Alive in Alaska Read Online Free PDF Page B

cubs but don't run just move deliberately."
    The three walked along the path away from the bears.   Betsy was moving as quickly as she could, but momma bear was not satisfied that it was fast enough, so the grizzly charged.   Danielle came back to help if she could and was making an effort to get between the bear and Betsy when the bear got to Betsy.   With a swipe of momma's giant claw, one crutch flew forward along the path.   Betsy teetered then started to fall with only one crutch to hold her up.   Danielle got to her and caught her by the armpits and immediately backpedaled to pull her away from the charging grizzly.   Now Danielle saw the trail of blood coming from Betsy's leg.   The bear had not only hooked the crutch but had also nicked the leg.
      In a loud voice, Danielle shouted.   "Halt!"   It startled even her.
      The bear strangely cocked her head, lowered herself to all fours a rambled away toward the sounds of her cubs.
    “Betsy, are you OK,” Said Bill as he ran up.   His eyes were as big as saucers.
    “No, I am not OK,” She said.
    Danielle got into her backpack and pulled out a medical kit.   The gash on Betsy's leg was deep enough that she would need stitches or staples, but that was not in the kit.   The butterfly bandages would have to do.   Skillfully, Danielle cleaned and closed the wound then wrapped and taped it.   She had some painkillers in the kit and gave them to Betsy.   Betsy took the pills with the bottled water they had with them.
    "I don't think that the bear will bother us again.   We had just gotten between her and her cubs, and she wouldn't let that happen again since she knows we're around.   In fact, we are fortunate that we ran into a female with cubs and not a lone female grizzly or worse a male grizzly.   We would be dead."
    “This is not what I wanted to come to Alaska for,” Said Bill.
    “Bill, this is not what I wanted either, but I sure have a lot to write about.”
    It was noticeable that the painkiller was working.   Bill could have used a Valium, but no such luck.
    ~~~
    The three had not heard such a beautiful sound in a very long time.   Thwok, thwok, thwok…, the sound of helicopter blades beating the air.   The sound was off in the distance, but at the rate the sound was getting louder ,it wouldn't   be long before they would be heading for home.
    Soon they not only heard but saw chopper headed directly for their location.   The satellite phone came on.
    "We see the phone's location on our scope but do not see you, what is your status?"
    "We are doing well.   The older female has a possible cracked hip but can move with crutches.   The male has bruises, but is mobile.   I am bruised and sore but otherwise OK.   We will try to make it to a clearing," Said Danielle.
    "We see a clearing; it is tight but doable.   Maintain your position; we will find you when we're on the ground."
    "Roger that."
    Soon the copter was directly above through the trees then moved sideways for about a hundred yards.   The three could hear the machine hovering getting ready to land.
    "Hooray!" Said Betsy.
    "Let's let them come to get us so we can have help," Said Danielle.
    There was an awful sound suddenly from the direction of the helicopter; then a long thin projectile slashed through the woods over their heads.   It hit a tree trunk several yards behind them putting a large gash on the tree, then fell to the ground.   They looked to see what now was obviously a piece of the copter's rotor laying on a the base of the tree.
    "Stay here," Yelled Danielle.
    She took off in as fast a run as she could toward the now crashed helicopter.   No records for a hundred yard dash today, but she got to the downed vehicle in a little over a minute.   The copter fuselage had not broken up, but the tail rotor and the main rotor were gone.   The pilot sat dazed in his seat.   The rescue team was outside laying on the ground.   The chief was hanging by his safety strap