Fireseer

Danielle Marie

                             Ch. I

Does anyone ever get asked about the Outer City? Have you been? I never hear that name on the news any time. About problems there, and so on. I know I don’t get asked!

The Rangers are used to me now anyway. They trust me to be alone in this tower. Maybe I am in the outer city now? Anyway, I made a sign I bring with me that says Outer City. I have it on the counter in front of me. The deep counter goes inside around against all four walls. The walls above the counter are large aircraft glass windows slanted out so I can see the forest all around and up and down.

Yes first there is always that extra layer. My parents were good in telling me about it at an early age. I wonder if I will ever get used to that? Sometimes it’s over in a few moments, other times it takes days. For a few it is never, or almost never. I admit sometimes it doesn’t happen. I do what I do anyway. I smile and say Hello! That works a lot.

And my brothers had to learn ‘don’t run!’ Crazy! I like to run and I am pretty fast. Well, I guess I am supposed to be anyway.

Some of my Asian friends call them ‘Ghosts.’ I think that is about right for some I have had to contend with. Anyway we are stuck with them. And they are stuck with us! No one can escape. Live with it!

But some are very helpful and kind. But you can’t tell until…, and some will change without warning.

Does anyone ever get asked about the Outer City? Have you been? I never hear that name on the news any time. About problems there, and so on. I know I don’t get asked!

The Rangers are used to me now anyway. They trust me to be alone in this tower. Maybe I am in the outer city now? Anyway, I made a sign I bring with me that says Outer City. I have it on the counter in front of me. The deep counter goes inside around against all four walls. The walls above the counter are large aircraft glass windows slanted out so I can see the forest all around and up and down.

Yes first there is always that extra layer. My parents were good in telling me about it at an early age. I wonder if I will ever get used to that? Sometimes it’s over in a few moments, other times it takes days. For a few it is never, or almost never. I admit sometimes it doesn’t happen. I do what I do anyway. I smile and say Hello! That works a lot.

And my brothers had to learn ‘don’t run!’ Crazy! I like to run and I am pretty fast. Well, I guess I am supposed to be anyway.

Some of my Asian friends call them ‘Ghosts.’ I think that is about right for some I have had to contend with. Anyway we are stuck with them. And they are stuck with us! No one can escape. Live with it!

Does anyone ever get asked about the Outer City? Have you been? I never hear that name on the news any time. About problems there, and so on. I know I don’t get asked!

The Rangers are used to me now anyway. They trust me to be alone in this tower. Maybe I am in the outer city now? Anyway, I made a sign I bring with me that says Outer City. I have it on the counter in front of me. The deep counter goes inside around against all four walls. The walls above the counter are large aircraft glass windows slanted out so I can see the forest all around and up and down.

Yes first there is always that extra layer. My parents were good in telling me about it at an early age. I wonder if I will ever get used to that? Sometimes it’s over in a few moments, other times it takes days. For a few it is never, or almost never. I admit sometimes it doesn’t happen. I do what I do anyway. I smile and say Hello! That works a lot.

And my brothers had to learn ‘don’t run!’ Crazy! I like to run and I am pretty fast. Well, I guess I am supposed to be anyway.

Some of my Asian friends call them ‘Ghosts.’ I think that is about right for some I have had to contend with. Anyway we are stuck with them. And they are stuck with us! No one can escape. Live with it!

But some are very helpful and kind. But you can’t tell until…, and some will change without warning.

I think about my Mother and Grandmother on these days.  “Where is Kyleisha today? She is back out in that forest. Way up in a high tower watching for fires.” “Oh My land, that child!” And so on for all the rest of the morning.

My Dad sees too many bad things as a Policeman. He is happy that I am safely up here. I think he is a little proud of me too.

So I am here, wearing a t-shirt that says Forest Service. Fire Lookout. Angels National Forest,  and a hat that says Forest Care. And I hold a strong pair of binoculars that see a long ways. On the counter There is a radio with a hand held phone. I talk on the radio to the other towers sometimes. I have earphones so I can listen to music. I have trained myself to also hear the radio over the music in case I am called.

I have a shovel and mccloud tool, and a pickaxe, are a regular axe, and a hatchet, all for fighting forest fires. I even have a Fire Shirt if needed. And a fire extinguisher in case the tower itself catches on fire.  If this old dried out tower catches on fire I am out of here, forget the fire extinguisher!  And I have a fridge for food and drinks. The tower has its own water tank the Rangers fill with a helicopter at the beginning of every fire season. It has to last. We have to careful how much water we use.

I stay here for a week sometimes, other time just for a long weekend, like this time. No one to talk to most of the time so I talk to myself a lot.

Or I make up stories about the creepy old abandoned cabin I can see down from the tower and across over to the far edge of the meadow next to the forest. It’s called a ‘squatter’s cabin.’ The Rangers say even though it has a dirt floor people once lived there. The last one anyone remembers was an old fellow known as Buddy. He was tall with white hair and pale blue eyes. He never talked to any of the Rangers until one day when he said “so long” to one. Then he was gone.

The Forest Service has no record of who built it in the first place. Hikers are afraid to go near it now. Word is that it is haunted. Some have said they hear noises, voices, see lights.  I have been meaning to go look for myself sometime when I come up here off duty as one of the hikers, or maybe after I am relieved and if there is still daylight.

I see hikers sometimes. I worry that they are careful. There are warning signs telling them not to start camp fires during fire season. I think most won’t.  But like my Dad says, ‘there are Policemen because of two or three out of any one hundred people.”

I have to be careful when I report a fire. Moisture condenses out of the woods and forms a white cloud sometimes that looks a lot like smoke from a fire. After some experience you learn to tell the difference. The Rangers say to call it in if I am not sure. The firefighters down below in the barracks also watch up to the hills and are annoyed with those white clouds when the turn out not to be fires. They like fires because they get to work overtime, sometimes all night and into, and sometimes through the next few days. At times they have to hike on trails for hours to get to the fires. When they are lucky trucks can bring them, at least part of the way.

I like fires too, but not in the forest. I don’t like to start fires but have always been interested in fire. It makes you warm when you are cold. It cooks food. It melts metals to make other metals. Or to make things out of metal. I like these subjects in school, Chemistry, Geology. Fire is important in Chemistry. It makes changes in nature. I moved ahead of my grade in Chemistry. Some of the teachers are surprised. They tell me I am smart enough to go to College. How my parents like that!

_ _ _

It will be no surprise that one day the cabin burned. I think it was so old and dry that it just started burning by itself, But there had been some thunder and lightning strike that morning. What are called dry lightning strikes, lightning with no rain. The Rangers thought one hit the cabin. I didn’t see that. But I saw no hikers that day either. I did see the smoke and fire increase in size quickly.

Right away I called it in. The rangers told me to stay in the tower, not to ‘get creative’ as they often like to put things, and try to fight the fire myself. That the fire fighters would be there shortly. I put on my fire shirt anyway. And they were. It was late morning and my shift would be over the end of the day. It did not take the fire crew long to knock down the fire as they had water trucks with them. They also brought my shift replacement and said I could return with them in a while so they would not have to make another replacement trip later.

I chatted with my replacement as we watched the fire being put out from our ‘front seats’ in the watch tower. After they were finished the trucks pulled back and the Rangers and fire crew sat down on some large logs in the parking area and started chatting about the fire, and who knows what else. They had brought drinks and snacks.

I wished my replacement a good shift and walked down to the parking lot. I asked the ranger if I would have time to go look at the cabin.  He said “sure, but be careful.” He looked at my fire shirt and smiled “here, if you are going to be a fire fighter you will need  shovel.” I took the shovel and he added “we’re pretty sure we have the fire ‘dead out’ but some of the structure might be unstable.”

I thanked him and started over to the cabin. I got close and could smell the burnt wood and who know what else. They say a fire is ‘dead out’ when the rangers can put their hands through all the ashes and charred matter and not feel any heat. If they don’t do this there is a danger of the fire could start back up after they have left. I don’t think this one is quite dead out.

I walked a little into the structure. Part of the roof was left over one of the corners. There is a beam coming up from the floor holding it up. Down in that corner I think I see some flame flickering, but no smoke. I can cover it up with my shovel and put it out. I walk over to the corner, watching where I step. Where I see the flames there seems to be some papers. The pile is right next to the wall so I guess there was a place in the wall where valuables were kept. I get close and there looks like  piece of jewelry, a broach maybe in the flames.

I don’t dare touch it so I carefully lift up the shovel and place it into the fire under the broch and lift it up and out. I see that it has a large stone surrounded by a design in a likely precious metal. I look down and see that the fire has gone out! So I am holding the shovel and turn to go outside to get a better look at the broach. As I turn the shovel the handle hits the beam holding up the roof and the broach jumps out of the shovel and hits the pocket part of my fire shirt. I think I am going to get burned, but no effect on the shirt anyway.

But I jump away and, I don’t know why, probably just a reflex, I catch the broach as it falls. I look stupidly down at my hand holding the broach. No burn! It is not hot at all! But pretty much covered with dirt and ash. I want to wash it off. I did not bring my canteen. I thought there must be a stream nearby. No one builds a cabin that is not near water. So I put the broach in the pocket of the fire shirt, and shovel dirt on what was the fire. I place the shovel standing against the been  supporting the ceiling. I hang the red fire shirt on the top of the shovel.

I go outside and look at the space at the back of the cabin. There is a path from the cabin into the woods. I start and I don’t think I walked very far before I heard  running water and came to a strong spring coming out of an outcropping of rock by the side of the path. The water comes in a nice steady stream down and spreads out and soaks into the ground. The water is cool and clear. I look back and see that I am all the way into the woods enough to just see light on the end of the path behind me.

I wash off the broach in the spring. This seems almost like a magic ritual. Little did I know then! The broach comes clean easily with me rubbing my fingers across it as I turned it over in the falling water. The stone is a nice bright red. I don’t know too much about precious stones but I think this might be a fire opal because my Auntie has one in a ring, though much smaller. I wonder how big they get. This one must be close to two inches across. I pin it on the left of my T-shirt. Just as I do that another of those fogs from condensation forms and envelopes me.

I am just about able to see my hand in front of my face as I turn to take the small trail back out of the woods. There is some light ahead to guide me. I feel my way slowly with my arms extended my hands finding the trees on either side of the pathway. I think the fog will clear when I come out of the woods and I will be able to see where I am.

I was right about that. Was I ever! As I stepped clear of the trees I find myself on a wider path.  In the desert. The desert!!! No meadow, no watch tower, no Rangers waiting next to a truck. No cabin, fire shirt, shovel. I turn around and look behind me and no trees, more desert as far as I can see all the way back and around! Why am I in the desert? I put my hand over on the broach. It feels warm.

But some are very helpful and kind. But you can’t tell until…, and some will change without warning.

I think about my Mother and Grandmother on these days.  “Where is Kyleisha today? She is back out in that forest. Way up in a high tower watching for fires.” “Oh My land, that child!” And so on for all the rest of the morning.

My Dad sees too many bad things as a Policeman. He is happy that I am safely up here. I think he is a little proud of me too.

So I am here, wearing a t-shirt that says Forest Service. Fire Lookout. Angels National Forest,  and a hat that says Forest Care. And I hold a strong pair of binoculars that see a long ways. On the counter There is a radio with a hand held phone. I talk on the radio to the other towers sometimes. I have earphones so I can listen to music. I have trained myself to also hear the radio over the music in case I am called.

I have a shovel and mccloud tool, and a pickaxe, are a regular axe, and a hatchet, all for fighting forest fires. I even have a Fire Shirt if needed. And a fire extinguisher in case the tower itself catches on fire.  If this old dried out tower catches on fire I am out of here, forget the fire extinguisher!  And I have a fridge for food and drinks. The tower has its own water tank the Rangers fill with a helicopter at the beginning of every fire season. It has to last. We have to careful how much water we use.

I stay here for a week sometimes, other time just for a long weekend, like this time. No one to talk to most of the time so I talk to myself a lot.

Or I make up stories about the creepy old abandoned cabin I can see down from the tower and across over to the far edge of the meadow next to the forest. It’s called a ‘squatter’s cabin.’ The Rangers say even though it has a dirt floor people once lived there. The last one anyone remembers was an old fellow known as Buddy. He was tall with white hair and pale blue eyes. He never talked to any of the Rangers until one day when he said “so long” to one. Then he was gone.

The Forest Service has no record of who built it in the first place. Hikers are afraid to go near it now. Word is that it is haunted. Some have said they hear noises, voices, see lights.  I have been meaning to go look for myself sometime when I come up here off duty as one of the hikers, or maybe after I am relieved and if there is still daylight.

I see hike sometimes. I worry that they are careful. There are warning signs telling them not to start camp fires during fire season. I think most won’t.  But like my Dad says, ‘there are Policemen because of two or three out of any one hundred people.”

I have to be careful when I report a fire. Moisture condenses out of the woods and forms a white cloud sometimes that looks a lot like smoke from a fire. After some experience you learn to tell the difference. The Rangers say to call it in if I am not sure. The firefighters down below in the barracks also watch up to the hills and are annoyed with those white clouds when the turn out not to be fires. They like fires because they get to work overtime, sometimes all night and into, and sometimes through the next few days. At times they have to hike on trails for hours to get to the fires. When they are lucky trucks can bring them, at least part of the way.

I like fires too, but not in the forest. I don’t like to start fires but have always been interested in fire. It makes you warm when you are cold. It cooks food. It melts metals to make other metals. Or to make things out of metal. I like these subjects in school, Chemistry, Geology. Fire is important in Chemistry. It makes changes in nature. I moved ahead of my grade in Chemistry. Some of the teachers are surprised. They tell me I am smart enough to go to College. How my parents like that!

_ _ _

It will be no surprise that one day the cabin burned. I think it was so old and dry that it just started burning by itself, But there had been some thunder and lightning strike that morning. What are called dry lightning strikes, lightning with no rain. The Rangers thought one hit the cabin. I didn’t see that. But I saw no hikers that day either. I did see the smoke and fire increase in size quickly.

Right away I called it in. The rangers told me to stay in the tower, not to ‘get creative’ as they often like to put things, and try to fight the fire myself. That the fire fighters would be there shortly. I put on my fire shirt anyway. And they were. It was late morning and my shift would be over the end of the day. It did not take the fire crew long to knock down the fire as they had water trucks with them. They also brought my shift replacement and said I could return with them in a while so they would not have to make another replacement trip later.

I chatted with my replacement as we watched the fire being put out from our ‘front seats’ in the watch tower. After they were finished the trucks pulled back and the Rangers and fire crew sat down on some large logs in the parking area and started chatting about the fire, and who knows what else. They had brought drinks and snacks.

I wished my replacement a good shift and walked down to the parking lot. I asked the ranger if I would have time to go look at the cabin.  He said “sure, but be careful.” He looked at my fire shirt and smiled “here, if you are going to be a fire fighter you will need  shovel.” I took the shovel and he added “we’re pretty sure we have the fire ‘dead out’ but some of the structure might be unstable.”

I thanked him and started over to the cabin. I got close and could smell the burnt wood and who know what else. They say a fire is ‘dead out’ when the rangers can put their hands through all the ashes and charred matter and not feel any heat. If they don’t do this there is a danger of the fire could start back up after they have left. I don’t think this one is quite dead out.

I walked a little into the structure. Part of the roof was left over one of the corners. There is a beam coming up from the floor holding it up. Down in that corner I think I see some flame flickering, but no smoke. I can cover it up with my shovel and put it out. I walk over to the corner, watching where I step. Where I see the flames there seems to be some papers. The pile is right next to the wall so I guess there was a place in the wall where valuables were kept. I get close and there looks like  piece of jewelry, a broach maybe in the flames.

I don’t dare touch it so I carefully lift up the shovel and place it into the fire under the broch and lift it up and out. I see that it has a large stone surrounded by a design in a likely precious metal. I look down and see that the fire has gone out! So I am holding the shovel and turn to go outside to get a better look at the broach. As I turn the shovel the handle hits the beam holding up the roof and the broach jumps out of the shovel and hits the pocket part of my fire shirt. I think I am going to get burned, but no effect on the shirt anyway.

But I jump away and, I don’t know why, probably just a reflex, I catch the broach as it falls. I look stupidly down at my hand holding the broach. No burn! It is not hot at all! But pretty much covered with dirt and ash. I want to wash it off. I did not bring my canteen. I thought there must be a stream nearby. No one builds a cabin that is not near water. So I put the broach in the pocket of the fire shirt, and shovel dirt on what was the fire. I place the shovel standing against the been  supporting the ceiling. I hang the red fire shirt on the top of the shovel.

I go outside and look at the space at the back of the cabin. There is a path from the cabin into the woods. I start and I don’t think I walked very far before I heard  running water and came to a strong spring coming out of an outcropping of rock by the side of the path. The water comes in a nice steady stream down and spreads out and soaks into the ground. The water is cool and clear. I look back and see that I am all the way into the woods enough to just see light on the end of the path behind me.

I wash off the broach in the spring. This seems almost like a magic ritual. Little did I know then! The broach comes clean easily with me rubbing my fingers across it as I turned it over in the falling water. The stone is a nice bright red. I don’t know too much about precious stones but I think this might be a fire opal because my Auntie has one in a ring, though much smaller. I wonder how big they get. This one must be close to two inches across. I pin it on the left of my T-shirt. Just as I do that another of those fogs from condensation forms and envelopes me.

I am just about able to see my hand in front of my face as I turn to take the small trail back out of the woods. There is some light ahead to guide me. I feel my way slowly with my arms extended my hands finding the trees on either side of the pathway. I think the fog will clear when I come out of the woods and I will be able to see where I am.

I was right about that. Was I ever! As I stepped clear of the trees I find myself on a wider path.  In the desert. The desert!!! No meadow, no watch tower, no Rangers waiting next to a truck. No cabin, fire shirt, shovel. I turn around and look behind me and no trees, more desert as far as I can see all the way back and around! Why am I in the desert? I put my hand over on the broach. It feels warm.

I think about my Mother and Grandmother on these days.  “Where is Kyleisha today? She is back out in that forest. Way up in a high tower watching for fires.” “Oh My land, that child!” And so on for all the rest of the morning.

My Dad sees too many bad things as a Policeman. He is happy that I am safely up here. I think he is a little proud of me too.

So I am here, wearing a t-shirt that says Forest Service. Fire Lookout. Angels National Forest,  and a hat that says Forest Care. And I hold a strong pair of binoculars that see a long ways. On the counter There is a radio with a hand held phone. I talk on the radio to the other towers sometimes. I have earphones so I can listen to music. I have trained myself to also hear the radio over the music in case I am called.

I have a shovel and mccloud tool, and a pickaxe, are a regular axe, and a hatchet, all for fighting forest fires. I even have a Fire Shirt if needed. And a fire extinguisher in case the tower itself catches on fire.  If this old dried out tower catches on fire I am out of here, forget the fire extinguisher!  And I have a fridge for food and drinks. The tower has its own water tank the Rangers fill with a helicopter at the beginning of every fire season. It has to last. We have to careful how much water we use.

I stay here for a week sometimes, other time just for a long weekend, like this time. No one to talk to most of the time so I talk to myself a lot.

Or I make up stories about the creepy old abandoned cabin I can see down from the tower and across over to the far edge of the meadow next to the forest. It’s called a ‘squatter’s cabin.’ The Rangers say even though it has a dirt floor people once lived there. The last one anyone remembers was an old fellow known as Buddy. He was tall with white hair and pale blue eyes. He never talked to any of the Rangers until one day when he said “so long” to one. Then he was gone.

The Forest Service has no record of who built it in the first place. Hikers are afraid to go near it now. Word is that it is haunted. Some have said they hear noises, voices, see lights.  I have been meaning to go look for myself sometime when I come up here off duty as one of the hikers, or maybe after I am relieved and if there is still daylight.

I see hikers sometimes. I worry that they are careful. There are warning signs telling them not to start camp fires during fire season. I think most won’t.  But like my Dad says, ‘there are Policemen because of two or three out of any one hundred people.”

I have to be careful when I report a fire. Moisture condenses out of the woods and forms a white cloud sometimes that looks a lot like smoke from a fire. After some experience you learn to tell the difference. The Rangers say to call it in if I am not sure. The firefighters down below in the barracks also watch up to the hills and are annoyed with those white clouds when the turn out not to be fires. They like fires because they get to work overtime, sometimes all night and into, and sometimes through the next few days. At times they have to hike on trails for hours to get to the fires. When they are lucky trucks can bring them, at least part of the way.

I like fires too, but not in the forest. I don’t like to start fires but have always been interested in fire. It makes you warm when you are cold. It cooks food. It melts metals to make other metals. Or to make things out of metal. I like these subjects in school, Chemistry, Geology. Fire is important in Chemistry. It makes changes in nature. I moved ahead of my grade in Chemistry. Some of the teachers are surprised. They tell me I am smart enough to go to College. How my parents like that!

_ _ _

It will be no surprise that one day the cabin burned. I think it was so old and dry that it just started burning by itself, But there had been some thunder and lightning strike that morning. What are called dry lightning strikes, lightning with no rain. The Rangers thought one hit the cabin. I didn’t see that. But I saw no hikers that day either. I did see the smoke and fire increase in size quickly.

Right away I called it in. The rangers told me to stay in the tower, not to ‘get creative’ as they often like to put things, and try to fight the fire myself. That the fire fighters would be there shortly. I put on my fire shirt anyway. And they were. It was late morning and my shift would be over the end of the day. It did not take the fire crew long to knock down the fire as they had water trucks with them. They also brought my shift replacement and said I could return with them in a while so they would not have to make another replacement trip later.

I chatted with my replacement as we watched the fire being put out from our ‘front seats’ in the watch tower. After they were finished the trucks pulled back and the Rangers and fire crew sat down on some large logs in the parking area and started chatting about the fire, and who knows what else. They had brought drinks and snacks.

I wished my replacement a good shift and walked down to the parking lot. I asked the ranger if I would have time to go look at the cabin.  He said “sure, but be careful.” He looked at my fire shirt and smiled “here, if you are going to be a fire fighter you will need  shovel.” I took the shovel and he added “we’re pretty sure we have the fire ‘dead out’ but some of the structure might be unstable.”

I thanked him and started over to the cabin. I got close and could smell the burnt wood and who know what else. They say a fire is ‘dead out’ when the rangers can put their hands through all the ashes and charred matter and not feel any heat. If they don’t do this there is a danger of the fire could start back up after they have left. I don’t think this one is quite dead out.

I walked a little into the structure. Part of the roof was left over one of the corners. There is a beam coming up from the floor holding it up. Down in that corner I think I see some flame flickering, but no smoke. I can cover it up with my shovel and put it out. I walk over to the corner, watching where I step. Where I see the flames there seems to be some papers. The pile is right next to the wall so I guess there was a place in the wall where valuables were kept. I get close and there looks like  piece of jewelry, a broach maybe in the flames.

I don’t dare touch it so I carefully lift up the shovel and place it into the fire under the broch and lift it up and out. I see that it has a large stone surrounded by a design in a likely precious metal. I look down and see that the fire has gone out! So I am holding the shovel and turn to go outside to get a better look at the broach. As I turn the shovel the handle hits the beam holding up the roof and the broach jumps out of the shovel and hits the pocket part of my fire shirt. I think I am going to get burned, but no effect on the shirt anyway.

But I jump away and, I don’t know why, probably just a reflex, I catch the broach as it falls. I look stupidly down at my hand holding the broach. No burn! It is not hot at all! But pretty much covered with dirt and ash. I want to wash it off. I did not bring my canteen. I thought there must be a stream nearby. No one builds a cabin that is not near water. So I put the broach in the pocket of the fire shirt, and shovel dirt on what was the fire. I place the shovel standing against the been  supporting the ceiling. I hang the red fire shirt on the top of the shovel.

I go outside and look at the space at the back of the cabin. There is a path from the cabin into the woods. I start and I don’t think I walked very far before I heard  running water and came to a strong spring coming out of an outcropping of rock by the side of the path. The water comes in a nice steady stream down and spreads out and soaks into the ground. The water is cool and clear. I look back and see that I am all the way into the woods enough to just see light on the end of the path behind me.

I wash off the broach in the spring. This seems almost like a magic ritual. Little did I know then! The broach comes clean easily with me rubbing my fingers across it as I turned it over in the falling water. The stone is a nice bright red. I don’t know too much about precious stones but I think this might be a fire opal because my Auntie has one in a ring, though much smaller. I wonder how big they get. This one must be close to two inches across. I pin it on the left of my T-shirt. Just as I do that another of those fogs from condensation forms and envelopes me.

I am just about able to see my hand in front of my face as I turn to take the small trail back out of the woods. There is some light ahead to guide me. I feel my way slowly with my arms extended my hands finding the trees on either side of the pathway. I think the fog will clear when I come out of the woods and I will be able to see where I am.

I was right about that. Was I ever! As I stepped clear of the trees I find myself on a wider path.  In the desert. The desert!!! No meadow, no watch tower, no Rangers waiting next to a truck. No cabin, fire shirt, shovel. I turn around and look behind me and no trees, more desert as far as I can see all the way back and around! Why am I in the desert? I put my hand over on the broach. It feels warm.

                  End of Chapter. I  

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Continues Windseer

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