Crashing Stephanie

2 The Plan

They needed firewood. Tom and Steph walked down the valley to where some dead trees stood. Tom used the axe from the plane to drop some of the smaller dead trees and cut them into five-foot lengths so they would be easy to carry back.

Tom rolled his eyes when Steph picked up just one of the pieces of wood. The wood was dry and not heavy. He suggested if she could take two or three, they would not have to make so many trips. Steph acted annoyed as she picked up another piece, then turned to go back to the ledge. When Tom asked Steph to help him get the rest of the wood, Steph stated she had done enough. Tom had to make four more trips alone.

They would need something to sleep on, so Tom climbed up the tree and used the axe to cut the steel cables holding the rear of the plane suspended above the ground. Once the rear of the fuselage was down, he cut the fabric covering the rear fuselage.

Tom used the fabric and some of the insulation from the plane's cabin to make two pads long enough for them to sleep on. The pads were a sheet of fabric, folded in two lengthwise, with the insulation in between.

Over the next few days, Tom planned to sew the open ends of the pads together using threads he pulled from fabric scraps and one of the needles in the sewing kit he had in his suitcase. Steph indicated she did not know how to sew and was unwilling to help.

There was just enough fabric left to each have something to cover them when they slept. The stiff, scratchy, doped fabric was not ideal, but the pads did insulate them from the cold ground, and the makeshift blankets did keep in some of their body heat. Steph still complained.

Tom built a long fire rather than a round one. There was not much room on the ledge, and a fire the length of their bodies would hopefully keep their whole bodies warmer. Steph decided she should be next to the fire, leaving Tom's pad between Steph and the rock wall.

When Steph told Tom he had better not touch her while she slept, Tom rolled his eyes and shook his head in disgust. The thought of leaving her here and heading off on his own was very appealing, but he knew he couldn't leave her by herself. She would not last more than a few days, and he did not want the guilt of having left her to die.

Tom, resigned to being stuck with "that woman," laid the clothes from his suitcase on top of him for additional insulation, then covered himself with the makeshift blanket. He could not leave her here, but he didn't have to tell her about using her extra clothes for insulation. Tom smiled an albeit slightly evil smile as he closed his eyes.

* * * * *

The following day, Tom was up first. He had a gruesome job to take care of, and there was no use putting it off. He had slept warmly, but when he had gotten up, he was sore all over from the plane crash. Steph would never help with this task and, honestly, would probably freak her out. So Tom let her sleep.

Jim's body needed to be put underground before it attracted predators. Even though Jim was responsible for the crash and putting them in their current predicament, it was the right thing to do. Tom regretted his outburst at Steph the previous day. She did not help the situation by flirting with Jim, but it was not really her fault.

Tom took the small shovel and dug a hole four feet deep and long enough for Jim's body. The exertion from digging helped with the soreness and raised his body temperature enough for him to remove his jacket.

Tom then climbed up to the cabin and used the remaining steel cables to lower Jim's body to the ground. Rigor and swelling had set in and made the task worse. Once Jim's body was in the grave, Tom said a quick prayer, then filled in the grave.

Tom dragged two heavy limbs over the grave in a rough cross pattern to mark the grave. Hopefully, if anyone ever found the wreckage, the grave would be noticeable. Jim washed his face and hands, glad that job was over.