Stock Up, Scarlet Fever, STAG & Storm Hike

Mountain General Store Parking Lot

Spike insisted they stop at the general store a few miles from the lodge when they heard the weather report. He wanted to pick up some extra food just in case. They were staying in the woods and he expected the worst.

Scott agreed to stop because he wanted to pick up some pain reliever. He wasn't going to chance that there was some at the cabin.

Sam sat in the SUV while Scott and Spike went inside. He almost nodded off because they took so long in the store. Sam was surprised when Spike and Scott carried out two huge boxes of food. He laughed as they opened the door "Guys we are only here another few days. Why did you get all that?"

Spike answered "We're in the woods Sam. You know my people don't fair too well in the woods. Better to stock up and be safe than sorry with the severe storm that is heading our way."

The snow started to fall heavily just as Spike finished speaking. Spike looked skywards "See. This wasn't supposed to happen until later tonight."

Sam only shook his head. Spike hopped into the passenger seat and said "Catch" as he tossed a bottle of pills to Sam. Then he handed him a bottle of water and said "Take a few to stop the samba in your head."

Opening the bottle Sam said "Thanks Spike." He downed two pills and drank half the water. He opened his backpack and put the bottle of pills in with his antibiotics. He set it down on the floor and sat back.

Spike stared at him with his mouth opened "You didn't fight me on that. You always resist."

Sam shrugged.

Scott slid into the driver's seat. He handed the banana cream pie over to Spike "Hold this please."

Spike put the pie in his lap and turned his head to Sam "Why didn't you resist taking the pain meds?"

Scott started the SUV and turned the windshield wipers on high to keep up with the snow fall. As he pulled the SUV onto the access road Scott said "He knows better when I'm around. We established that early on."

Sam nodded then leaned back and half closed his eyes willing the pain meds to do their work and reduce the pounding in his head and the ache in his shoulder and shin.

Spike wondered what Scott meant by that but didn't pry when no explanation was offered by either Scott or Sam.

In SUV on Access Road to Cabin

The three were quiet for some time as they watched the snow covered scenery go by. The snow was falling even heavier now and the wind was picking up.

Scott's comment to Spike a bit ago brought a memory to the forefront of his mind. To fill the silence Scott said "Sam, remember when you got Scarlet fever when you and Sara stayed with us while Aunt Yvonne was visiting Uncle Will?"

Sam nodded recalling one of his earliest memories. "Yeah I was what like four or five and you were a teenager."

"You were five and I was thirteen. You were a miserable brat for my mom and wouldn't take your medicine. I had to climb up the ladder to get you down from the cabinets so many times because my Mom was pregnant with Amelia and my sister Vicky was too scared to go up and get you" Scott said.

"I remember you threatened to throw me off of the cabinet if I climbed up again. You actually dangled me off the edge until Aunt Ann came in and saw you and screamed thinking I was falling. Uncle Erik tanned your hide for that" Sam smirked.

Scott grinned "Yeah but it was worth it. You didn't climb them again did you? Although, I did have to run you down a few times. Even at five you were slippery and fast. Those little legs of yours flew."

Sam chuckled "That medicine was gross. I still recall how you dragged me back inside kicking and screaming and held onto me so your mom could give me the medicine. And how you came down with Scarlet fever four days later and had to take that nasty medicine too."

"That's because you kept coughing and sneezing on me when I read to you" Scott retorted.

"At least I had a partner in crime then. You understood why I didn't want to take the medicine. I remember how mad your mom was when she finally found us hiding in that closet" Sam said.

Spike was enjoying the banter and asked "What happened when she found you?"

Scott laughed "She told me I was setting a bad example for my little cousin. That Braddock's were made of sterner stuff and wouldn't hide from a little bit of medicine. That I had to show Sam it was important to take the medicine the doctor prescribed for us so we could get better. Mom said if I didn't I would be spending every Saturday for two months doing nothing but chores."

Sam said "I don't remember that."

"That's because you were in your room when she talked to me" Scott said.

"That's why you did it then? You didn't want to do extra chores?" Sam asked.

Scott looked in the review mirror and said seriously "No, that's not why. It was because your fever spiked that afternoon. You were sweating so much and seriously out of it. I thought it was my fault you got sicker. I prayed all night that if you lived, because I thought you were dying, that I would never be stupid again or let you be stupid again about taking medicine."

"Did what?" Spike asked.

Scott smiled "Made Sam swear an oath to me that he would never lie to me about his health and I swore the same to him."

Sam yelled "STAG!"

Scott's full attention instantly returned to the road. He managed to steer clear of the huge stag with a full rack of antlers but the tires hit a slick patch of ice and the SUV skidded towards the edge of the road. There was no stopping.

The SUV slid over the steep edge sideways. The front driver's tire hit a boulder and the SUV rolled over onto its top and then back onto the wheels. Silence reigned for several moments as the three sat stunned by the somersault of the SUV.

Scott asked "You two okay?"

Spike answered "No harm."

Sam said "No worse than before" as his head thudded a bit more with his racing heart. Then Sam asked "How bout you Scott?"

"I'm alright too. Damn glad we were all wearing our seatbelts" Scott answered slowly releasing the death grip he had on the steering wheel.

All three sighed with relief. That could have been bad.

Then Sam and Scott started laughing loudly as they took in Spike covered in banana cream pie.

Spike took a finger and wiped a glop of pie from his eye and cheek and put it into his mouth "Mmm it's good. Too bad you guys don't get any. It's all mine." Spike looked at the mess covering him from head to toe and joined the laughter. If the only thing to die in this crash was the banana cream pie then it was all good.

The three got out of the SUV to take stock of the situation. Spike went to the back and grabbed the roll of paper towels he bought at the store and started to wipe off the pie using the snow to help him wash up.

Meanwhile Sam and Scott walked around the SUV looking for damage and assessing how to get back on the road.

Sam stood at the front driver's side with a scowl on his face as he stated "Well it looks like we are walking to the cabin."

Coming around to the driver's side Spike saw that the front tire was bent inwards. Damn the SUV was going nowhere. "How far are we from the cabin versus the store?"

Scott estimated how far they had driven "About four or five miles to the cabin and ten back to the store."

Resigned to the fact they were hiking Sam added "We should pack what we can in the backpacks we have and leave the rest."

Shaking his head Scott stated "With the storm coming …"

"You mean with the storm already here" Spike interrupted.

"Okay. With the storm here we should make a small travois and take it all with us. We are gonna have to wait out the storm before getting help" Scott reasoned.

Spike pulled out his phone. Even with the booster he had no signal. "No phone signal."

"I think the cabin used to have an old CB radio. We can look for it when we get there" Sam shared as he went to the back seat to grab his backpack.

Scott fashioned a simple travois quickly using his skis and rope that was in the SUV. Sam and Spike repacked the items in the boxes and then loaded them on the travois then covered them with a small plastic tarp. They set out for the cabin.

Hiking Access Road to Cabin

The guys had been hiking and covered two and a half miles. The temperature had dropped drastically and the snow was coming down so hard and fast they could barely see a foot in front of them. Sam was glad he had the foresight to bring the other length of rope and the three tied themselves to each other so none of them would get lost.

The gale force wind was blowing directly in their faces. They had one pair of ski goggles so the one in the lead would wear them to see where they were going. The snow was deep on the ground now and it took a lot of energy to plow a path through it. The three took turns leading because it was so strenuous.

Sam had been leading for the last mile. His shin was on fire and every step hurt. He lifted his leg and stepped down then stumbled and landed on his knees in the deep snow. It came up to his waist being on his knees. Spike and Scott came alongside him and squatted down close to Sam.

Scott yelled to be heard over the wind "Sam you okay?"

Yelling back Sam answered "Hard to walk. Shin hurts a lot."

Spike was never so happy that Sam made that oath to Scott. It was nice to know the truth even if it wasn't really what he wanted to hear. Spike yelled "I'll lead. Sam you are gonna stay in the middle of us."

Adding to that Scott shouted "Give me your backpack. I'll put it on the travois."

Feeling spent right now Sam shrugged off the backpack and handed it to Scott without argument. Scott put it on the travois and tied it down. Spike undid the rope on him and Sam then changed positions and retied the rope.

Scott yelled "Ready?"

Sam struggled to stand and four hands came to help him rise. Sam shouted "Thanks."

The three slogged onward slowly. The gale force winds and cold was taking a toll on all of them. After another mile, Spike and Scott swapped positions.

Sam tried to tell them it was his turn to pull the travois in the rear but neither Scott nor Spike would let him. As they continued it became apparent to Sam that he was struggling just to keep himself upright. Pulling the travois would be beyond his capability right now.