The Long Dark- A Journey Through Frozen Hell

Global Effort

As Miho was stuck on Great Bear, her message made it to a hunter in the mainland, who reported it to the Canadian Mounties. When news that Great Bear was in utter chaos, the largest rescue operation in the world was about to take place. Larger than the Indian Airlift Evacuation.

The Canadian Mounties, the Red Cross, UN peacekeepers, and even the Japanese Sensha-Do Federation were about to be involved. However, with how remote Great Bear was, this wasn't going to be easy.

On the mainland, volunteers in red jackets carried equipment, moving around food rations, radios, and extra supplies. Within this large crowd, there was one particular person whom we would be following for now.

With thick, chin-length brown hair and a smile on her face.

Wearing a red coat with camo pants and combat boots and a military rucksack on her back. While shorter than the rest, she is more determined to complete her mission than anyone else here.

Of course, she is here to help people, but the one she is looking for is her friend and commander. Miho.

She isn't supposed to be here either. She did try to volunteer, but they denied her, so she snuck on a helicopter after stealing a jacket and was now on the coast, preparing to disembark onto Great Bear.

As she finished moving a box of radios, someone tapped her shoulder.

"Akiyama, we're briefing." Toyashi said.

"Okay." She said, setting down the box and walking with the man. They entered a large green tent as a man stood by a board with the map of Great Bear.

Yukari sat down and stared at the map, looking at every detail.

"Okay. Tonight,  we're headed out to Great Bear by helicopter. Our job is to survey the area for the Peacekeepers and the rest of the Red Cross. We are being funded by the Senshado Federation itself for the quick rescue for Miho Nishizumi."

The man pointed at the picture of Miho, which made Yukari eager to find her friend.

"Now, one thing to point out is the unusual activity happening on Great Bear. There have been reports of wolves attacking people unprovoked. Same as bears and moose. Although reports aren't clear, the power goes out on the island, affecting electronics and other things. It is best to be careful. Keep your spray on you, and stay together. There have been more blizzards hitting lately, and we don't need to lose anyone. Am I clear?"

"Where are we landing?" A man asked.

"At a place called Pleasance Valley. A real and open section of town that should provide a secure holding point until we can break the ice around the island and dock our boats. And other questions?"

Silence, as people muttered and nodded.

"Good, now grab, and let's go."

Yukari, with her Molle backpack, put on her beanie and tactical gloves, climbing into a helicopter as it disembarked from the mainland and to the island.

Yukari wasn't unprepared. She had medical supplies. MREs, extra socks, flares, hand warmers, flashlights, and matches.

The helicopter flew high above the water as Yukari watched the ocean go from waves to just freezing.

Yukari has snow and the cold temperatures, but this was something else. She bet Pravda had never seen anything like this before.

They flew over a coastal highway but never landed because there wasn't a clear place for them to land. Plus, it looked like no one was there. Instead, they headed to a region called Pleasance Valley.

An open and rural area of Great Bear, it would provide great visibility and allow the rescuers to land and unload medical, food, and heating supplies.

While Akiyama was staring at the window, the helicopter landed in the open field as the rescuers quickly bailed out, unloading equipment before the choppers pulled up and flew away.

Yukari quickly ran over, picking up a tent and setting it up quickly.

Yukari glanced over at the mountain as it made an orange glow.

She squinted her eyes and resumed securing her tent down with stakes.

Yukari climbed into her tent and unrolled her bedroll, taking off her boots and lying down.

She wrapped herself up and sighed, warm and cozy. Feeling like she is the safest thing in the world. Or so she thought.

Somewhere in the night, the sound of a man screaming caught her attention as she jumped to her feet and put on her boots when she heard a gunshot.

She froze briefly before she put on her boots and peeked outside to see several men in orange jumpsuits attacking one of the rescuers with a hatchet.

Yukari watched in terror at the brutality before she grabbed her backpack and ran.

"Hey! Get her!" One of the men yelled.

She sprinted across the snow among the chaos as a man chased her into the woods.

Even with how far and how hard Yukari ran, it wasn't enough as the man with less equipment caught her, pinning her to the ground.

Yukari struggled as the man touched her in ways she did not like. The convict gave a sick smile that sent chills down Yukari's spine as she continued to fight.

"Stop struggling. It'll be over soon." He said in a husky voice, raising his fist and hitting Yukari in the face.

Yukari was stunned but kept fighting.

The aurora shined bright in the sky as Yukari fought like hell to get the man off of her.

The man laughed as she tried to hold Yukari down when he heard a howl.

He looked up worridly, leaving his throat exposed.

Yukari balled a fist, punching the man in the throat with all her strength.

The man grabbed his throat, choking and gasping for air as Yukari jumped to her feet and ran into the snow as a blizzard began to set in.

...

Yukari walked after running a mile. She wrapped her arms around her as she pushed through the blizzard.

The further Yukari walked, the colder she got until she began to warm up.

Her heart sank as she realized she was near death, and there wasn't anyone coming to save her.

Somehow, Yukari made it to a car, just parked on the side of a road in the middle of nowhere.

She put her hand on the hood to help her stumble towards the door before she collapsed the ground.