Chapter 1

The snow was coming down at a moderate rate. Thick, fluffy flakes that were sure to build up and add several inches to what was already on the ground. The weather report said that it would be in the low 20s, and the wind chill taking it to zero, overnight.

Welcome to February in the Sierra Nevada.

I wasn’t worried. The house was well insulated, I had food and other supplies, lots of firewood, and if the power went out, the generator would kick on and restore lights. Sure, it was a rustic 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom log cabin of sorts, but I loved the place and the 5 acres it sat on.

Thank God for the pre-nuptial agreement, or the ex would have managed to take it along with most of everything else. But five generations of my family being here since the 1880s put a stop to that.

Not sure what will happen after I’m gone, since the kids have no desire to “live in the remote wilderness” even if it is beautiful out here. Two pampered and slightly spoiled daughters. They live with their families in Los Angeles and I’m lucky if I see them twice a year. I think I will have my lawyer set up some sort of living trust and donate the land to the state, since it bumps up against the Truckee National Forrest. That would really dash any hopes they might have of selling the land and gaining wealth!

So, about me. The name is Sean Harrigan. Yes, Irish as a leprechaun sitting in a field of clover. At the age of 55, the bright red hair is now more a sedate rust color, but there are still a few freckles. Oh well. I’m keep my 5’10 self in decent shape because of the upkeep around the property has me physically active.

Financially, I’m quite frugal and I am financially comfortable. So much so that I only work two or three days a year.

That last part got your attention, didn’t it?

So, here’s the deal. Ever look up at a cell tower, or any other type of tower, going way, way, way up into the sky? And did you ever notice that they have signal lights on them? Guess what happens when one burns out? You need a specially trained person (aka: crazy idiot) who has no blinding fear of being so far off the ground, to go up there and change said light fitting.

That’s me.

Depending on the situation, each job will pay from $75k to $110k for the days work. And trust me, it is a long day. The prep work is at least an hour, once I get to the tower site. Them the climb. We are looking at two and a half to three hours to get from the ground to the top. I have to go slow, making sure the safety lines are properly attached from my harness to the frame and ladder. There are two lines, one for each side of me and I alternate attaching each one as I climb higher. Progress is slow, but this is not the time or place to be in a rush.

Once I get to the top, I will rest for a few minutes and look out across the landscape. Miles upon miles spread out below me. And you had best believe that the platform is not standing still. There is a lot of “sway” at the top of these towers. But, it doesn’t bother me.

Then I do what I need to, and when finished, start the climb back down. Once back on the ground, I find a local motel for the night, because that is a very draining 8+ hour day.

Checking the fire in the wood burning stove, I decided that there are some good coals and if I put a large chunk of wood in there, it will slow burn through the night while I sleep. There’s nothing like a toasty warm cabin to bed down in, during a snow storm.

Out on the porch, I grab a few pieces of wood from the stack, and pause. In the wilderness, at night, sound travels in a strange manner. Sometimes you hear things from far away clearly, like it was just a short distance from you, but then the snow can also muffle or redirect sound. I heard what sounded like a long, mournful howl. Maybe a coyote or wolf? Whatever it was, I had no intention of staying outside to find out. With luck, the animal would find shelter. Maybe dig out a snow cave to stay warm.

I went back inside for the night and was soon asleep.

The sky was slate gray, as clouds scudded past, trying to decide when and where to dump more snow. For now, they held off. Finishing my coffee, I decided to plow the long driveway that went from the county road up to the cabin. Sure, more snow was predicted, but I wanted to keep it to a minimum for safety where I drove. Pulling my F-250 out of the garage, I started clearing what had accumulated overnight.

At the end of the driveway is a gully that would be perfect for me to push the snow into. However, something caught my eye and I stopped the truck well before the gully and hopped out to see what it was.

It was a dog.

No idea what the breed was, since it looked like a muddy mess of half frozen fur. Perhaps this was the animal I heard last night? It was still alive, if but just. Digging it out of the snow, I picked it up and put it in the front seat of the truck.

Why was I doing this? Just human decency.

“Hang on, missy. We can get you back to the cabin and warm you up. Maybe get a little something in your tummy to ward off the chill inside you.” When I moved the dog, I saw that it was female.

After parking the truck, I grabbed a heavy packing quilt off a shelf and wrapped the dog in it and carried her inside. I placed her on the floor in front of the stove and saw that she was starting to shiver and her breathing was labored. Her eyes opened briefly and she looked up at me.

“It’s okay, you’re safe,” I said softly. “Rest and get warm.” The dog closed her eyes and let out a sigh.