The Dead in High Places

Deputy Frank and Sam

Dance Master and Werds did not spend all day long in Rusti’s. It is understandable if followers of our stories might think that. No. Rusti would only be a few hours a day, and not all days. Like all the rest of us, their lives each were many lives. One thing they both liked was to get out into the wilderness. Listening to Seldom some evenings inspired them to appreciate even more what a fortunate gift empty lands are. Not entirely empty. There are the artifacts of those who came before. And of some who tried to stay. The remains of dreams and dreamers of the past.

It is a brisk clear day. There had been several days of heavy cleansing rain late the previous week. It would be a good day to go out to the highest parts of the Black Mountains. To hike up the steep rocky trail next to the rocky stream where there would be an increase in the amount of water flowing down, to follow the trail up until it became iced from the cold and snow. Werds, as novelist, takes his notebooks with him. He takes 12x field glasses. Dance Master takes a camera with long range lenses. Both are alert, aware, and curious about what they see.

***

It is a long drive, maybe an hour. They start early. Just one reason is that few others do. They arrive, get their backpacks on and walk to the trail head. There is the familiar warning sign for hikers that begins Serious Injury and Death Have Occurred Here. Indeed. Hikers, some said to be “experienced,” “seasoned,” etc. go alone in the coldest part of winter on the narrow iced trails up steep mountain edges towards the 10,000 ft summit. Some don’t came back. Of these, the earthly remains of some are found. Most not soon. Dance Master and Werds start up the trail, as confident as any.

No, they will not hike beyond on the trail that is iced up, they assure each other anew, even though, Dance Master did bring along a long coil of rope with hooks on either end. He got the rope after the first time he read the sign. They brought basic hiking supplies, first aid kits, some food, water bottles, and dressed warmly including hats and long scarves, and hunting knives. Backpacks were full but not too heavy. The banks opposite the stream have small springs of water that feed the stream. They filled their water bottles from one of the springs.

The trail begin past the whole inhabited cabins that have been these since the beginning. Some built around trees. No new cabins can be built now but the early ones have the right to stay. And as they hike further they pass the remains of habitats. Some are foundations, Some stone wall enclosures, but for most just stone chimneys remain of what was once a wooden cabin. Sometimes there are several in a row, They pass stands of redwoods. The stream is rushing with water along the rocky bed and over the large boulders. The stream goes up to the start of The County Wilderness Trust trail. They follow the trail away from the stream on towards the Trust.

The trail was steeper now, and narrower, and on a more severe slope, and more and more snow to step on. A while back they picked up broken limbs of trees for walking sticks, trimmed with their knives. There were large dense trees next to the trail. Werds remarked “Those abandoned chimneys we passed. They are like our bunch at Rusti’s. Don’t look like much now but you don’t know their stories.” Dance Master in front answered “you can use that.” Then, “maybe we should turn back. Too much snow now.” Werds said something like ‘what was that noise?’ Dance Master turned around and no Werds behind him anymore.

Then there was Werd’s voice down the slope about fifteen feet. “Hey down here, Hello!” And some other words we will not record. Dance Master looked down. Werds was sitting against a smaller tree, maybe eight inches in diameter. He turned around to look down past the tree. He took out his hand phone and pointing down took a photo. Then he looked up to the top of the trees by the trail, pointed the camera up, and took another photo. Dance Master getting the rope out of his backpack wondered why Werds was taking photos now. “There’s someone down there” Werds shouted, pointing down past the tree.

Dance Master hooked the rope around the tree next to him and tossed the other end down to Werds. Werds took off his backpack and hooked the rope around it. Dance Master pulled it up and tossed the rope back down to Werds. who hooked it around his waist and pulled himself back up to the trail. He worked his boots into the show to reach ground, at time his knees and not his boots. He pulled himself by the rope up the slope, leaving his walking stick by the tree. When he was at the top he showed Dance Master the photo of the woman in the ravine. And mentioned that there was something up in the trees.

The two quickly agreed on what to do next. They took what food, water, an old wool blanket, and first aid supplies they had out and transferred them to one backpack, loading the rest of their supplies into the other. The much lighter, nimble, and fit Dance Master would go back down into the ravine. He put on the backpack and worked his way down to the tree and hooked his end of the rope around it. Then Werds unhooked the rope at the top and tossed that end down. Dance Master dropped Werds’ walking stick down to the bottom of the ravine next to the woman before he repelled himself down. 

It was not a straight drop so Dance Master could use his legs ‘stepping’ down the side feet turned out to take most of his weight off the rope. He was down soon, took off the backpack and went over to the woman. He tried to recall all he learned about first aid including ‘do no harm.’

After Dance Master started down the gully Werds looked up through his field glasses and tried several places along the trail to get a view. At one place he could see a small part of the wreckage he had seen from below. He took a photo with Dance Master’s long range camera. No one would have seen this had not he looked straight up from just one point in the trail. When he heard Dance Master yell “Go! Go!,” the signal they had for Werds to leave, he started back down the trail to get help down to a level on the trail where the hand phones could connect. Before he left he tied his scarf around a tree next to where he slid down the embankment.  

Dance Master gingerly approached the young woman lying on her back. He asked “can you hear me?” “Yes, I am trapped in these rocks, not deaf” she answered. Dance Master relieved, looked to see what she meant. She was caught between two rough boulders, more like large rocks, at her hips area. She was on her back at a slight incline with her head at a lower level. She could not get any leverage to move the large rocks. Dance Master asked her if he could move the large rocks. She answered “Hello!” He made sure that he likely could do no harm, then moved the rocks with the walking stick.

She was free. He carefully pulled her away to level ground. He thought it would be a stupid question to ask her ‘how she feels’ considering her previous answers. Anyway she was free and he let her move if she could. He brought over his backpack and emptied the contents where she could see. He saw that she had a small backpack nearby as well as a large lens professional camera. She was fortunate for her high tech insulated hiking clothes that included a heavy jacket and she was wearing gloves. The jacket was ‘high visibility,’ which helped Werds see her.  

Dance Master told her “look I am trying to help. I’m going to ask you some questions.” “OK, you have been doing OK. So far.” ‘Is she in pain?’ ‘Can she move?’ ‘Does she think anything is broken?’ ‘Did she eat, drink?’ She answers she did not feel numb. No so much injured in that there were broken bones, probably a lot of bruises. Had been thereover one night. Had water and snow to drink, some energy bars to eat. Dance Master covered her with his blanket. Told her if she wanted to try to get up he would help her. She said yes and if he could help her over behind some bushes so she could have some privacy. 

She was very sore but could move if slowly and the project was a success. After a while she appeared again and he helped her back and she had some of Dance Master’s energy bars and spring water. He noted that she is a Descendant. She looked much better after eating something. He told her that his partner is on his way to get help to get them out of here. That her camera seemed to be undamaged. She said she was a Professional Photographer and was trying to get some photos of birds in trees high up with snow on the leaves when she was not paying attention to her moves and slid down the hill.

“I have some pain killers in my first aid kit. Let me know.” Thank you. I am OK so far. What do you do?” My day job is my dance academy for young ladies and gentlemen of quality from greater Cottonbaugh.” “Well thank you for hearing my call for help.”  “It wasn’t me’ It was my partner, Werds.” “Maybe I should give him a looksee. What does he do?” “He is a writer. He writes novel.” “Don’t you mean novels.” “No novel, he has been working on the same novel for years. He is a good writer but that does not mean anyone wants to read what he writes. Not yet anyway.”  

“He is also from Cottonbaugh? My father has a friend from there, named Willson.” “Oh I know Willson. He is related to some friends, if it is the same Willson.” “My father is a musician and has performed in Cottonbaugh. A place I think called ‘Dusties’.” “If you father is Jared I have seen him, and the place is Rusti’s. Your Father is as good as there is, but I don’t have to tell you that.” Just then they hear the helicopters coming. And the voices of men up on the trail. “It didn’t take Werds long to get us help” Dance Master said as he wondered why a nature photographer needed to carry a combat knife strapped to her ankle.

***

Later when Dance Master and Werds hiked back down the trail considering what all they has seen by then, they would think about Frank and Sam.

***

Yet another time when Sheriff did not keep me waiting and smiled when I walked in. ‘Frank. Please sit down, How’s Sam, and so on.’   

To be Continued