Ghost of the Abyss

Chapter 9 - The Mt. Everest Committee

The down draft from the helicopter blew my hair everywhere and I had to hold it back with my hand. Once the helicopter landed, out came Craig and Nathan, as well as two men I didn't recognize, dressed in thick black coats. Most likely men from the Mount Everest Committee. My team bombarded Nathan and Craig with hugs, myself hugging them as well. I looked back at Nathan after I hugged him.

"Have you shown them anything yet?" I asked him.

"No, not yet. They wanted to wait until we got here."

The committee men shook hands with those of who were not on the chopper with them, and then we all convened in the mess tent so we could be out of the wind and so we could use the table. The committee men, men in their fifties, and who were related to the original 1924 expedition members, stood with us around the table as Craig set out Sandy's possessions. The taller of the men, a man with graying brown hair, and by the name of Henry Padden, covered his mouth in awe when the camera was pulled out.

"My grandfather gave George Mallory this camera to use on the 1924 expedition," he said in a British accent and I noticed tears gather in his hazel eyes. "I can't believe I'm really holding it in my hands."

"I couldn't believe the same thing when I pulled it out of his pocket on the mountain," Nathan put in.

"Sandy Irvine had it all this time," said the other British man, a man with graying blonde hair, and whose name was David Stratum.

"Will the film still be able to be developed?" asked Kal.

"It may be tricky. We'll hand it to our camera forensic team and see what they can gather from it. It really is quite the miracle that it's in-tact, along with these letters and notes." He chuckled. "There is no doubt that this is Sandy Irvine. The letter says he mother's name on it directly." He gloved his hands and carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He read the touching, motherly letter aloud, and after, people were sniffling and wiping their eyes. "By George... this is really him."

I looked over near Adam and saw Sandy standing next to him, watching this take place. If only these men knew he was standing right here with us.

"I would like to see your video," said Mr. Padden, and Adam came over to the men and started to play the video. We heard it play out and heard Nathan's spiritual moment. Sandy went over to the boy and put his hand on his shoulder and Nathan noticed by touching that shoulder. He smiled, knowing Sandy was there with him. I wiped my eyes of tears.

The video ended and silence encumbered the tent for a minute, and more sniffs were heard.

"Well..." Mr. Padden said after that silence, "I congratulate all of you. You have located the body of Andrew Sandy Comyn Irvine. I say, great work to the lot of you, and my deepest feelings of sympathy for what you experienced up there on the mountain while doing so. I am glad that you are alright, miss, as well as you, my man."

I knew Craig told them what happened to me and Adam. We both nodded and said our thanks.

"So what happens now?" asked Craig.

"Well," said Mr. Stratum said, "we will take these items and return them to the family of Sandy Irvine, and the camera will go directly to our forensic team, as I have said. This will be put in the press online, and by tomorrow, everyone in the mountaineering circle will know that Sandy Irvine was found and by a team of your every-day climbers."

"So... we'll be famous?" Nathan asked, and some of us snickered, as well as Sandy. Nathan was still Nathan, even after what he went through.

"Indeed, my boy."

"What will be the official story?" asked Eli.

"Well, what we were told by Mr. Carmichael of course - that you went on a climb up the mountain and thought it would be fun to see if you could locate Sandy's body. And indeed, you found it."