Chapter 6

2:00 AM

Jo was wide awake. Rick was snoring beside her. Jo had her gun resting on her chest. A scraping sound coming from outside startled her. Jo whipped her head in the direction of the window. There was no electricity in this place, so there was no light from outside, which also meant there were no shadows. Jo slowly got off the bed and went to the door. She made sure it was locked. Then she made sure the curtains on the window were closed tight.

Jo heard the scraping sound again. Her body tensed up and she froze in place. What if the escaped murderer was outside right now? How long would it take someone to walk thirty miles? Jo figured it out in her head. Ten hours, less if he actually got a ride from someone stupid enough to pick up a hitchhiker. So depending on what time he escaped, he could be here right now, waiting outside. Jo didn't want to take that chance. She wanted to get out of here right now.

Jo walked back over to the bed. She felt around for Rick's body. She shook him.

"Rick, wake up?"

Rick groaned. "What time is it?"

Jo pushed a button on her watch, the face lit up. "It's just after 2:00 AM. I want to leave right now."

"It's the middle of the night." Rick sat up in the bed.

"I can't sleep here. I keep hearing a scraping sound outside. What if he's out there?"

"What if who's out there?"

"You know who I'm talking about, the escaped convict. What if he saw our car? What if he went in the office? What if he saw the key to this room was missing, and he's waiting outside for us?"

"Jo, I think the scraping sound is a tree branch hitting the siding. I think we're safe here, but if it makes you feel better, we can go and find a real motel in a civilized area."

"Alright, good, let's get out of here. I'll grab the radio."

Jo found the radio. They made sure they had everything that was theirs and walked over to the door.

"Do you have the car keys ready? When we open the door, I'm running to the car."

"Jo, we should put the key back in the office," Rick said.

"No, Rick, no one's going to care if we don't put the key back."

"I'm putting the key back in the office. You can go to the car." Rick handed Jo the keys. "Make sure you look under it and in the back seat before you get in."

"Rick, I know that. Let's just go."

Jo kept her gun ready at her side. They opened the door and peeked out. They didn't see anyone. They stepped out. Rick shut the motel room door and locked it.

"I thought you were running to the car," Rick said.

Jo hung onto Rick. "The car is in front of the office, so I'll just stay with you until we get there."

They walked quietly to the office. Jo let go of Rick when she saw the car, she checked that no one was under it before she approached it.

Rick went in the office, he felt around in the dark and put the key back where he thought it belonged.

Rick went back outside. Jo was in the car with the doors locked. She reached over and opened the driver's side door when she saw him coming. He got in and she handed him the keys, he put them in the ignition.

"Uh-oh, we have a problem," Rick said. "The car won't start."

"What do you mean the car won't start?"

"I'm only kidding." Rick started the car.

"Rick, that's not funny."

They pulled out of the parking lot and got back on the road.

"You can go faster, it's not like there are any cops around to catch you speeding."

"Jo, the road is not banked to go faster, besides there are a lot of potholes. Do you want a flat tire?"

"No, I just want to get out of here and never come back."

"I should tell Tad about this place. Maybe he can put a hotel here and get it redeveloped."

"Tad and Blair are our friends, Rick. Blair may be a little annoying sometimes, but I wouldn't send her and Tad here to put up a hotel."

"It would be redeveloped, everything would be fixed up. Maybe some retail stores would move in. There would be people around and it wouldn't be so creepy. It would be a whole new town."

"They would probably rename it Warnerville and I would never hear the end of it. Just what Blair needs, a whole town named after her."

"I can see the sign now. Welcome to Warnerville. Mayor Blair Warner-Warner."

"We wouldn't be welcome there."

"Why wouldn't we be?" Rick asked.

"Because we like cotton, you know there would be a law against wearing cotton in that town."

They sat in silence for a little bit and then Jo saw a man walking on the side of the road towards them.

"Rick go faster, it's him it has to be."

"Let's pick him up, maybe he needs a ride."

"Rick, are you crazy?"

"I'm only kidding. I would never pick up a hitchhiker. Do you really think it's him?"

"Who else would be hitchhiking in the middle of night? I did the math. He could be here right now."

The car passed the man, Jo looked at him. He was wearing a light blue jumpsuit.

"It is him, he's wearing prison clothes. We have to get to a phone and call the police." Jo looked out the back window to make sure the man didn't turn around and follow them.

"Get the map out, so we can figure out where to go."

Jo pulled the map out of the glove compartment and found a flashlight under the seat. She pointed the flashlight at the map.

Rick pointed on the map to where they were.

"Keep right up here, it should take us to the main road."

Rick kept to the right. The road was taking them up a large hill. Up ahead there was a fork in the road.

"Which way do I need to go?" Rick asked.

"Go on the right." Jo looked out the windshield. "Stop go left instead, it looks like the road drops off a cliff if you go right."

Rick went left. As they went farther, they saw signs along the side of the road telling them that beyond that was a dead end.

"I think this is the wrong way. We're going to have to turn around and try the right path."

"What if the right path is a cliff edge?"

At the end of the road was a big, white, house. Outdoor lights lit it up in the front. There was no way to go past it, they had to turn around.

"Do you want to knock on the door?"

"No Rick, it's the middle of the night. I don't want to bother these people. They could have large dogs or a big gun."

"Alright, we'll turn around."

There was enough room to turn around in the driveway. They headed back to the fork in the road.

"The road is on the map, right?"

"Yeah, but this map is from 1988."

They had to make a sharp turn to go down the right path.

Jo screamed as Rick tried to make the turn. Rick slammed on the brakes.

"You almost drove us into the guardrail and off a cliff."

The car had not completed the turn yet and was pointed at the guardrail. Jo could see a large body of water down below.

"Jo, relax. Let me complete the turn." Rick put the car in reverse and backed up. He had more room now to turn on the road. Rick pulled forward and the car went down.

Jo breathed a sigh of relief. They were on a road. They didn't drive off a cliff. The road led them downhill. Jo saw a power plant on the water's edge. Next to it was the road to the freeway and Jo saw the lights of other cars.

"We're finally in civilization. Now we need to find a place to spend the night. I really have to go to the bathroom."

They merged onto the freeway and got off at the next city.

"There's a Taco Bell, maybe I can use the bathroom."

"I think it's closed."

"The employees are still inside."

Rick parked, Jo ran out of the car. She walked up to the door and tried to open it, it was locked. It was more than locked though. It was chained shut from the inside.

Jo ran back to the car. "It's closed. This must be a city with a high crime rate, if the fast food places have to chain their doors shut at night."

Rick pulled out of the parking lot and Jo tried not to think about her aching bladder.

"I have to go really bad."

"Do you want me to pull over, so you can go behind a bush?"

"No, that's illegal. If I get caught, I'll be in trouble. We can't afford that."

Rick turned at the next intersection. Jo saw an inn, it was actually nice looking.

"Rick, there's an inn!" Jo pointed to the inn and Rick pulled in.

Jo ran into the inn. There was a woman at the front desk.

"We need a room. I have to pee."

The woman told Jo she could use the employee bathroom. Jo ran back there. Rick came in the inn and started the process to get a room.

When Jo got out of the bathroom, Rick was nowhere in sight. The woman at the desk told her he was in room 115. Jo found the room and found that Rick had left it cracked open for her.

Jo found Rick on the phone with the police reporting that he saw the escaped convict.

Annie screamed.

The Ice Princess was walking towards her. Annie couldn't breathe, she was frozen in place. What do I do? What do I do? She's getting closer. The cabin is too far away. I can't just stand here. Maybe if I run, ghosts can't run, can they?

Annie sprinted towards the cabin. She took a quick glance over her shoulder. It looked like the woman had sped up too. Don't look back, just keep running. Don't stop until you reach the cabin.

Annie fell flat on her face. She had tripped over one of the logs around the fire pit. Annie got back up and dusted herself off. She felt pain coming from her left arm. She looked at her elbow and saw a big scrape. Annie shook the pain off and took a step forward, but something was tugging her back.

Annie let out a small scream. The Ice Princess caught me. Annie slowly looked behind her. Annie didn't see anyone. The Ice Princess was nowhere in sight. Then what is pulling me back? Annie tried to go again, but was met with the same resistance. Annie looked down at her feet. Her shoelaces were caught between the log and the ground.

Great, now she'll get me for sure. Annie tried to free her shoe laces from under the log. How did this happen anyway? Annie took her shoe off and pulled. The shoelace came free from the log and she fell on her butt.

Annie put her shoe on and stood up. She looked around. She didn't see the woman or anyone else. Annie ran until she reached Wolf cabin. The door to the cabin squeaked as Annie opened it. She let it slam behind her not caring if she woke anyone up.

Annie took her shoes off and climbed up to her bunk. She read the words carved into the wall above her head: The Ice Princess was here. Annie shuddered. Maybe Beth will switch bunks with me in the morning. Annie heard what sounded like wolves howling coming from the boy's side of camp. Annie hid her head under her sleeping bag and tried to go back to sleep.

Everyone in Kelsey's cabin was sleeping. A noise outside woke Kelsey up. It sounded like someone running, she listened and was startled by the sound of a screen door squeaking as it was being opened and slamming shut. It sounded like it was coming from the cabin next door.

Who would be outside in the middle of the night? Kelsey closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. That's when she felt it. Something was tickling her leg.

Kelsey slowly pulled her blanket off of her body. She felt something cold and scaly up against her leg and jumped. Whatever it was, it slithered up the legs of her pajama bottoms. Kelsey's heart pounded as she lifted the waistband of her pajamas. The creature poked its head out. It looked at Kelsey with its little black eyes and stuck its forked tongue out at her.

Kelsey screamed.

Mrs. Garrett woke up with a start. Someone was screaming. Blair. Mrs. Garrett darted out of bed and left the room, throwing her robe on in the process. She ran across the hall as fast as she could. She opened the bedroom door. She heard Blair's voice.

"I'm on fire!"

Blair was screaming in her sleep. The blankets were kicked on the floor and Blair was sweating and thrashing around on the bed. The other side of the bed was empty. Tad had gone out of town on business.

"I'm on fire, please help me!"

Mrs. Garrett climbed on Tad's side of the bed from the foot. She crawled up the bed from the foot to get to Blair and shook her.

"Blair, wake up. You're okay, you're having a nightmare."

"I'm on fire!"

"You're not on fire. Wake up, sweetheart."

Blair's body jolted as she opened her eyes. Her breathing was heavy.

"You had a bad dream, you're okay," Mrs. Garrett said.

"It wasn't a dream, it was real."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Blair shook her head.

"Honey, I think will help to talk about it. Did you get an appointment with a therapist?"

"I called them, and they can't get me in until next week."

"Do you want a glass of water?"

Blair nodded. She wiped tears off her face. "Did I wake up Amanda?"

"No, Amanda's still asleep." Mrs. Garrett climbed off the bed and went into the bathroom for water.

Mrs. Garrett came back and handed Blair the water. Blair took a sip.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" Blair asked.

"Of course sweetheart, I'll stay with you tonight." Mrs. Garrett climbed back in bed next to Blair.

Kelsey was screaming. Someone turned on the lights. Everyone woke up and Leah ran to Kelsey's bunk.

"Get it out, get it out!" Kelsey was hysterical.

"What is it?" Leah asked.

"There's a snake in my pajamas." Kelsey stood up and tried to shake it out. The snake fell out onto the floor.

All the girls, except Leah and Jackie, screamed and jumped on their bunks.

"Oh, it's just a water snake," Leah said. "He's harmless."

"You found Melvin!" Jackie said. Jackie picked up the snake and held him.

"Melvin?" Anna asked.

"Jackie, you brought a snake in our cabin?" Kristy asked.

"I found him by the lake after lunch. Isn't he cute?" Jackie held the snake up to Kelsey's face.

Kelsey screamed and backed away. "Get it away from me."

"Alright Jackie, that's enough," Leah said. "Kelsey's had enough traumas for one day."

"I couldn't find him before we went to sleep. I thought he was lost," Jackie said.

"She's taking him back to the lake, right Leah?" Anna asked.

"Do I have to?" Jackie asked.

Before Leah could respond there was a knock on the screen door and Hayley came in with Elsie.

"What's going on in here?" Hayley asked.

"Kelsey found a snake in her bed," Leah said. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Elsie begged me to let her come see if Kelsey was alright," Hayley said.

"Whoa! Are you two twins?" Jackie asked.

"We think so, we have the same birthday." Kelsey said.

"Wow, and you just met here at camp?" Kristy asked.

"Yeah," Elsie said.

"So are you going to go home with her when camp is over?" Anna asked.

"My parents would flip out if I had a twin and met them at camp," Jackie said.

Kelsey hadn't thought about what her parent's reactions would be. Would they flip out? She did know that she and Elsie would separate at the end of camp.

"We're going back to our own houses, when camp is over," Kelsey said. "I don't know what will happen after that."

"Okay Elsie, it's time to get back to our cabin. You saw Kelsey, she's fine and you'll see her in the morning," Hayley said.

"Bye Kelsey, goodnight." Elsie gave Kelsey a hug.

Kelsey returned the hug. "Goodnight Elsie, see you in the morning."

Elsie and Hayley left and went back to their cabin.

Leah turned back to the girls. "Alright everyone back to bed."

"What about the snake?" Anna asked.

"I'm sorry Jackie, but you have to put him back in the lake. He belongs in nature. I'll go with you. Everyone else go back to sleep."

"I want to take a shower," Kelsey said.

"No, it's the middle of the night. You can take a shower in the morning."

"I'll hyperventilate until I pass out, if you don't let me take a shower right now."

"Kelsey, you are fine."

Kelsey started crying. "I have to wash the snake germs off, you don't understand."

Leah sighed. "Kelsey, it's time to go to bed. I promise you, you are fine. You can take a shower in the morning. If you go to sleep right now, I'll get you up early so you can be the first one in."

Kelsey lay down in her bunk. Leah left the cabin with Jackie to put the snake back in the lake.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs, with bacon and sausage. Annie sat at a table with Jamie, Kelsey, Tisha, Elsie, and Mary.

"What happened last night? Why were you screaming?" Jamie asked Kelsey.

"She found a snake in her bed?" Tisha said.

"How did you know that?" Mary asked.

"I know all the latest gossip," Tisha said.

"Kelsey found a snake in her bed and I missed it." Jamie said. Jamie took a drink of her milk. "I wish I could've seen that." Jamie started drinking the rest of her milk.

"You would've been happy. It was in her pajama pants." Tisha said.

Jamie laughed so hard milk squirted out of her nose.

"Gross," Kelsey said. "Jamie!"

"I thought the Ice Princess got you last night," Annie said.

"Annie, you said she wasn't real." Mary said. Mary ate her bacon.

"Well, I found out that she is real. I saw her last night."

"Yeah right," Jamie said. "It wasn't a full moon."

"I did see her. If you don't believe me, that's fine. Just don't come crying to me when she gets you."

"What happened to your elbow?" Elsie asked.

"I tripped over a log, while I was running away from the Ice Princess."

"It looks gross. You should get that checked out," Kelsey said.

"Its fine, maybe it will turn into a scar and I'll have something cool to show my children."

"You mean when you tell them the story of how you ran away from a ghost like a pansy?" Jamie asked.

Annie glared at Jamie and ate the rest of her breakfast.

July 23rd, 1997

Natalie was in Denver, Colorado. She was just starting her three hours of signing books. The line was the longest line she had yet. She thought the line at the Mall of America in Minnesota was long. The line in Colorado was longer. It seemed everyone in the state wanted to see her.

"Who's next?" Natalie asked.

A man with sandy blonde hair came forward. He gave his book to Natalie.

"Who am I making this out too?"

"Eric," the man said. "And you can make this one out to the East Rockies Rescuers. I'm part of a volunteer group that rescues people off the mountains. I pulled your friend off of Pike's Peak after that plane crashed."

Natalie dropped her pen. She stood up ran around the table and hugged Eric. "Thank you so much." Natalie had tears running down her face.

"Hey, it's what I do," Eric said. "The guys have been wondering what happened to her, so we were really glad when we found this book."

"She is doing pretty well, she's back to her old self. Maybe you could meet her sometime."

"The guys and I would like that, we like to see that people we rescued are okay," Eric said. "I was wondering if you'd like to meet me later and I can tell you the story."

"I would love to hear the story. Blair doesn't like to talk about it. I'm not sure she remembers the details of it though, if she does, she's not telling."

"There's a diner across the street from here, you could meet me there after you're done here. How about 7:00 tonight?"

"I should be done by then, I'll see you at 7:00 and I'll sign your books at the diner. I have a lot of thanks to write in them."

Blair walked in the house with the mail. She had gone next door to the apartments and picked up Jo's and Natalie's mail. She had a huge pile of mail in her arms, and she was trying not to drop any of it. The mail included what was delivered to the house as well.

Blair was not successful though. When she got back in the house, Sammy jumped on her. She lost her balance and all the mail fell on the floor, while she grabbed the wall to keep from falling.

"Down Sammy, you know better." Blair said. Blair looked at the mess on the floor. Magazines, letters, and bills were scattered everywhere. "Look what you made me do."

Blair sat on the floor and began picking the mail up. Sitting on the floor today was probably a bad idea. Blair's joints were bothering her today, whenever the barometric pressure dropped, all the bones she had broken in her body began to ache. Her pelvic bones were the worst, they had been crushed and had to be put back together with metal plates. It was probably going to rain soon.

Blair started sorting the mail into three piles in front of her. She saw Sammy grab a letter in his mouth out of the corner of her eye. Blair lunged at him and tried to grab the letter, but he was too fast and he ran out of the room with it.

Blair winced as she got up off the floor and picked up all the rest of the mail, not caring whose was whose anymore, and threw the pile on the table. She would sort it later, right now she had to get that letter.

Blair used the wall for support and made her way into the kitchen. Mrs. Garrett was in there baking cookies. Amanda was sitting in her high chair playing with a little bit of cookie dough. She had it all over her face and hands.

"Hi, messy baby," Blair said. Amanda laughed as Blair gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"This recipe doesn't have eggs in it, right?"

"I wouldn't let the baby play with it, if it did." Mrs. Garrett said. Mrs. Garrett finished spooning cookie dough onto the baking sheet and put the tray in the oven.

Blair saw Sammy under the kitchen table chewing on a small, pastel pink envelope. Blair recognized it as one from Kelsey's stationary.

"Sammy, you're a naughty dog." Blair bent down and grabbed the letter. It was ruined.

"What did he do?"

"He ate my letter from Kelsey." Blair felt like crying. She tried to wipe the dog slobber off with a paper towel that was on the table.

"I'm sorry, honey, I know how much you miss Kelsey. I miss her too. Maybe it's still legible." Mrs. Garrett took the letter from Blair and opened it.

The letter was ruined, it had multiple holes in it and the dog slobber had smeared the ink. Neither of them could make out any of the words.

"Honey, I'm sure she'll send you another one," Mrs. Garrett said. Mrs. Garrett saw Blair leaning on the kitchen chairs. She could tell Blair was in pain. Mrs. Garrett had arthritis and had had the same pains earlier, but had taken her medication for it. "Do you want your medicine and the heating pad?"

"No, I'll be okay." The phone rang in the living room. "I'll get it." Blair went to answer it, using the walls for support the entire way.

"Hello?" Blair used her free hand to guide herself around the couch and sat down.

"Hey, it's me," Jo said.

"Oh, hey Jo," Blair said.

"You sound tired."

"Nah, I'm okay." Blair put her feet up and lay on the couch. "How's your vacation?"

"The worst ever, Rick and I got lost, but we finally made it to the lake. The owners of the cottage we rented said they have to replace the sump pump, so the water's turned off in everyone's cottage for the next few hours. Other than that, it's pretty nice here. There are a few other cottages here on the property, mostly couples with kids renting them. Jamie would like it here."

"I hope they turn the water back on soon."

"It should be on soon. Did I get anything from Jamie?"

"I don't know. I'll look. I dropped all the mail earlier and now it's in a big pile all mixed up."

Mrs. Garrett came in carrying Amanda on her hip and set her in the playpen.

"Can you see if Jo has a letter from Jamie?" Blair asked her before she went back in the kitchen.

Mrs. Garrett dug through the mail and handed her a small white envelope.

"Yeah, you have one," Blair said.

Mrs. Garrett went back in the kitchen.

"Great, can you open it and read it to me?" Jo asked.

Blair opened the envelope and read it to Jo. "Hey Mom and Dad, I'm having a great time at camp. I'm trying to get Kelsey to go in the lake. Annie started a food fight and I dumped a whole bowl of sloppy Joe meat on Kelsey's head, she cried for six hours…"

Blair heard Jo laughing on the other end of the phone.

"JO!" Blair whined.

"BLAIR!" Jo mimicked Blair's whining. "She's just having fun, they're kids. I'm sure Kelsey got over it already."

"It's not funny," Blair said.

"Yeah, you're right. It's not funny, it's hilarious," Jo said. "Is that all it said?"

"She says she misses you. That's about it."

Mrs. Garrett came back in the living room with the heating pad, a glass of water, and a pill. Mrs. Garrett motioned for Blair to lift her butt up, she did and Mrs. Garrett slid the heating pad under her.

"Did you get one from Kelsey?" Jo asked.

"Yeah, but Sammy ate it before I could read it." Blair took the pill from Mrs. Garrett and put it in her mouth. She took a few sips of water.

"I'm sorry, that sucks."

"Yeah, it was ruined." Blair put the glass of water on the table.

"Listen, I'm going to let you go. Take a nap, you sound really tired."

"I'm fine, Jo."

"Yeah, uh huh, okay. Bye, Blair."

"Bye Jo," Blair hung up the phone. The heating pad felt really nice, she rolled over on the couch so that it was directly on her right side.

Natalie entered the diner across the street from the bookstore. Eric was sitting at a table by the window looking at the menu. Natalie saw him and went over to the table and sat down across from him.

"Sorry, I'm a little late," Natalie said. "The book signing ran over, it was the longest line I've had yet."

"That's alright, I actually haven't been waiting that long," Eric said. "I understand that the line would be long in this area. The community here and in surrounding cities loves Blair. We didn't even know her name, but everyone wanted to see her get better. They had organized benefits to help pay for her medical procedures. When she was transferred to another hospital, we didn't know what happened after that. We had heard that the donations towards her medical bills were being forwarded to the next hospital."

"The community really did all that?"

"Yeah, the whole state was captivated by her story. I live in Colorado Springs, the guys and I used to visit her at the hospital every day to see how she was doing. Then they transferred her, and the hospital couldn't or wouldn't release the details of where she went. They assured everyone that donations were put into her account for medical bills though. There were a few really rich folks that made huge donations and that covered her bigger operations."

"Well, I'm sure Blair would like to give back to the community. The Warner's are big donators themselves."

"They don't have to do that, we are just happy to know that she's okay."

"She's still on some medications, but she's been doing pretty well. You know from reading the book how her recovery went," Natalie said. "How did you guys find her though?"

"Well, I was at home watching TV, when I heard the fire whistle blow. My pager went off a few minutes later. It wasn't even on the news yet…"

August 26, 1991

Eric was lounging around at home when he heard the fire whistle blow. He sat and watched some silly game show on TV. Some woman in her twenties was trying to win a car. A few minutes later his pager went off. He got up off the couch and went into his kitchen to call the rescue office.

One of his buddies answered the phone on the first ring.

"What's going on?" Eric asked.

"A commercial jet crashed into the mountain, they need help looking for survivors. They aren't really expecting any, the plane exploded. But on the off chance that someone survived, they are going to need help getting them down."

"I'm on my way."

Eric grabbed his gear and made his way to the site. Fifteen more of the volunteers in the group showed up. Eric could see black smoke rising from the mountain top.

Eric and the others were brought as close to the crash site as possible and dropped on the mountain by helicopter. They spread out, hooked their ropes up and went down the mountain.

Eric landed on a ledge near some plane wreckage. The fire squad had put out the fire by dropping water from helicopters. Eric saw movement out of the corner of his eye. It looked like a hand was sticking out under some debris.

Eric quickly went over to the person. It was a woman. She looked like she had been on fire at some point. She was badly burned. She was lying on her right side pinned beneath a large piece of plane wreckage. Eric saw that the woman was conscious. He saw the fear in her eyes when he looked at her.

"My name is Eric. I'm going to stay with you."

He saw relief on her face.

"Can you tell me your name?"

The woman tried to speak, but she started coughing up blood.

"Alright, never mind don't talk."

Eric walked out of the woman's line of vision and he heard her make a small whining noise.

"I'm right here. I'm not going to leave you."

The woman seemed to settle down. Eric got on his radio and told the others he found a survivor and needed backup and a medic. He looked at his GPS and gave them his location.

Eric sat with her until help arrived. His buddy, Chris, was coming down the mountain with two EMT's and stretcher. The EMT's in Colorado Springs were all experienced mountain climbers.

The EMT's accessed the situation and figured out the best way to get the debris off of her. Eric and Chris helped the EMT's move the metal object off of her body.

The woman screamed when they moved it and fell unconscious.

"She's hemorrhaging." one of the EMT's said and tried to stop the bleeding.

Eric felt like throwing up. He couldn't believe the woman was still in one piece or even alive. She had burns on probably half of her body. He could tell that she had multiple bone fractures. She was bleeding from her abdomen.

The EMT's rolled her onto the stretcher, they tried to stabilize her. They called for Life Flight to come pick her up.

The helicopter showed up a few minutes later. They hooked the stretcher to a rope that was hanging from the helicopter. The EMT's relayed all the medical info they had to the EMT's waiting in the chopper. They pulled the stretcher up into the chopper and took off.

"She was the only survivor that I found that day." Eric said. "All together, our group pulled five survivors off the mountain. Only three of them had been identified by family members in the immediate aftermath."

Natalie was in tears. She understood why Blair didn't talk about the plane crash. She didn't know if she even remembered the details of her rescue. Natalie decided she would wait until she got home to talk the others about what she learned. It was a conversation she felt should be done in person.

The phone ringing woke Blair up. She was still on the couch. She had a blanket over her. Mrs. Garrett must have put it over her. Blair didn't mean to fall asleep, but the pain medication made her drowsy. Blair answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Blair, it's me," Natalie said.

"Hey Nat, what's up?"

"Nothing much, I was just wondering if I had any more letters from Annie."

Blair rubbed her eyes. "The mail is a mess, Nat. I dropped it all on the floor as soon as I got in the door with it."

"Why? What happened?"

"Well it's going to rain soon, and Sammy jumped on me."

Natalie understood what Blair meant by that. "I'm sorry, maybe you should be a weather girl. I hear channel 7 is hiring."

"I feel a little better now. I took a pain pill. I can dig through the mail and see if you have anything." Blair got off the couch and walked over to the mail pile and began to go through it.

Blair didn't find one for Natalie, but she found one for her.

"Sorry Nat, you don't have one. She sent me another one." Blair said. Blair tore it open and read it.

"What does it say?"

"She says Scott asked her to the dance and she wants makeup for it."

"Is that it?"

"She says Kelsey fainted, but I already knew that. The nurse called and told me."

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. They said they won't make her kiss the moose anymore. It's gross anyway."

"Well, I think Annie is too young for makeup. She doesn't need it. She doesn't even know how to put it on."

"Natalie, you and Tootie were putting makeup on when you were around her age. Kelsey knows how to put makeup on."

"Now why doesn't that surprise me? Alright, you can send her makeup. Just don't get the expensive stuff. Get it at the drugstore and I'll pay you back."

July 30th, 1997

Mary was picking at her pancakes.

"These pancakes are gross," Mary said. Mary looked at her plate. She had a stack of pancakes and some sausage. "Everything is gross today."

"You put it on your plate, you have to eat it." Annie said. Annie took a bite of her sausage. "It tastes fine."

"I'm not eating it," Mary said.

"Don't you dare throw it at me," Annie said.

"Don't worry, I won't." Mary said. Mary dumped all her food into her napkin and wrapped it up with more napkins. She hid it in the pocket of her shorts.

Later at lunch, Annie had to go to the bathroom. She had a problem though. No one wanted to go with her.

"Come on guys, someone go with me," Annie said.

"No one else has to go, Annie. Why don't you just go by yourself?" Jamie asked. "You used to do it all time."

"That was before I saw the Ice Princess," Annie said. "Come on guys, please."

"We're trying to eat our food," Jamie said.

Across the mess hall, Katie was trying to stop a five year old blonde girl from leaving the mess hall without a buddy.

"But I have to go potty," the little girl said.

"You need a buddy," Katie told her.

The five year olds were the youngest campers and sometimes they forgot the rules.

"But no one else has to go," she said.

"Don't worry, I'll find a buddy for you." Katie stood on a chair and whistled.

Everyone stopped what they were doing. "If there are any girls that need to go to the bathroom, I have someone here who needs a buddy."

Annie jumped out of her chair and was across the mess hall in a flash.

"Thanks, Annie," Katie said.

"No one would go with me, either." Annie said. Annie and the little girl ran outside.

Annie looked at the girl while they walked to the bathroom. She was wearing a Minnie Mouse shirt with pink shorts that had Hello Kitty's face on them. That's an odd combo. Annie loved them both, but would never have worn them together.

"I'm Annie, what's your name?"

"Ella," the girl said. "I really have to go. Can we run?"

"Yeah, I guess. Let's go."

Annie and Ella ran to the bathroom. The door was open, when it was usually closed. They got inside and Ella screamed. Annie looked at what Ella screamed at. Annie took a step back and hit the wall. She was looking into the eyes of a huge, hungry, black bear.