Read Alive in Alaska for Free Online Page B

She called back.
    "Nope, just a little pride."
    "Ok, now we wait for the Stokes litter,"   She said.
    The EMT had given Betsy pain relief and was propped up against the tree that had stopped her.
    They all now realized that the tree was the last thing between Betsy and the drop off that had Jim had almost gone over a little further away.   So bad as it is, it could have been much worse, if not fatal.
    Bill got to his wife and kneeled by her.
    Betsy squeezed his hand, this time with affection.   He could not stop weeping.
    “We’ll get through this Will,” She said.  
    It wasn't too long before Charlie and Ben came to the top of the hill and began letting down the Stokes litter with the second coil of rope.   As soon as the carrier was down, they untied the rope from the tree at the top and tied it to the second rope so that when Charlie and Ben got down they could retrieve the line.   Danielle could see that Betsy was not feeling as much pain.
    "Ok, Betsy are you up for riding in the carrier?"   Said Danielle.
    “Don’t see another way,”   She said.
    It was slow going but this path, such as it was, allowed the four crewmen carrying the litter with Betsy.   Jake, Bill, and Danielle followed picking their steps carefully westward on the more gradual slope.
    ~~~
    Danielle had decided to make the most of the remaining light of day two and pressed the survivors on; now eight came to the bottom of the mountain to a clearing looking out over the valley toward Pump Station 5.   The carrying of the litter basket required several rest stops to maintain the safety of carrying Betsy, and the four capable crewmen were relieved for short periods by Danielle and Bill as they were able.   Jake was not in a condition to help but happily encourage the crew with all the marching songs he knew.   Medication was keeping the pain at a distance and his usual serious attitude at bay.   Not quite in tune, and occasionally funny, he did his part to keep up morale.
    “I think we should set camp for the night here in the clearing and wait for the land rescue team tomorrow,” She called out to everyone.
    “Amen to that, Sounds good to me, Thank God.” was the chorus around her.
    "Ok, we need to get some firewood, and set up some bedding material, so everybody except Betsy and Jake spread out and be back here in fifteen minutes."
    “What can I do to help,” Ask Betsy.
    "Look in my backpack and get some of the MREs out and the drink pellets.   I'll look for some water, but we may only have a couple of bottles left in there."
    Danielle moves the backpack over to Betsy.
    "Sounds like a good plan," Said Betsy.
    Jake piped up.
    “Danielle, I think I saw a stream to the north of us when we were on our way to rescue you.”
    “I’ll go that way, how far do you think?”
    “Not sure but it was on our left as we flew by, maybe a quarter mile.”
    She pulled out a water bladder from her backpack and with that she was off.
    "That girl has more stuff in that pack than anyone I know," Said Betsy.
    "It is pretty much standard gear for the club members, and they keep that backpack with them.   Danielle is especially good about keeping it with her; she is very dedicated."
    "Bill and I wondered why she always kept it near.   We just came to the conclusion that she was a college student, and that was normal," She said.
    “That’s true too.”
    Danielle had gone close to a quarter mile when the stream came into view.   Nice call Jake she thought.   She pulled the water bladder out of her belt and walked down to the babbling stream.   She submerged the bladder and let it fill.   Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a movement.   She turned and looked.   She started.   Was that a lynx?   Too big for a lynx.   The only other cat in Alaska that size would be a mountain lion, but we are too far out of its range.   She froze.   The only animal it could be was a mountain lion.   It appeared not to have seen her, and