When Survival Isn’t Enough… Chapter 9

John wandered through the woods until he found what he was looking for; a stand of Birch trees. Using his knife and hatchet as well as a sturdy stick with a wedge carved into the end, he began to cut and peel large sections of the birch bark off of several large trees. He hated …

When Survival Isn’t Enough… Chapter 8

John awoke to the sound of howling wind and rain lashing down through the open roof of his unfinished cabin. A sudden squall had descended from the mountains and within moments he was thoroughly drenched. In the darkness he climbed over the wall of the cabin and going as quickly as he dared, using the …

When Survival Isn’t Enough… Chapter 7

By mid-afternoon, John had the rest of the walls of his tiny cabin notched and a foot above his head. Taking time to drink some water and eat the fish he had caught the night before, he sat and leaned back against the cabin wall to reflect on his progress and his next step. Rafters …

When Survival Isn’t Enough… Chapter 6

With a start, John woke up from a heavy sleep. It took him a few moments to register where he was. Then, the events of the previous day came washing over him. The bear, his fears and the exhaustion of cutting and dragging logs for his new tiny cabin. As he stretched himself, it seemed …

When Survival Isn’t Enough… Chapter 5

He laid there, hardly daring to breathe, watching as the bear tore up the ground in huge chunks and buried its snout into the hole and devoured the remains of his fish dinner. From where he was he could see the unmistakable hump on the shoulders that told him it was a Grizzly. When it …

When Survival Isn’t Enough…Chapter 4

The sun was just hoisting itself over the nearby mountain range as John opened his eyes. The sky was a clear deep blue and somewhere nearby an American Tree Sparrow was singing it's morning song. There was a heavy dew on the ground again and as he slid out of his debris hut there was …

When Survival Isn’t Enough….Chapter 3

Lightning flashed nearby and the ground trembled from the crashing thunder that followed as John huddled, curled up under his simple debris shelter, trying to stay as small as possible and away from the entrance as the torrential rain and howling wind lashed at him.  The small lake in front of him was turned into …

When Survival Isn’t Enough….Chapter 2

When John first opened his eyes the next morning after the plane crash, there was a fog of sleep around his mind.  For a brief moment he wondered where he was.  Then it all came back to him in a rush of emotions.  It was an odd mix of euphoria and sadness that filled his …

When Survival isn’t enough… Chapter 1

John Rankins awakened to the smell of burning plastic, rubber and fabric wafting through the air. Groggily he tried to shake his head to clear the mental fog that surrounded him.  Doing so causes a sharp pain to run from his neck all the way down his spine. With the pain, his eyes cleared up, …

Coffee Or Something Like It…

For many people, a cup of coffee isn't just having a hot drink, it's a ritual, a passion, even a coveted time of the day. They look forward to it, set timers to make it, spend many dollars on it, invite friends to share it with them and in general, consider it a necessary part …