Damien
I pull my truck up to the trail head. There are already thirty or forty officers from the sheriff’s office, state troopers, and fish and game. From what I understand, a family of four went out on a hike yesterday and never returned. The forecast is calling for about three feet of snow tonight in the mountains. They’ve already been out there for twenty-four hours and if we don’t find them by dark tonight, chances are very slim we will find them alive. Right now, it’s twenty degrees out and it’s only ten in the morning. Who knows how much the temperature will drop throughout the day.
Walking to the back of the truck, I let down the ramp on the trailer, reach over, and start up my four wheeler. While it’s warming up, I strap an extra gas can to the back, then fill my backpack with bottled water, granola bars, a blanket, and a first aid kit. I also check to make sure I have a lighter and matches for starting a fire. Once the ATV is warmed up enough, I back it off the trailer, secure the ramp, and lock up my truck before walking over to the command post and signing in.
“Hey, Deputy Heath. Ready to freeze your ass off today?” Sergeant Anthony asks.
“As ready as I’ll ever be I guess.” I look down at the sign-in sheet and notice a group of guys from my department already headed out about twenty minutes ago. I look around, but don’t see anyone else in the lot. “Looks like I’m stuck going it alone,” I state.
“That’s not such a good idea. You should wait for someone else to come in,” Sergeant Anthony suggests.
“I’ll be okay. I won’t go out far, and I’ll make sure I’m back before dark. This family has been out there for too long. We need to find them. Every minute counts,” I tell him, then look back down at the sign-in sheet. The last group went on the trails to the west. I sign my name and put down that I’m heading to the east.
“Do not leave the trail. It’s too dangerous by yourself. I’ll send the next group out in your direction. Stay safe out there,” he says, and I wave, letting him know I heard his warning loud and clear, before walking back over to my ATV. I secure my helmet, pull on the backpack, and start out on the trail. As I drive, I keep my eyes peeled for any signs of the missing family. We have no idea what direction they went in. There’s a mom, dad, a thirteen-year-old boy, and a sixteen-year-old girl. They didn’t show up at the grandparents’ house for a family dinner, so they called the police. Luckily, the family told the grandparents what they were doing that day and where they were. If they hadn’t, we would have had no idea where to even start the hunt.
Something catches my eye and I slam on the brakes before hitting reverse. Putting the four wheeler in park, I hop off and move toward the object, what looks to be a small piece of white cloth hanging from a branch. The fabric is clean and doesn’t look weathered, so it hasn’t been here long. Why would the family leave the main trail? There’s not a defined trail through there and the four wheeler would be useless. I decide to leave it on the trail. I begin to walk in the direction I think they may have gone. As I walk, I look for any other signs that I’m going in the right direction. The brush is so heavy, footprints aren’t noticeable. My face burns from the frigid air, telling me the temperature has dropped even more.
After about an hour, my feet and legs begin to ache. I see a rock at the base of a tree, take a seat, and pull a bottle of water and a granola bar from my pack. I take a long swig, and it eases my dry throat. Before I can open the granola bar, I hear a noise. It sounds like a woman yelling. Sitting stock still, I listen for it again. This time, it’s a little louder. Throwing the stuff back in my backpack, I begin to move toward the sound. I see a path between some trees and follow it. On the other side is a field. In the distance, in the middle of the field, I can faintly make out people. Adrenaline pumps through me and I take off running in their direction. The scene in front of me is startling. The mother and son are kneeling on the ground. The daughter is laying on the ground, crying out in pain. Her leg is caught in what looks to be a rabbit trap. The father is nowhere in sight. None of them are dressed properly for the freezing temperatures that we’ve had in the last twenty-four hours. The mom jumps up when she sees me.
“Oh, thank God!” she cries. “Lena got her foot caught and Alan, my husband, went for help. He left before dark last night. He hasn’t been back. I’m so afraid he’s gotten lost.”
“We’ll find him. First, let me see what I can do to take care of your daughter.” She nods her head. I take off my backpack and place it next to me as I kneel next to Lena. Opening the pack, I pull out the first aid kit and set it on the ground. “Lena. My name is Damien.” She gives me a weak smile. “I’m gonna get you out of this trap. Okay?” She nods, her eyes pleading with me to hurry. “I’m going to need you both to help,” I say, looking to the mom and son.
“I’m Milly. This is AJ,” Milly says. “What do we do?” I give them instructions. Milly gets behind her daughter and takes hold of her shoulders. AJ carefully holds onto his sister’s leg, ready to brace it once the trap is open. Taking a deep breath, I grasp the trap in my hands while eying the other two and nodding, letting them know they did good.
“This may hurt. I’m sorry, and I’ll make it as quick as I can.” With all my strength, I pry it open, my body shaking with exertion. A scream rips from Lena chest as her mom sobs, but I block them both out and focus. As soon as her leg is free, Milly pulls her away as AJ holds her leg steady. I let go of the trap when I know it’s safe and it snaps shut. Using the first aid kit, I bandage up her wounds and use two branches to splint it, just in case.
“What direction did Alan go when he left for help?” I question. Milly points to the opposite way I came. Damn it. He went farther into the forest. “I’m going to get you back to the trail, then I’m going to go look for Alan.”
“Thank you,” Milly whispers. Walking over to the closest tree, I break off three branches, place them in the shape of an arrow, and point it in the direction Alan went. Then, I pick Lena up and the four of us make the hour trek back to my four wheeler.
The walk back takes almost two hours and my muscles are burning from carrying Lena the entire way. Even with the three layers of clothes, I’m chilled to the bone. Once we reach the four wheeler, I breathe a sigh of relief.
“AJ, have you ever driven a four wheeler?” I ask.
“Yes, sir,” he responds, nodding. I turn the machine around in the direction they need to go and get Lena settled on the back.
“Follow this trail. Do not veer off it. It will lead you back to the road. When you get there, tell them I went to look for your father and I’ll mark my path as well as I can,” I explain.
“Thank you for finding us and helping me,” Lena says.
“Please find my husband,” Milly pleads.
“I promise I’ll do my best. Now, you all get out of here so you can warm up and get some food.” I watch as they drive away and pull the blanket from my backpack. From my coat pocket, I pull out my knife and cut the blanket into small strips I can tie along my path so the guys will know how to find me. As I tie the first strip to a low branch, I think about Sami. One of the stories she likes me to read is Hansel and Gretel. The blanket strips are my version of bread crumbs. As I walk back the way I came, I wonder about Tinsley. She’s going to be so damn worried about me. I hate that I’m doing anything that causes her anguish, but if I was the one lost in the woods, I’d hope there was someone looking for me. Someone who would get me back to my family safely. I say a little prayer that I can find Alan and we both get back to our families safe.
By the time I get back to where I found Milly, Lena, and AJ, I’m exhausted. My feet and hands are freezing. I sit and drink some water. I’m trying to conserve it. I have no idea how long I’ll be stuck out here. I only have a few hours of daylight left. If I don’t find him before it gets dark, I’ll have to make camp and start again in the morning. Within a few minutes, I’m back on my feet and headed in the direction Alan went. The wind picks up and snow begins to fall. Once I get to the end of the field, the woods become dense again. I continue securing the strips of blanket at eye level along my path. The farther I go, the harder it is to breathe.
Three hours later, just as the sun is beginning to set, a lump of dark clothing catches my eye. Adrenaline floods my system as I rush over to the figure, pushing my body as fast as it will go. I skid to my knees and flip the body over, my eyes scanning over him. Blood covers his face from a gash in his forehead, and his skin is pale—too pale. Leaning down, I pull my glove off with my teeth and place my fingers on his neck. The chill in his skin almost burns me as I press harder, trying to find a pulse. A small thump, thump blips against my fingers and I breathe a sigh of relief.
Pulling off my jacket, I pull it over him and tuck it around his sides, hoping it will help elevate his body temperature. I grab my first aid kid from the backpack and clean the cut and his face as best as I can with antiseptic wipes before bandaging his wound. My teeth chatter as snow clings to my clothes and skin, the temperature dropping into well below freezing. My breath puffs out in front of me as my teeth chatter. I rub my arms as I take in our surroundings. There’s no way I can get him back in the dark, and carrying him isn’t an option, which only leaves one choice.
Using branches from a nearby pine tree, I build a small shelter and start a fire, praying he’ll come to soon. The search crews will suspend the search until morning. It’s too dangerous for them to search at night.