken metal rail bridge.” He paused and sighed. “After the rail bridge, the waterway we arrive into will be Loch Awe—our loch.”
Once on the River Orchy, there was little need for ribbons because there should be nowhere else to go but downstream. Nevertheless, Flint said they’d be using alternating yellow and pink ribbons at every couple of miles until they reached the two sunken villages.
They’d been on the water for an hour and a half. A crackling sound came from the bergens stowed on the deck between them.
“Hello Eagle’s Nest, this is Relay Team at Dalwhinnie, radio check, over.” It was Josh.
Flint rested his paddle and unbuckled a side pouch of his bergen. “Well, Tracy, I think our guys must have successfully set up the first relay yesterday, and now it’s got power.”
Helen’s voice boomed from the handset. “Relay Team, this is Eagle’s Nest, loud and clear—strength four, over.”
“Great Helen,” Josh said, “we’ve got you strength five. I don’t know if our Flag Team will hear us, over.”
“We can hear you, Relay Team, and we can hear Eagle’s Nest,” Flint said, “both strength four, over.”
“Flint, this is Josh, how far have you gone today, over.”
“We’re on the River Orchy and a little over an hour south of Achallader, so this bodes well for the next phase, over.”
“Thanks for checking in—you’re fading but great to hear you, over.”
Helen said, “Great to hear you, Flint—enjoy the rest of your trip, over.”
“Flint, roger … all of you take care, out.”
As they continued downstream, for the next few minutes, there was mush and static from the radio but no voices.
Tracey said, “That’s great news, isn’t it—when did you switch it on?”
“It is great news. I switched it on just before we left the banking, but I thought at best we might just hear some static. I’m glad now we’ve proved communications as far as here.”
“Do you think we’ll be able to establish contact between Aviemore and Auchcarn when the next relay goes in?”
“I’m more confident now, and remember, Auchcarn is at a much higher altitude than the relays so we should be successful. We might need another antenna, but that’s beyond my ability.”
They stopped to stretch after two hours and then got back underway.
Flint tied a ribbon to a metal safety ladder which was fitted to one of the concrete struts under the road bridge. Then he tied another to a spar on the damaged metal rail bridge. They set off in mid-stream.
Flint said, “Three miles from this rail bridge is where our part of Loch Awe branches off to the west so we’ll tie a couple of ribbons on the right bank and then another at the turn. One more after the turn will be sufficient because, by that time, any of our people would recognise Auchcarn rising up on the right behind the big forest.”
Sometime later they pulled over near a sandbank, and when Flint tied the yellow ribbon on a prominent tree, he tied a large bow in the material.
“Time to get home now, eh?” Tracey said as they pulled out into the deeper water again.
“Yes, let’s go.”
“Hello Eagle’s Nest, this is Relay Team. We’re leaving Dalwhinnie to return to your location, over.”
“Roger that,” Imogen said, “give us a call when you’re within half an hour of the shed, over.”
“Will do, out,” Josh said. “Okay, guys, I think we’re about ready to set off back to Aviemore.”
The three men were already wearing their bergens and had collapsed the stretcher to take with them. It would be useful for the next phase, even if the cross-country portion wasn’t as far. They set off from the station and unsurprisingly found it much more comfortable without carrying a load.
Less than two hours after leaving Dalwhinnie they were in the boat and heading north against the currents, ready for the effort needed. Calvin and Archie were equal to the challenge of rowing upstream, but the team stopped at the halfway point to take a break and enjoy a hot drink.
It was a little before twelve when Josh called to say they were nearing Aviemore and they’d made good time without undue stress on themselves or the craft.
Quincy, Amber and Emma were at the boat shed to greet the travellers and pull the boat inside for a couple of hours. The six people strolled back to Eagle’s Nest Farm at a leisurely pace and were all ready for a bite to eat before the next phase of the relay operation.
When Sandy, Calvin, and Archie set off from the farm for the boat shed, they were escorted by Quincy, Amber, Glen and Helen. The second set of relay equipment was packed, and the boat was ready to go. Sandy and Helen had a lingering goodbye when all the quick hugs and handshakes were over.
“Please, keep in touch,” Helen said and inhaled deeply.
“I will.” Sandy climbed into the back and prepared to drop the rudder. “We’ll call with progress on the way, and we’ll try tomorrow morning as soon as the equipment illuminates the green light.”
As they eased out into mid-stream, Calvin shouted, “Sandy will probably row back up himself tomorrow evening, Helen.”
It was a farewell message which caused laughter onshore and in the boat as the distance grew rapidly between the two groups.
Sandy unclipped the rudder, then lowered and secured it. He leant slightly on the tiller to turn and wave back at the others, but more importantly, to the new woman in his life. His heart swelled when Helen blew him a kiss, and he reciprocated, irrespective of what his companions might say.
“Right,” Calvin said, “the quicker we can get this done and get home to Auchcarn, then the quicker you can pack up and get back to Eagle’s Nest, my friend.”
Sandy nodded and smiled as he relaxed into position for the first phase of the trip.
The three men enjoyed a casual conversation during the first two hours. The journey progressed with alternate sessions of physical effort by the oarsmen, interspersed with relaxation as Sandy guided the craft to take advantage of the currents.
Sandy said, “Flint and Imogen did a great job of flagging the route, especially highlighting that stop for Dalwhinnie.” He grinned. “Was
it tough getting up the hill?”
Archie said, “This guy here had no problems, but I struggled a bit—though not as much as young Josh.”
Calvin said, “What Josh hasn’t got in muscle, he makes up for with brains. He’s a clever guy, and he’s going to continue to be a real asset to his community, wherever he settles.”
Sandy nodded. “I have to admit I would never have placed Josh and Amber as a couple, even in their peculiar circumstances, but they have real chemistry.”
“She’s a beautiful girl,” Calvin said, “and gutsy too from what Flint has said.”
“Yes, I’ve had in-depth conversations with each of them back at the farm, and when you get to know them, you realise just how much they’ve learned to play to each other’s strengths.”
Archie said, “Helen must be really proud of them after all that they’ve been through together. Especially since they were sixteen-year-olds when their new lifestyle started.”
“Yes, she thinks of them as something between her own children and her siblings. She said she’d be happy to move to Auchcarn, but it doesn’t take much to see what the Eagle’s Nest means to her. When I told her I’d prefer her to stay and I’d move there, it left her speechless for a moment.”
Calvin said, “I’ve seen Helen with the little ones at the farm and our group back at Auchcarn—she’ll make a great mother for young Peter.”
Archie laughed. “Not to mention any other children that happen to come along.”
“Don’t you think it’s time you two concentrated on rowing?” Sandy laughed.
“Problems ahead, guys, I’ll steer us in,” Sandy said. “It looks like the water goes off in two directions. On the near bank, I can see a yellow ribbon followed by several greens, which means we’ve got a hazard.”
Calvin and Archie both raised their oars as Sandy coaxed the craft in to the lowest section of the bank. Sandy climbed out, taking his rifle, and tethered the boat at front and back so that his companions could climb out.
“I can see a couple of pink ribbons,” Archie said and pointed. “It looks like Flint has set us a route overland for some reason.”
Calvin said, “We all might as well check it out.”
The three friends followed the pink trail up between the trees and bushes until they found themselves on a much higher level than the waterway intersection. They walked to the best vantage point to take in the whole picture, and the potential danger was immediately noticeable.
Sandy said, “It must have taken them a while to organise this little detour for us.”
Archie said, “Looking at those rocks and the white water just around the corner it would have been a bloody disaster if we’d just gone straight into it.”
Calvin looked left and right at the waters below. “What are you thinking regarding options, Sandy?”
“We’ll use the clues and guide that Flint and Tracey have given us—we’ll split the team.” He looked ahead between the trees and undergrowth. “I don’t think there’s a need to find out how far this goes because Flint will have signed it to the end.”
“Right,” Calvin said, “apart from the stretch of white water we can’t see more than a couple of hundred metres up here or along the waterway.” He pointed. “To the south, the water opens up and looks calm.”
“Yes, that’s the next big expanse,” Sandy said, “that’s the tip of Loch Treig. I think if it were possible, I’d still want to keep the boat in the water which means at least one person staying with it, but either one or two people could use the cross-country route.”
“What about the equipment?” Archie said. “Should the people walking carry some?”
“No, mate,” Sandy said. “I think if the only cargo in the boat were the equipment, it would float through the white water easily.”
Archie squinted. “I thought you said that one person stayed with the boat.”
Sandy nodded. “I said with it but not in it.”
Calvin grinned. “Are you volunteering to get wet?”
“I’ve been wet before, mate.” Sandy grinned. “Besides, it’s about time I did some work—you guys have been rowing all morning.”
They walked back to the craft and Sandy stripped naked, throwing his footwear and clothes into the boat. He reached in and passed his rifle to Calvin.
Calvin said, “You don’t take chances, do you?”
“That’s why I’m still around, mate.” Sandy shivered as he stepped down into the chilly water behind the boat. He unclipped the tiller and then lifted the rudder out of the water. “Untie me, please, mate.” He nodded to Archie who leant forward, unhitched the rope and threw it into the rowboat.
Archie said, “Are you sure you’ll—”
“Enjoy the walk.” Sandy pushed the boat out, took hold of the rudder bracket and kicked his legs a few times to get underway.
As the boat arrived mid-stream and was carried away, the two men on the bank watched.
Calvin said, “I sometimes wish I’d joined the military—it seems to bring out the best in a man.”
“The crazy in a man, you mean.” Archie raised an eyebrow and looked from Calvin to the rowboat pulling Sandy towards the large boulders and white water.
The pair were still laughing as they set off through the woodland to follow the pink ribbon trail.
Calvin and Archie had enjoyed their casual walk through and alongside woodland. As they descended a gradual grassy slope, they saw the final pink ribbon on a tree followed by yellow ribbons tied to bushes close to the water’s edge. Between the two pairs of yellow ribbons, the rowboat was sitting alongside the bank. Opposite on a large rock was a grinning Sandy. He was fully-dressed with a cup of tea in his hand; thermos at his feet.
“Did you two stop for lunch back there somewhere?”
“How did it go, apart from successfully?” Calvin said, accepting the tea.
“I almost had a part of my anatomy torn off—no, it was fine.” He laughed. “I got a few scratches but then so did the boat. We’ll be good to go after we’ve had a break and a snack.”
Calvin said, “Should we call in with an update?”
“I called a few minutes ago,” Sandy said. “I told them we’d call again tomorrow.”
Archie lifted his bergen from the boat and handed out the sandwiches they’d brought along. “How far is it from here, Sandy?”
“Close to twenty-five miles but the good news is that it’s mostly loch, so all we have to do is hit the water and enjoy the journey. We should go under the A82 close to the objective and then when we’re still a distance away, we ought to see the signal box.”
“It’s not that big from what I remember,” Archie said, eagerly unwrapping a sandwich.
“No, it’s not,” Sandy said, “but the railway in that area is higher than the water so we’ll see it on the horizon.”
Calvin nodded. “I remember that from the railway track you can see most of Achallader is submerged. I didn’t think I’d be looking at the same scene from the other viewpoint.”
Three hours after their conversation about the next objective, they were tethering the boat at the same landing point used by Flint and Tracey.
As practised for the Dalwhinnie installation, Calvin and Archie assembled a stretcher to carry the equipment and cables. Sandy took the antenna. After so many hours in the rowboat, the three men enjoyed the one-mile cross-country walk to the signal box at the railway track.
They had a hot brew while they assessed the most efficient way to set up the antenna and solar panels. Once underway, the installation took only two hours. As had happened previously, the red power light gave a weak display, and the green radio light was unlit.
Archie said, “A meal, some rest and an early breakfast ought to see us right in the morning.”
Calvin said, “Did you notice, Sandy, that food was mentioned twice?”
Sandy grinned but was already setting up a campfire. His heart and mind were elsewhere.
21. Moving On
Saturday 27th August
The three friends sat at the edge of the railway track savouring a second hot drink after breakfast. They were facing the vast expanse of water where Achallader ought to be. It was an example of so many areas which had either succumbed to bombardment, seismic movement, or the flooding. Every death was the eventual result of the human race’s inability to reason beyond violence of the most extreme kind.
Archie spoke without turning. “Do either of you guys still have those pangs of guilt that we’ve all admitted to?”
“Yes,” Calvin said quietly, “but as the months and years pass, the dark feelings are slowly being replaced by overwhelming gratitude. We have the chance to build a better world from the ruins.”
Archie nodded. “You’ve got a stunning partner and two beautiful children.”
“Thank you, mate, but I look at our whole community and see something special. We have an example of how people should be able to live in harmony and grow as individuals as well as neighbours.”
Archie said, “What about you, Sandy?”
“I went through the guilt phase at different levels,” Sandy said. “I blamed myself for not saving all my mates, and for surviving when so many were lost. Until recently, every time I looked at Flint, I saw other faces, other men and women who’d served with us and had been on our doomed flight to Auchcarn.” He sipped his tea but continued to gaze out over the nearby water. “When I stepped into the glass corridor with Flint, and we saw that first handful of people we almost opened fire—it was so unexpected.”
“It’s not something anyone ever talks about, but what stopped you?” Archie turned to look at the soldier. “It must have been a close call.”
“Nobody will ever know how close it was, Archie. Our mission had been to fly in and protect the hydro installation in the mountain but the task we’d done only months before was to give that same level of protection to refugees. I talked to Flint about it later to rationalise things. He explained it so easily. When we saw Bill and the others standing there looking so bedraggled but hopeful, I suggested they could be terrorists. Really, we were looking at survivors—refugees.”