Chapter 10: New friends

Day 45:

William

Climbing into the Hummer, I floored the gas pedal. With a glanced at the girls, I ordered, "Hang on! This is going to get bumpy."

Driving the Hummer like a madman through the forest, I heard several thuds that I knew the trailer had smacked a few of the tree trunks as I weaved around them and climbed up through the trees. The old growth trees ripped at the Hummer as it traveled through the brush.

"What is a cat? Sarla asked.

"A cat is an animal. Where I come from, the smaller versions are kept as pets to hunt mice. The larger ones, like bobcats, tigers and lions roam the wilderness and hunt their prey. The one I killed is called a Smilodon Fatalis it is a very large cat with very long teeth..."

"Oh! A long tooth! Very deadly. Only the brave ones dare fight them," Sinara replied from the back seat.

"We must get the skin and teeth, make shaman necklace for William," Sarla said.

"Yes! And the skin will be nice to lie on once it's prepared," Walian added.

I tuned the girls out as they talked about skinning, and tanning the hide of the cat. I maneuvered around a large pine tree, and we broke out of the forest. About a mile above us, sitting at on its belly, was the aircraft.

Angela

I sat there shaking. My mom and sister were out cold. Jason had stopped screaming after I had given him a bottle.

With trembling fingers I reached to open the door and pushed it outward. My eyes settled onto the tiger approaching and I screamed as I slammed the door closed. I was looking out the window when it staggered and went down. Blood sprayed across the snow and I shook my head as I looked at the long teeth protruding from its upper mouth.

I kept looking out at the tiger lying on the ground, less than a hundred yards from the plane. I could smell smoke, but was afraid to move out of the plane. I had shut what Mom called the magnetos, off, and prayed the fuel wouldn't catch on fire.

"Someone played a cruel joke on that tiger," I said as I looked at a mock up of a Saber Toothed tiger. Still shaking in fear, I turned and checked on Mom again, as well as my sister. Susan was groaning in pain, but Mom hadn't made a sound, and there was blood running from her nose. Looking out the window, I saw more smoke coming from the ruined engines.

Turning, I dug in to the luggage that was strapped down and pulled out my Model MARK II-BTV .22 long rifle and quickly loaded it with ammo. Grabbing a few of the clips, I put them in my jacket. With my rifle hanging from my shoulder, I went to the door, grabbed the fire extinguisher mounted on the wall and opened the door. The air was cold, but very clean. I thought it was because we were on a mountain, later I would learn why.

Scrambling up onto the wing, I opened the access plate to the left engine, and sprayed the foam into the compartment. Turning, I scrambled over the top of the fuselage and slid down to the other wing. I could see more black smoke pouring out of the access plate and the engine so I ran over to the engine and unbuckled the plate.

I was about to open it, but stepped back. I used the gun barrel to pull it open. Flames shot out about two feet high, and would have hit me in the face.

Setting the gun down, I started firing the extinguisher into the compartment. The canister was almost empty when I shoved the nozzle into the engine and flooded it with the foam. Smoke was still coming out, and I was just about to turn to get another canister when a voice startled me.

"Angela, take this one and give it some more," Susan said as she held the new canister out the window.

Dropping the empty, I grabbed the full, pulled the tags and shoved the nozzle back into the engine compartment and emptied the entire canister into the narrow space. Smoke stopped pouring out of the engine as the canister ran out, and I stood up. I dropped the tank and picked up my rifle. Looking around, I didn't see anything and headed back to the plane. Walking around the tail, I looked at the debris from the plane and said, "Well this old bitch isn't going anywhere ever again."

Going to the door, I stopped as I thought I heard an engine noise. With another look around, I ducked into the plane and shut the door.

"Sis, how's mom?" I asked as I stood the rifle by the door.

"Not good. I think she has a concussion, but I'm not sure. Did you shoot something? I could swear I heard a rifle," Susan asked as she climbed out of her seat.

"Yes, someone shot a tiger. Some moron made it look like a Saber Toothed tiger and set it free," I said as I checked Jason, and then started folding down the other seats into a bed.

"Have you tried the radio?" I asked as I latched the last seat down and grabbed the rolls of foam and laid them out.

"Yes. Nothing. No music, no static ... nothing. It's dead. I think it's the antennas. The GPS is smashed," Susan said as she dropped the ruined instrument.

"Well, get my pack. Dad gave me a new model for my hiking trip next month in the Rocky Mountains with the church group..."

"Good idea," Susan said as she walked down the narrow aisle and dug through the gear.

"I hear a vehicle," I said as I looked out the window.

"Hello in the plane. Is everyone ok?" shouted a man's voice. I tried to see where it was coming from, but couldn't see anything.

"Susan, can you see him?" I said as I crossed to look out the other side.

Susan was moving stuff and she finally cleared the last window.

"I see a Hummer, a man and four women all dressed in shorts, t-shirts and hiking boots. He has several pistols and a big ass knife. The women have knives."

"I see them, it's a man and four women ... no some are teenagers," she shouted.

I cracked the door and shouted, "Who are you?"

"My name is William, and these are my mates. Can we approach? We live not far from here, and will offer you some hospitality until you can get a grip on the situation here," he shouted back.

I picked up my rifle, and pointed it out the door, and replied, "Did you shoot the tiger? If so, why did you put fake teeth on it?"

"I shot the Smilodon Fatalis because it was going to attack you..."

Before he could continue, I heard a roar and then eight rapid discharges of a gun. "What the fuck are you shooting at? I'm armed," I shouted.

William

I watched the Smilodon Fatalis drop dead in mid air and crash to the ground less than five feet from me. Holstering my pistol, I noticed the girls were ready to celebrate as they looked at the corpse.

"HEY! I AM TALKING TO YOU, ASSHOLE! WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING AT?" shouted the voice.

"Sorry. I was dealing with another Smilodon. Can we come around to the door without you shooting us?" I shouted.

"Yes, but be warned. I'm armed," she shouted.

"Come on ladies, let's go help them," I said as I started walking around the plane.

We walked around the plane, and I took in the damages. The undercharge was ripped to shreds, as were the props. It looked like the plane's tail had cracked, and one of the stabilizers was hanging down from where it snapped. As we approached the door, a crack of lightning was heard in the distance.

"Can you see us?" I asked.

"Yeah, I can see you. Where are we? Do you have a radio so we can contact the local law?"

"No law around here. As to where you are? I hate to tell you this, but you're not in Kansas anymore," I replied.

"Stop your shit ass movie remarks. Do you have a phone or a radio?"

"I have a radio in the Hummer, but who you going to contact? Like I said, you're not where you think you are," I replied.

I started to take a step when the barrel came out of the crack in the door, "Move and I will shoot you."

"Look, you need help, let me help you. Otherwise, I and my wives are turning around and going back to my Hummer, and we will leave your ass here to freeze. Your choice," I said as I started to turn around.

"Wait, please! We need your help, my mother ... I think she is hurt really bad," said a different voice and then arguing started up inside the plane.

I looked at the girls and then stepped up to the plane. Grabbing the gun barrel with my right hand I shoved it upward and it discharged. I felt the heat through my leather gloves, and yanked hard. The door flew open and a young girl landed in my arms.

She started hitting me and I set her on the ground and slung the rifle over my shoulder.

"LET ME GO YOU SON OF A BITCH!" she screamed as I pushed her towards the girls.

"Fine, I just don't want to be shot," I said as I turned back to the plane. I had noticed she was a redhead, had freckles on her face, and was around thirteen years of age. She also had small perky breasts inside the T-shirt she was wearing that just screamed suck me. I turned to climb into the plane when she started up again.

"You fucking bastard, I'm going to kill..."

The sound of a slap had me turning back around. I was surprised to see Sarla lowering her hand and she had grabbed the girl's ponytail. With a firm grip, she yanked her to the ground where she knelt above her. Her flint knife was at the girl's throat and it looked like she was about to give her a Columbian necktie.

"Apologize, or I kill you!" she said to the girl.

"WHAT!" another voice said from inside the plane.

"Sarla, knock it off," I ordered as I turned around and was looking at an older version of the girl behind me.

"My name is William, what are yours?" I asked.

"Susan, Susan McCabe and that's my sister Angela. Can you help us? Our mom is hurt bad," she said.

"Sure, let me climb in and I will look at her," I replied. As she stepped back, I saw a baby in a car seat. I started to check him.

"He's ok, my mom is over here," she said as she led me over to a woman laid out on a seat bed. I knelt and checked her and saw she had a nasty gash over her right eye, and her left hand was swollen. She also looked like she was going to have two black eyes. Turning, I looked out the door and said, "Sarla, get the medical kit."

"Right away, William," Sarla replied and walked away.

I turned back to the woman, and I knew she was going to need help that I couldn't give her. I just hoped they would. Hearing a clunk behind me, I turned and grabbed the med kit and opened it.

Grabbing the neck brace, I slid it under the woman and fastened it. I scratched my head and looked around. Attached to the roof in some straps were some skis so I grabbed them and stood them up. I then grabbed a blanket that I laid on the deck and then laid the skis on top of the blanket and started tying them together, until I had six of them wrapped in blankets. I used bungee cords to fasten the whole thing into a bed. I added extra padding where the boots were fastened, and hoped they wouldn't dig into her back.

"I need your help Susan, we need to lift your mom and place her on the skies. We want to use the skies like a backboard. So we need to lift her together and get her out of here. Do you understand?" I asked.

"I understand," she said and we lifted and carried her to the door. Stepping out first, I stepped back and we set her on the ground.

"Girls, I need you to start unloading everything you want to take with you and place it on the ground beside your mom. My girls will help you as I get the Hummer," I ordered.

I went to where I had parked the vehicle. Getting in, I drove it over to the plane and stopped.

Getting out I saw the luggage coming out like a tidal wave as they passed out their belongings. My girls were taking things from the younger girl and passing them back to be set on the ground. I pitched in and we started stacking the belongings in the back of the trailer. I kept everything to the right side of the trailer, and then Susan and I lifted their mother up, and placed her on the trailer to the left side. I made seats for the two girls so they could sit with their mother. I took the baby seat, and strapped it down in the center of the Hummer's back seat. Then Susan set her brother down inside.