4008 Chapter 8. Yellow jacket

Chapter 8.

Still walking what seemed like endless row of these tall pine trees, looking at the ground something was down there as I looked closer moving the pine branches around a little, looking up for Mike still walking checking out the trees for a new path leading out of here.

“Mike’ look over here!”  Shuffling my feet back and forth while Mike came back looking at the ground “What?” Mike answered with a frown look! “Mike’ Look down here!” pointing at the ground tapping my foot listening to the sounds below for more of the echo sound coming from the pine needles below.

“There’s some kind of cover here, Look Shawn”

Both of us were then probing the dried pine branches to one side, I know I was thinking it might be and old chest of gold from some pirate ship from long ago maybe they came ashore and bury it here, then another idea came to mine what if it were a bomb or maybe an old shell casing that was drop during the war and no one found it yet. We both quickly unearth the area only to find a large round metal disk looking thing like a water main drain in the roads back home.

“It’ must be an old mine shaft with tunnels and stuff below us” Mike excitedly said.

“Right, old mine shaft bunkers” Sure Mike and it more likely a water drain, I was thinking of saying but didn’t want to make matters worse.

“Look, Shawn its man hole!” “I can see that”

Mike quickly found a large branch and we both pried on the lid pushing it to one side luckily the cover was louse amazed looking down. Mike was all excited he found something that took his mind off trying to find a way out of here, Shuffling his feet around brushing small amounts of sticks inside seeing how far they were going before hit the bottom, Standing over seeing cobwebs near the top then a large spider crawled out crossing the needles we both step back and watch it scoot away before looking down again, Mike handed me a rock, mostly for me to see how deep it was. Dead center and let go inside the dark hole waiting for a sound back.

“That’s deep, Mike” waiting for echo back looking down the dark hole.  “Feel the heat coming up?” Mike asked; holding both his hands over the opening.  “Yeah, That’ might be why it’s warm in here” Quickly remarking this was no help getting us out of here, it wasn’t the time neither to investigate some hole in the ground when we needed to find our way out and back to the campground. Hearing something slowly walking towards the trees where that sound was coming from the shivers where going up and down my spine just feeling someone was watching us. I had this feeling just as we were moving the lid off but didn’t want to say anything to Mike to get him thinking something was out there., just walking and wondering what was going to happen when we got back, boy will mom be mad this time, she like grounding me for a month or more or Fishing as she knew that was the worst punishment for me and sure no night fishing even the last time. I was grounded it was for two weeks but she gave in after a week maybe not this time so we needed to find a way out of here fast.

“Shawn Wait Up” Mike said outward trying to push the cover back over the hole, rushing to get next to me when suddenly pale light flashed in front of us, cascading just off the tree branches, it came from behind us, both of us quickly turn to see what it was, Help had come to get us I thought for sure, squinting to focusing then my eyes went wide open as the shivers went up my back even more so than before looking ahead.

“Look someone’s coming, see Shawn”. Mike’ was pointing at the area just inside the clearing. We were both excided to see someone had found us, waving our arms back and forth moving towards in a slow pace‘, but something was wrong I just had that feeling inside, I reach out stopping Mike from going on.

“What is it?” Mike stopped and looked bewildered at me just knowing I might have seen something other than what he seen ahead of us both, trying to look over my shoulder to the light.

“Mike there were no call outs” Making sure he heard me looking into his eyes. Mike stood bobbin around my shoulder to the trees, noting what I said’ taking in a more hard look now, around the sides not seeing anything other than a small glow light from a flashlight coming towards us. “You Lost?” Mike Hollered out ‘Acting like he could handle anything now, putting on his best front standing tall with his shoulders push back feeling like a big man of the woods. That’s Mike tuff guy if anybody really knew him it was always a good front to keep other on their toes and left us alone. Seeing but a mere figure coming out behind that small light slowly making it way to us; still with no response just keep coming towards us.

I could only stand there looking forward as the tenseness grow up with arm hairs shivering upward this didn’t look good. Nor for that matter even feel right, something was wrong; it didn’t feel right.  With Mike’s actions now! Made me just want to turn and run as fast away from this light. Getting closer this was no rescue person; the light was not a flashlight at all it was a lantern that campers used, as it showed out at the person somewhat clear. It was a man alright his face and Red plaid shirt with baggy brown drooping pants, seemed dirty as light was shining on his side. We both stood looking him over just as he was looking us over; just maybe he was lost too with his glassy eyes glaring at us with the lantern light, his head moving from one side around the lantern light just off his shoulder just looking up and down and over each of us this was getting real creepy.

The Hair’s again risen, with a quick look at Mike then Back with bewilderment, the lantern was moving up and down now, giving us both a closer look at him. His hair stringy stiff kind of, Mike stood up straight and tall as I follow him making us look bigger then we were, we both stood holding our breath just waiting for him to say something.. All at once he blurted out. “I’m Kola and I – Help you – you come” Without waiting for a response from us he just turned around with the lantern and started walking back the way he came. Mike and I looked at each other for a second.

“Wait a Minute!”  Mike hollered out. With his arm up like he was stopping traffic, shrugging his shoulders, without a respond back he just keeps walking.  Mike turns to me with a nod to follow him and started walking on, he must have known this was our way out and just maybe we should follow him, slowly we followed behind him without saying anything just keeping our distant.

Back at the campground Bill had just reached the Loran’s Camper knocking on the door, Mrs. Loren answered the door.

“Hi am Bill The owner, can I speak to you for a few minutes”

“Yes come inside won’t you”

Bill steps inside seeing, Mrs. Marcus sitting on the couch with Joey and Jamie.

“Good news for us?” Mrs. Loran asked hoping he had some.

“No we haven’t come across them yet, but we have’ Called the State Police and they might bring in a Search and Rescue crew”

Mrs. Loran’s held the rail standing with her face just drop hearing they hadn’t found them bringing her hopefulness to sadness, Joey got up and went over to her she held him close to her, Bill stood watching not wanting to be there and tell them this news.

“Their Lost’ aren’t they?” Mrs. Marcus asked.

While Jamie held her Mother tight starting to cry.

“We don’t know yet”

“What can we do’ just wait here and wonder?” Mrs. Loran Asked trying to comfort Joey’s by rubbing backside, he held her tightly.

“Please come up to the cabin everyone”

“It’s been over an hour or more now”

“Someone out by the lake already looking for them”

“Do you know if they even went by the Lake?”

“We don’t know where they might have gone off to but were checking every possibility”

“What about our Husbands?”

“Were searching for them also’ Please come up to the cabin”

“Ok’ well go to the cabin just maybe they found them”

“Can you tell us anything more?”

“No not at this time’ would you like me to wait for you?”

“No will be right up, Thank You for Coming”

Bill opened the door and went outside, making his way back to the cabin while walking seeing the other campers sites covered in snow, his tracks coming in were almost covered over.

Everyone was inside their campers’ lights and TV’s were on hearing the sounds as he passed by each one returning to the cabin.

Rushing thru the snow while watching the trail for any signs; Lloyd spotted what he was looking for Foot prints in the snow leading right to them. Skidoo lights pointed at the two sitting on a log near the lake, Lloyd moving in slowly towards them’ both sat waving to him, stopping as quickly  getting off lifting the blanket’s from the back of the seat handing each one.

“You guy’s ok?”

“Cold’ but were good”

“We’ll have you back in a flash, bundle up” Checking them over for any frost bite before returning to the Skidoo setting off a flare over the lake.

“Mobile One to base – Mobile one to Base?”

Hand’s shacking’ Bills head snapped back to the Radio; quickly taking the microphone.

“Base – Go ahead’ Mobile One”

“Found two fathers, little frozen by the lake”

“Great – You found the Husband’s’ any sign of the Boys?”

“No just the two’ Run down another Skidoo as soon as you can”

“Ok, where are you now?”

“Just east of the lake, sent up a flare”

“Ok’ on our way send up another Flare”

“State Police come in yet?”

“Any Minute now”

“Good’ will keep them warm till you get here”

The bright Flare turn the sky red in color; all of them turning looking out the window. Mrs. Marcus, holding Joey hand alongside Jamie, Mrs. Loran keeping up hurrying to the cabin just as they got to the door, seeing the Flare in the sky.

“Mom’ they found them Mom?”

“Let’s hope so”

Helen Quickly headed them into the Livingroom, fixing them all warm drinks as they sat in the cabin living room, waiting for the news. Bill hurray getting his jacket on zipping as he walked outside, with a quick brush off and revving the Skidoo up, not waiting for any warm up time, rushed off towards the lake, following Lloyds Skidoo tracks. State Police arrived just minutes later, along with three Rescue teams following right behind in two red and white units. Towards the lake another flare was brighten the sky, telling the others that Bill arrived. Rescue team’s stopped and looked up at the Flare before hurry inside with their equipment.

Helen showed them where they could set in the large Livingroom near the radio. Both Snowmobiles were pulling up to the front; Two Rescuers waiting outside for them: helping get the two inside quickly, setting both near the warm fireplace.  Jamie rushed to her dad along with Joey, Janet holding Frank’s hand while the two Rescue workers were placing aluminum blankets around each of them.  Mrs. Marcus sat with Mike Sr. upset and trying hard to hold back her tears without any luck as she was relieved that he was alive when she feared him dead, now fearing for Mike Jr. was somewhere in the snow.

“Roberta I’m Fine any word on Mike?”

“No there looking for him”

Lloyd and Rescue workers making plans where to search for the two boys, State Policeman Lieutenant Rosenberg stood by with other rescue teams gather together from campers.  After quickly laying out plan into small groups, each went out among the sites, going site-to-site, telling each camper a meeting was set for ten o’clock in the game room.