Chapter 5: Here Comes the Cavalry!
Day 4
The next day, they got up to get ready for their, hopefully, last lap.
Both were bleary eyed with fatigue and hurting. Tim's shoulder felt frozen to his torso and Birger was unsure of his bad ankle's stability when the slightest bit of pressure standing on that foot sent spikes of pain all the way up his leg.
Tim and Birger left the mouth of the glacier in silence, desperate to make it through this ordeal for they didn't expect to survive another night in this wilderness.
So, they started negociating the thick white carpet on a northerly course, the snow crunching beneath their feet.
They had been trudging on for hours and still it seemed like they were getting nowhere.
The two men hardly spoke. Indeed, it was best to save their energy. Both were too busy putting one foot in front of the other. Neither wanted to think of the possibility of spending an other night hunkering down in yet another improvised shelter and see what little chances of survival they had, dwindle even more.
One consolation; it was a good day. No icy winds coming down from the ice sheet. It was a cloudless sky.
Tim lifted his eyes up from staring at the ground in front of his toiling feet and blinked as he let his gaze travel the vast white expanse, the glacier still within sight behind him.
All is white… All is bright… And silent…
He snorted. A child's dream…
Dreaming of a white Christmas… Scrap that; the Season's been gone for two months for crying out loud!
Making snowmen or building igloos, then; with snow tapped into compact blocks by gloved hands.
As the day progressed, exhaustion and their injuries were taking their toll.
Tim stumbled and dropped to his knees.
Birger, noticing his companion was no longer trudging alongside, glanced back and waited, resting his weight on the hiking pole.
Breath coming in short little spurts, Tim scrambled back to his feet and willed his tired and shaking legs into motion again.
Little by precious little, he recovered his resolve, knowing that all he needed was to make it back to the equally struggling Dane's side. If Nørsgård could do this with his bad ankle, then so could McGee with his dislocated shoulder. A good thing his shoulder had been snugged back into place, painful though it still felt. Besides, his legs, unlike Birger's, were still without injury!
And so they resumed their arduous trek; half hallucinating and feeling increasingly disorientated.
At this point, the two toiling men knew they were going beyond the limits of endurance when every step meant excruciating pain.
What little progress they made, it was slow, and by the time the sun was closing the distance to the horizon, they were walking like automatons; no thinking, no seeing, no nothing.
Finally, Birger sank down, his legs no longer able to support him, his head hanging in defeat.
When Tim lowered himself beside his friend, they both looked at each other with God knew what thoughts running through their heads at that moment.
Oh yes, that instant, they were both ready to say their goodbyes.
When a distant roaring of rotors could be heard, it was hardly surprising they thought they were hallucinating.
It didn't take too long, though, before their eyes were scanning the darkening skies.
When the sound evaporated again, they were close to crying, feeling their chances for survival dwindling alarmingly.
In a brief moment of clarity, Tim thought of the flare still in his kit and he feverishly fumbled for it, removed the plastic, screwed off the top, ignited it and pointed it up and away, praying for dear life someone would see the beacon.
They did and soon, the helicopter came their way, made a pass, and then, when someone inside the cockpit spotted the two men, the chopper swooped back and proceeded to land at a safe distance from the two sagging men.
Tony was the first to reach them and puled Tim into a long and unmanly hug. And Tim let him, leaning into the man who'd been his best friend for a good while, now. As for this very moment, it was bliss to just feel held in those arms. Safe. He was safe again.
"How…how…"
"Well, after you fell behind and then got lost, I tried to return for you but the others said there was no telling when that had happened and that it was too late… I'm sorry, Tim…" Tony, swallowed and looked away, uncharacteristically.
Tim didn't know what to say.
Tony cleared his throat and continued: "Flying over the place was no use in the storm. We couldn't see a damned thing and it was all we could do to make it to the base in one piece. There, I did my best harassing them to bring the rescue efforts forward. They told me they couldn't carry out a rescue mission until the storm had abated… Tim? Buddie? You still with me?" He started to shake Tim who exclaimed a sharp cry of pain.
"Stop that! I'm awake! I'm awake!"
"Oh, sorry. Thought for a while you…"
"Next," Tim asked rather shortly, but then, seeing how his short temper was going to get the better of him, he just as quickly apologized. "Sorry, I…my shoulder. Please, Tony, keep talking. Please…"
Tony's brow furrowed.
"Anyway, here we are. I've got your six, Probie," Tony said, softly and caring.
"By the way, Abby'll be frantic, by now. As soon as we touch down, I should make a call and pass her the good news! And the others, too."
Tim, let Tony prattle on. For once, he didn't mind. He didn't mind at all.
He turned slightly to check on Birger and saw the young Danish officer didn't mind either, a contented smile on his lips as he winked at Tim, and listened to Tony's rambling.
Inside the chopper, they still didn't dare close their weary eyes, preferring to stay awake until they reached the hospital where they knew the medical staff would be able to help them.
As soon as Mt. Dundas came into sight, they knew they'd made it.
Death, after all, wouldn't claim them.
They'd been so, so fortunate…
After this chapter, there only remains one more to conclude the story.
As ever, you're welcome to share your thoughts with me.