Never Say Die Read Online Free PDF

calving grounds in Alaska by then, and the bulls will be joined up with them after their own migration. You never know, he might get lucky.”
    I reached for another excuse. “I … I’m not sure I even want to get to know him. He’s just a stranger.”
    â€œHe’s also your brother. That’s something special.”
    â€œI don’t want to be disappointed. He’s obviously an environmentalist, probably the kind who doesn’t approve of us hunting whales and bears. When he talks about shooting caribou, it’s with a camera. What if we don’t get along?”
    Jonah reached out his hand and placed it on mine. “Only one way to find out, Nick.”
    A tear or two escaped my eyes. “Here’s how it is, Grampa. I want to be here with you till the end. Is that so wrong? I couldn’t handle it way out there for a whole month. I want to be here.”
    He squeezed my hand hard as he could, which wasn’t very hard. And he chuckled. “So that’s it! That’s what this is all about.”
    â€œWell, sure.”
    â€œListen carefully, Nick. There comes a time when the caribou won’t even try to run from the wolf, and the moose won’t run from the bear. That’s when they stand, and let death take them. They finally accept it. I’m not there yet. I’ve still got the fight in me. I want to hear your stories when you get back, and that will give me all the reason in the world to hang on. After that, the wolf or the bear can have me, whichever gets here first.”
    I couldn’t help myself—tears filled my eyes, and I hugged Jonah ever so gently.
    â€œGood,” he said. “Now go.”
    An hour later I called up the Mackenzie Hotel in Inuvik. The lady said Ryan Powers was out of his room. Did I want to leave a message?
    This was better than having to talk to him. The message I left said I would meet up with him at the hotel sometime on the fourteenth. He could go ahead and buy groceries for two.

6
THE EXPERTS ARE STUNNED
    R eal early on the morning of the fourteenth of June I threw my stuff into the boat—a big duffel bag, a small backpack, and my rifle in its hard plastic case. My mom stepped into the passenger seat next to me and we headed upriver. There was a lot to talk about, but the engine noise made that impossible.
    At full throttle, it took hours to reach the Mackenzie River ferry at the head of the delta. I unloaded my stuff quickly. My mom and I were saying good-bye when she surprised me. “We’ve hardly ever talked about your father. Whenever I tried, it made you uncomfortable.”
    â€œI know,” I admitted.
    â€œBecause you never wanted to think about that part of yourself.”
    â€œYou’re right. In my heart, I’m a hundred percent Inuit.”
    â€œYou’re as fine an Inuk as they come. I just wanted to say that your father was an amazing person. I’ve never met anybody like him before or since. Smart, kind, funny, and so full of life.”
    â€œGood, I’m glad.”
    â€œYou never got to know him, but give your brother a chance, that’s all I wanted to say. Don’t go all silent aboriginal on him, okay?”
    I cracked up. “Sure, but what if he rubs me the wrong way right off the bat?”
    â€œIf he seems like a good person, you can meet him halfway. If he doesn’t, give me a call and I’ll come and get you right here, tomorrow.”
    We said some other things, mostly about Jonah. Then we hugged and said good-bye. My mom got behind the wheel and hit the starter. With a wave she was headed downriver to join my aunt and my grandmother at Jonah’s bedside.
    I eyeballed the line of vehicles waiting to get on the ferry. Most of them had come 450 miles up the gravel highway from the paved highway outside of Dawson. They were pretty well caked with mud. The tourists were staying inside their vehicles. The day was warm and buggy. Here