Wildfire Smokejumper Trilogy

Chapter 9-5

Laura checked on the guests dangling with her beneath the helicopter. She had ended up placed by herself on the longest line. The others were hanging above her, face to face in pairs at about ten-foot intervals vertically. At least no one would inadvertently kick someone else in the head. Yet one more piece of the smokies meticulous attention to safety.

“Everyone okay?” she shouted up at them. She had to try a couple of times in order to be heard. Not only were the rotors loud, but their forward progress was making the wind of their passage roar in her ears. They were going at least thirty, maybe faster.

She was glad of the sun’s afternoon heat on her back and arms. Next time she did this, she’d remind everyone to wear a jacket. A good joke. Despite the beautiful feeling of floating along a hundred feet above the tallest tree in the forest, this was already one time too many.

She received several “Okay!”s and a couple of “Whee!”s as answers.

Then she looked down at the fire. Any sense of amusement or wonder was pounded out of her in a single gasp of breath.

Laura could see why Johnny had told her to stay put: her group had been in the one safe spot. It looked as if the whole side of the mountain was aflame from Little Zigzag right around to Slide Mountain. No, it was that it was all blanketed in smoke.

But Zigzag was certainly ablaze. Both sides of the canyon—to either side of their tiny haven in the firestorm—were spitting fire skyward at the helicopters. Four of the choppers were circling in right now. Even as she watched, one dropped a line of red retardant from a giant orange bucket dangling beneath.

Right behind it, the Firehawk, the biggest of them all, came in very low and released a long flood of red from its belly tank. She could see why the smokies were always so excited when discussing the chopper, it did the work of three or four runs of the smaller chopper.

Looking up at the helicopter Jeannie was flying, she could see that it too had a belly tank and would be returning to the fire the very instant it was rid of her troublesome trail ride.

And it had to get back soon. It was impossible that these tiny gnats could touch the monstrous flames. The choppers were smaller than any single fork of fire lancing skyward. And it seemed the world was full of flames lashing upward above the trees in a mad fury.

She could also see down into the canyon they’d just departed. Laura had left Tim and Johnny and her horses in the heart of the fire. She felt a nauseous swirl of guilt for trapping the men there and insisting they save her animals. She should be the one fighting her own battles. He’d put his and Tim’s life on the line for her. No! For her horses. How could she have done such a thing? How could he ever forgive her for doing that to him.

It was almost a slap when they crossed Sand Canyon and began descending toward Timberline Lodge. Between one instant and the next, the canyon was cut off from view, only the plume of smoke marking the desperate battle that was just beginning.

Jeannie lowered them slowly toward the meadow above the Lodge.

Laura remembered her radio and called out her distance to the ground.

Jeannie set her down so soft and easy that it felt as if she were merely taking the next step down a staircase when her boots landed in the tall grass. She moved to assist each couple in getting unraveled and unharnessed as quickly as possible. Some of them were pretty unsteady on their feet, giddy on adrenaline.

The instant she had them all out of their harnesses, she called to Jeannie. “We’re clear. Get Johnny and Tim out of there!”

Jeannie was already climbing away when she answered, “Roger that.” Someone in the back started pulling up all of the lines.

Laura herded everyone down to the bar. Ordered a free round for everyone and promised them refunds.

“Don’t worry about our money,” Gus, the newlywed who’d given her the most trouble before, replied. “It was worth it for that ride alone. That was scary amazing!” The others chimed in their agreement.

Didn’t they get it? She cried inside. There were two men out there that she’d placed in a trap with no exits! She trapped them with a promise and three little words. Had I love you! ever been more misused?

“Nonetheless,” she kept her tour guide face on for the guests, “we’ll give you full refunds or vouchers for other outings. Or lift tickets, whichever you’d prefer. I’m sure that Johnny would be glad to identify a worthy cause to support firefighter families if you wish to turn it into a gift.”

“Akbar the Great, you weren’t kidding.” Gus shook his head. “The guy must be six-foot-six at least.”

She didn’t bother to correct him. No, Johnny Akbar the Great’s size was measured by his heart not his stature.

Laura left the group discussing their grand adventure and headed to the desk to fill in Bess.

“Heard your boyfriend rode to the rescue, sweetie.” She tapped the radio behind the desk.

As she counted out the t-shirts all she could do was nod.

He had. Now who was riding to his rescue?