by Josiah922
Lance Weidman looked across the lake at the teenage hooligans ruining
his alone time with Harriett. The boys screamed and yelled as they bound
and dove into the water. Some even pointed and laughed at the couple
holding hands and kissing across the lake. He silently swore to himself
and asked, “Why did her Dad insist on dragging us out camping this
weekend?”
Harriett Hurlbert was a very good catch. Very wealthy, very good looking
and with enough prestige in her family to propel him further in the
public sector. You were expected to marry and she was not only good
enough, but with her family’s status that would actually be of benefit.
Lance was the kind of man that was going places and this was all part of
the plan of success that he would work his whole life on. Lance was not
too far away from popping the question. Just a little more tweaking to
his current situation for it to happen. Harriet wanted to take a walk in
the woods and Lance wanted to take advantage of the alone time.
Harriett continued to walk, looked up to the falling sun and said, “Oh Lance. Isn’t it a wonderful day?”
“It is. Quite pleasant,” he said as he swatted at yet another gnat that
was buzzing in his ear. In truth Lance was miserable. He preferred the
only use of a tent was to stand under during outdoor functions in the
back grounds of his father’s $650,000 home. The idea of sleeping tonight
in one was simply another task to overcome on the road to marriage.
Impress the in-laws and all of that.
Harriett touched the bark of the pine tree she passed as she said, “It
said on the map that the trail was only 3 miles. This should be a nice
walk.”
“Anytime that I can spend with you is always welcomed.” Lance fidgeted
in his new LOWA Men's Renegade ll Lo GTX Hiking Shoes. They were the
best the sporting goods store had to offer. Lance was the kind of man
that always bought the best, but because they were new they gnawed at
his feet as he walked over the rough ground.
“Which way?” Harriett asked as they came to a fork in the path.
“Left?” Lance asked more than told.
Harriett smiled, “What does the map say silly?”
Lance placed his hand into his pocket, thought for a second and then
said “Oh, I must have dropped it.” He remembered her father reminding
him earlier to take the map and Lance silently but specifically refusing
to take it. “Maybe getting lost in the woods would be a good thing,” he
had thought to himself at the time thinking a few thoughts he would not
want to share in public.
Harriett smirked, “Maybe we should turn back then.”
Lance poked out his chest a little more, “Nonsense! I remember the way.
It is not that far.” He looked up the paths and said, “It is to the
right. Back down toward the lake then loops around and then back out
here on the left path. Nothing to it.”
Harriett seemed impressed. She giggled as Lance grabbed her hand and
pulled her along. The path looped and twisted a bit but seemed easy to
follow through the trees. The trees opened up and they could see the
lake on their right at certain points. They got nearer to the lake at
one point where a rope tied to a nearby oak swung out over the lake and
Lance was getting a little tired with his breathing becoming more
labored.
“Not getting tired are you?” Harriett asked.
Lance’s eyes almost betrayed him as they darted toward her reacting to
the prick of anger that shot up in him. However, Lance learned long ago
to hide thoughts and feelings and smiled. “Just wanted you to enjoy the
view as much as I have,” he said looking at Harriett’s legs then
straight into her eyes.
“Stop it. You are incorrigible.”
Lance wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tight. He kissed
her for only a moment when he heard singing from behind that ruined the
moment. It was two young male voices coming through the woods where
there was no path.
“Follow me boys, follow me,
When you think you're really beat
That's the time to lift your feet,
And follow me boys, follow me,
Pick'em up, put'em down and follow me,
Pick'em up, put'em down pick'em up.”
Lance rolled his eyes and loosened his hold on Harriett. Just as the two
young men came into view. They stopped singing as they noticed the
couple. Then proceeded on their course through the woods to the path the
couple was on, crunching their way through the leaves on the floor of
the woods.
“Hello,” said one as the other waved. “Can we help you?” The boys were
dressed in matching khaki cargo shorts, white T-shirts and a khaki
boonie hats. They both appeared to be about 15 years old and both wore
small packs. The one who had spoken wore a simple was OD green bag with a
canteen strapped to the shoulder strap of the bag. The other wore
another OD green lumbar pack carrying a thermos on top.
Lance turned to the boys standing as tall as he could. “No. We are fine.”
Now the other boy spoke up. “Are you from the camp grounds on this side of the lake?”
It was Harriett who spoke this time, “Yes, we are. Just enjoying a walk.”
The first boy looked at Lance again then spoke, “Then we will not bother
you anymore. Good evening.” He then touched the brim of his hat with
one finger and continued on with the other boy following right behind.
Harriett smiled at them. Lance scoffed and said, “Wonder what they are playing at?”
“Oh they are just boys.”
Lance held Harriett’s elbow again, “Well, come on let’s get going.” He
pulled at Harriett a little to guide her up the trail a little more.
Harriett and Lance talked as they walked the trail further and the two
lost track of time. The time past and before you know it they were
stopping again to rest. At that point Lance wished he had brought a
bottle of water with him. This was proving to be a longer trip than he
thought.
Harriett looked around, “You know I do not know how long we have walked
but shouldn’t this path be turning around by now? Shouldn’t it be
turning to the left away from the lake?”
Lance looked around at the woods filled with oaks and a few pines. He
looked at the lake still on his right. “Well, the trail is a big shallow
loop and I know that it is not too far through the woods to the
returning trail. All we have to do is to cut through the woods to the
other trail. It would be easy.”
“I don’t know. If we get off of the trail, we could get lost.”
“Oh, you sound like you don’t trust me.”
“It isn’t that…” Harriett paused then stepped up next to Lance. “OK you lead the way.”
Lance faced away from the lake and walked straight into the woods. “If
we don’t see anything in a bit then we just turn around and walk back to
the lake till we find that trail again. No big deal.”
Harriett smiled at him. “Good,” Lance thought “she is a good follower. That will make the future that much more easy.”
After about 100 yards they came upon a low area where they were actually
going down hill for about 30 yards and then back up. A little further
and they start going down again. All of it was generally downhill now
and Lance knew that they should hit the trail at any moment. He pushed
harder and Harriett had to ask him to slow down a couple of times.
A few more moments and there it was. The trail was easy to see. “Aha! I
told you there was the trail. No problem. Now we just head to the left
and we should be out of here in no time.”
Harriett smiled as Lance thought to himself, “Well, at least it is the
sun is going down a little. Should be a while before it is down, but at
least it is cooler now.”
Lance and Harriett started talking again. Different topics came up like
her best friend’s 21st birthday party being held at the ballroom of the
country club and does Lance think that she should wear the red cocktail
dress or the blue one. They spoke of her father a little and did not
notice the trees opening slightly. It was then Lance stopped and cursed.
Harriett looked to him then to where he was looking. Through the trees
they could make it out. There was the lake and it was on their right
again.
“Did we walk in a circle or something?” Harriett asked.
Lance had a ping of anger again but choked it down. “We must have. Look
let’s just walk down the path to the lake and get our bearings.” Lance
started walking even without waiting on Harriett. Another 100 yards and
they were at the water’s edge. Lance was really tired so he sat on a
large bolder at the water’s edge. His stupid shoes were blistering his
feet for sure and Harriett was sitting on a fallen tree. Lance took off
his shoe and dipped his foot in the water.
Lance looked up and noticed the lake he did not notice any land marks
from earlier but this was the lake. He was sure that if he went back up
to the trail he should be back at the camp. He looked towards Harriett
as she wet the back of her neck just a second with the water from the
lake.
It was then he felt it strike his foot. Lance snatched his foot from the
water as the snake wrapped itself around his foot. Lance screamed a
curse and tried to shake the snake off. The snake held tightly to the
side near the ball of his foot wrapping its body around his foot. Lance
saw on some TV show that it was safest to grab a snake by the head. So
in pure anger he grabbed the snake’s head in one hand and smashed it
into the rock. The snake broke its hold as Lance continued to smash it
head into the rock.
He yelled again as he bolted off of the rock onto the ground and away
from the snake. Its body continued to wiggle despite its smashed head
and it fell onto the ground. Lance cursed again and looked at the blood
covering the side of his foot. Harriett screamed, “Was it poisonous?”
“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Lance then heard twigs breaking and foot
falls crumbling through the leaves. They both turned in the direction of
the sounds as the two boys from earlier double timed it through the
trees.
“Hello!” called one of the boys. “We heard you yell. Are you ok?”
“No you stupid kids! Does it look like I am ok? I just got bit by a snake.” Lance said pointing to his foot.
“Sir my name is David and this is Dustin. We are Scouts from across the lake. We can help you, if you will let us. Is that ok?”
Lance cursed again, “What in the world do you think you can do?”
David looked to Dustin. “Coms.” He then looked to Lance again. “Where is the snake?”
Lance said, “Over there by the rock,” as he pointed to the bolder.
David picked up a fallen limb from the ground as Dustin walked to the
woman as he fished through his pack. “Are you ok ma’am?” Harriett nodded
back as Dustin pulled out a yellow Garmin Rino 110 GPS handheld radio and fiddled with the ear piece and microphone.
David then pulled the snake away from the water. Its two and a half foot
body still wiggled a bit. He pinned the snake’s head to the ground by
laying the stick across its neck. Then he pulled out a black Leatherman
from his pocket and opened the blade. A quick slice and then head was
off. “Dustin, get me a garbage bag.”
Dustin nodded to David as he started looking through his pack again as
he started broadcasting. “Delta Sierra to base. Delta Sierra to base. I
have emergency traffic. Say again, I have emergency traffic.” Dustin
threw an industrial strength black trash bag at David then turned and
walked to Lance’s side. “Delta Sierra to base. I have emergency
traffic.”
David looked closer at the snake as he placed the body then the head
into the garbage bag. “Banded Water Snake. Pretty sure,” he said to no
one in particular.
Exasperated Lance said, “Great, I am dead.”
David walked to Lance’s side while tying up the bag. “Did it strike you once or grab you and hold on?”
“It held on. Dang thing wrapped around my foot. Am I going to die?”
David looked Lance square in the eye, “I do not think so. If this is a
banded water snake, then it is nonpoisonous. It winding around your foot
is also an indication that it is a constrictor snake and again
nonpoisonous.”
Just then Dustin’s radio squeaked in his ear. “Confirm base this is
Delta Sierra WITH emergency traffic. Break.” He paused to catch his
breath. “We are located on the far side of the lake right at the water’s
edge. We have made contact with two adults. One is snake bit. Break”
As Dustin spoke he handed a pack to David with first aid items in it.
David said to Lance, “Turn this way so your foot is downhill. If there
is poison in it, this will make it take longer to get to your heart and
maybe your blood stream. I am going to wrap your foot to catch some of
the bleeding.” The cut was jagged, nasty and bleeding profusely.
Dustin continued, “I have my Garmin GPS. If you will contact my father I can send him exact coordinates to his radio. Over. How copy?”
David wrapped the wound with some sterile 4 by 4 bandages and wrapped it loosely with a self adherent wrap.
Lance asked, “Does it need a tourniquet?”
“Doctors do not recommend that anymore and it may cause increased tissue
damage. Since we think the snake is nonpoisonous away, this should be
fine. The biggest thing to do is to get you to a hospital. Are you
feeling dizzy or anything?”
Lance shook his head, “No just pain from the bite.”
Dustin could hear in his earpiece the reply, “Good copy. Delta Sierra.
Your father is on his way from the camp site. We are calling emergency
services as well. What treatment have you given? Over.”
Dustin answered back, “We have killed the snake and secured snake’s body
for transport. We have lowered the extremity and applied a wound
dressing loosely. Over.”
“What are the symptoms? Over.”
Dustin answered again, “Localized pain at the area of the bite. No other symptoms. Over.”
A new voice came over the radio. It was calm and steady, “Delta Sierra
this is Foxtrot Sierra. I am coming to you via canoe. ETA is 10 minutes.
I am showing your position is almost 400 yards from their camp site.
Start making your way back to their camp site and I will rendezvous with
you in route. We will have emergency services meet you there. Over. How
copy?”
Dustin swallowed, “Yes sir, copy good. We are in route. Over.” Dustin waved his hand to David.
David helped Lance to his feet. “Lean on us and let’s go.” With Dustin
on one side and David on the other Lance hobbled in the middle. They
kept moving at a steady pace.
Harriett began explaining what they had done and ended by asking, “We are only 400 yards from the camp site?”
David looks at her, “Yes, it appears that you actually made it almost
all the way around the loop and actually crossed over to the first part
of the trail again by cutting across the woods.”
“How could that be the water was on our right the whole time?”
They had come about 150 yards and David stopped. “Two minutes break.” He
smiled to Harriett and drew in the sand, “Well, you see this area is
basically a peninsula. He went down this way, looped around and started
heading back with the water on your right the whole time. You cut across
here and went back to the first part of the trail. You were walking in
circles.”
Harriett laughed. Lance shot her a look and she quieted down.
Dustin’s ear squeaked again. “Foxtrot Sierra to Delta Sierra Over.”
Dustin keyed the mic, “Delta Sierra good copy go.”
“Transmit your location again. I am almost there. I want to be ahead of you. Over.”
Dustin pulled out the radio and pushed a few buttons. “New location
coming down. We have gone about 150 yards. Slow going up the hill.
Over.”
“Copy that. Stay steady. Listen for whistle. Over”
“Copy that. Over.” Dustin ended.
David huffed, “When you think you're really beat That's the time to lift your feet,
Two minutes up. Let’s go.”
Lance stood up again and they kept going. They had not gone far when
they heard a whistle. David reached for the jet scream whistle he had on
some paracord around his neck and blew three blasts. One long blast
answered. Immediately they heard crashed in the woods as footfalls made
their way closer. The boys kept going down the trail. After going a few
more steps they blew three more blasts.
The man was getting closer. Soon a large Viking of a man, about 6 foot 2
inches tall and built like a brick, stepped out of the woods. He had a
similar but larger lumbar pack on that Dustin did. “Boys are you ok?”
Dustin smiled to his father, “A little tired Dad.”
The man pulled out his radio. “Foxtrot Sierra to base. Copy?”
“Base go ahead. Over.”
“Foxtrot Sierra has made contact with Delta Sierra. We will be making
our way to the camping area. Break.” The man paused a second. “Everyone
looks to be in good condition. Moving out now. Over.”
Dustin’s father turned his attention to the man. “My name is Frank
Saunders. Let’s get you back to camp.” He took Lance’s arm and let him
lean his full wait on him. Frank’s pace was almost too fast for Lance to
keep up, but a few minutes more and they were walking into the edge of
camp.
Frank turned to Harriett, “Are you here with anyone?”
“Yes, my parents.” She answered.
“I suggest checking in with them. We are going to meet the ambulance at
the front gate,” replied Frank as he continued a steady pace for the
front of the camping facility.
Frank called, “Dustin.”
“Sir,” he replied.
“Comms.”
“Sir.” Dustin took a few moments to radio to base that they had made it
to the camping area and continuing to the front gate as the sound of a
siren could be heard in the distance.
Minutes later the ambulance was leaving with Lance and the dead snake.
The hospital would use it to make a positive ID of the snake and that it
was nonpoisonous. The two boys were sitting in the boat with Mr.
Saunders as he rowed them back across the lake.
David asked as he pulled at the oar, “Did we do good Mr. Saunders?”
“Ralph Waldo Emerson once said ‘The true test of civilization is not the
census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops - no, but the kind of man
the country turns out.’” Frank paused for a second to look at his son.
“I think you boys did fine.”
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