I looked up from the construction-truck yellow unit in my hands, and stared at my partner across the moss- and weed-filled clearing. His features were indistinct through my mosquito netting and the black haze of biting bugs in the air. I could still tell he was smirking.
“AJ, what did you do?”
“Tampered with your GPS.”
I had already reset the device twice. In frustration, I chucked it into the moss pad at my feet. I then lowered my heavy backpack to the ground and walked closer to the other man. I was already slightly winded from our hike so far. My rage made my chest even tighter.
“At the risk of our lives?”
“Bill will find us.”
I back-handed AJ with my left fist and followed with a right hammer-hand to his parietal. He went down to his knees. I took advantage of his stunned helplessness. In one deft maneuver, I unhooked my trowel from my belt and cracked him on the top of the head with the butt of the handle.
AJ collapsed and I knelt beside him.
“You don’t f*ck with your partner’s life out here.”
With furious power I slashed his throat wide open with the sharpened edge of my trowel.
“I don’t care if you want to protest the railroad, but you don’t divert your partner 6 K’s off course in the middle of Alaskan wilderness.”
I plunged the pointed tip of the trowel into his chest.
“I hope your heart’s still beating when the bears eat you.”
My heart pounding, I gathered up my stuff, and started to backtrack our path. Once I was a couple kilometers from the body, I radioed Bill, our helicopter pilot. The reception wasn’t good out here, but eventually I made contact.
“Bill, we got way off course and separated. I think I can hear you south of me. Can you fly north and I’ll tell you when you get close and we can try to hone in. I’ve got a mirror.”
“What happened? I thought you guys had a GPS?”
I pulled out my mirror and started trying to flash it, but there was a lot of cover, and I didn’t think my chances of signaling through the canopy were very good. I heard the helicopter definitely turn towards me. Sound carried well in the wilderness.
“AJ tampered with my GPS.”
“Out here? Mind if I don’t go searching for him?”
I grunted with satisfaction. Even Bill knew the rules.
I slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting the family who tried to cross the street in front of us. It was the third time this morning I almost hit someone, or something.
"Do you know where the heck you're going?" Shelly reprimanded from the passenger seat.
“I think someone must have tampered with my GPS.” I tried to joke.
Shelly looked at me, still annoyed. "Yeah, apparently you keep driving your head up your ass."
“I think someone must have tampered with my GPS.”
ReplyDelete“Yeah – I did.”
I looked up from the construction-truck yellow unit in my hands, and stared at my partner across the moss- and weed-filled clearing. His features were indistinct through my mosquito netting and the black haze of biting bugs in the air. I could still tell he was smirking.
“AJ, what did you do?”
“Tampered with your GPS.”
I had already reset the device twice. In frustration, I chucked it into the moss pad at my feet. I then lowered my heavy backpack to the ground and walked closer to the other man. I was already slightly winded from our hike so far. My rage made my chest even tighter.
“At the risk of our lives?”
“Bill will find us.”
I back-handed AJ with my left fist and followed with a right hammer-hand to his parietal. He went down to his knees. I took advantage of his stunned helplessness. In one deft maneuver, I unhooked my trowel from my belt and cracked him on the top of the head with the butt of the handle.
AJ collapsed and I knelt beside him.
“You don’t f*ck with your partner’s life out here.”
With furious power I slashed his throat wide open with the sharpened edge of my trowel.
“I don’t care if you want to protest the railroad, but you don’t divert your partner 6 K’s off course in the middle of Alaskan wilderness.”
I plunged the pointed tip of the trowel into his chest.
“I hope your heart’s still beating when the bears eat you.”
My heart pounding, I gathered up my stuff, and started to backtrack our path. Once I was a couple kilometers from the body, I radioed Bill, our helicopter pilot. The reception wasn’t good out here, but eventually I made contact.
“Bill, we got way off course and separated. I think I can hear you south of me. Can you fly north and I’ll tell you when you get close and we can try to hone in. I’ve got a mirror.”
“What happened? I thought you guys had a GPS?”
I pulled out my mirror and started trying to flash it, but there was a lot of cover, and I didn’t think my chances of signaling through the canopy were very good. I heard the helicopter definitely turn towards me. Sound carried well in the wilderness.
“AJ tampered with my GPS.”
“Out here? Mind if I don’t go searching for him?”
I grunted with satisfaction. Even Bill knew the rules.
"I think someone must have tampered with my GPS." I said as I tried to explain the daily drive past her house.
ReplyDeleteShe smiled slyly. "Not someone...it was me. I "tampered" with your GPS."
"I don't understand" I puzzled.
"You know how you always say that all roads lead to me?" she said embarrassingly.
"Uh-huh" I mumbled.
"Well, I reprogrammed your GPS to eliminate any doubt." she confessed.
I turned the unit off. I didn't need any further direction for what was to happen next.
Nevets, I guess you're making up for the lack of gore yesterday! LOL I love it.
ReplyDeleteWalt, ever the Romantic. So sweet.
Yes Deb, I'm still terribly flawed! :( LOL
ReplyDelete"Hey, watch out." Shelly pointed.
ReplyDeleteI slammed on my brakes to avoid hitting the family who tried to cross the street in front of us. It was the third time this morning I almost hit someone, or something.
"Do you know where the heck you're going?" Shelly reprimanded from the passenger seat.
“I think someone must have tampered with my GPS.” I tried to joke.
Shelly looked at me, still annoyed. "Yeah, apparently you keep driving your head up your ass."