fire watch - episode 005 - the yellow of stone

part 12 Back to the forest

Meanwhile, back at home.
Tom and Oswin were just sitting watching movies for no apparent reason just to pay time waiting for the time when they would find out if they had been accepted back to Yellowstone, they would be surprised if they were because of everything that had happened all the money they had cost the company. However, to their shock the post was then delivered, Oswin ran over to the letters excited to know if she would be allowed to go back to her home, scooping them up "ah, here we go" she walked back over to Tom "we both have placed at Yellowstone in your old tower. I'm still your boss, and you're my helper" she laughed "okay that's a real power move" Tom laughed "okay, that's true, now let's go back to Yellowstone and try not to fuck it up this time" "I'm still sad about my tower I was there for years, and now it's just fallen off a cliff" "yeah, but don't worry I got as much of the stuff out as possible" she smiled "yeah, and I love you for that" they got all their stuff ready and put it in the car. They started driving towards the mainland, Oswin said "it's actually not that far from Delilah's university it's only 2 cities away" "yeah so if there is an emergency we can get there quickly" Oswin frowned "what do you mean?" "Well I don't think it's me being paranoid to think something might go wrong, we've dealt with fires and serial killers" "yeah that's fair"
After a few hours of driving.
They arrived at the Yellowstone parking area next to the airport and set off into the trees beginning the 2-day hike towards their tower, as they walked Tom talked about the first time he had walked down the trail and Delilah got them lost a lot which was pretty funny. Tom eventually asked "are you sure you know where we're going? We're going to get lost again like with Delilah" "no we're not, I know exactly where I'm going, I've been coming out here for years" as she was talking she took off her coat because of the heat "Jesus, it's hot around here" "yeah, it's hotter than it was the last time I was here" Oswin nodded "looking concerned "it's never really been this hot before ever, it's a little weird actually" "now I think our tower is about 500 meters that way"
She pointed at the mountains.
"Yeah, I remember our tower was really close to the mountains, we always got the perfect view, and we could just go on a hike whenever we wanted" Oswin nodded "that's why I come out here, you can just do whatever you want" they finally got to the tower, Tom said "Jesus Christ it seems so much bigger than when I used it" Oswin nodded "yeah they always seem bigger every time, and no that's not a funny sexual joke" "really? Mine was" they climbed up the stairs to the top tower which was the main control room because it had all the maps and radio station. Tom put his bag down looking around "okay, so who is using which area because we have the top area and bottom area" Oswin smiled "well I was thinking you could put all your stuff at the bottom area then pretty much sleep with me up here" "yeah, I was thinking the same" Oswin put her stuff down, going down into the basement area to check something "okay, thank God" Tom frowned as she came back up "what?" "Well sometimes when they start up these towers they forget to give people the food supplies" Tom looked confused "so what would we do until they sent them? Just starve?" "We would have to go down to the boxes and hope for the best, if there isn't anything then we will die unless we want to kill some random animals and go full survival mode" they got on the bed and prepared for the long sleep because they were tired after walking for 2 straight days without sleep and without stopping. Oswin turned to Tom "you know what, I love the fact that I'm your girlfriend and the best boss ever" "you are the best at both things without even trying" she frowned "how do you mean?" "Well you're the best boss in the world, and the best girlfriend in the world" she smiled then kissed him they then went to sleep waiting for their first job and hoping it wasn't going to be as crazy as the last time and hoping no fires were going to start because that went so well the last time they were there.
After a few days of sleeping.
Tom was lightly shaken awake by Oswin "hey sleepy head, the radio is going off we have to wake up, come on. I have an air horn I am not afraid to use it" he sat up "how long have you been awake?" "Not long, it's been maybe an hour, we literally slept for 3 days without food or water somehow so drink up and eat" Tom drank water and ate the food that Oswin had prepared for him. They went to the radio which was the forest service "hello is anyone there?" Oswin picked up "yes we are here. What's the problem?" "We have heard reports of a wrecked camp site and possible casualties just by the lake you need to go and check it out to make sure the forest service won't be hurt" "okay, we will be setting off now" Tom and Oswin began to get dressed and ready.
When Oswin was ready.
She sat down waiting for Tom to finish getting ready "I am so excited about our first job together, we can get out into nature and find random things that can kill us in all different ways, what fun this is going to be" Tom looked up "we can do what?" "Well we are going out into the woods to find a camp site and possible dead bodies from what sounds like a bear" "a bear? What else could do something like that?" "I don't know, I mean there are a few things that can cause things like that, wolves could go it, maybe an eld" Tom frowned "elk?" "Yeah, an angry elk is actually insanely dangerous they can rip up a camp site in seconds easily without a second thought, but because there are dead bodies it has to be a bear, but to be fair it might not be, bears don't kill you, they eat you, so they wouldn't leave dead bodies, so I think it's wolves or people, we have experience with bad people" Tom nodded "yeah, I know. I still think it'll be the bears they just didn't fully eat them"
When they were both ready.
They set off, they walked out to the lake a little scared knowing something bad was around. They started walking towards the area where the camp was to see pure horror, the tents were completely ripped to shreds and their food was scattered everywhere. Oswin nodded looking a little scared "okay, this wasn't man made, so thank God for that, I'm starting to think your idea of it being a bear or a wolf or something like that, however it wasn't done for food this looks more like... rage" Oswin's voice shook a little towards the end "how can you tell? It could be those angry elk" "no, no it's not" "how do you know?" "Because elk don't have claws" then Tom noticed the huge claw marks in the orange tents and blood all over the rocks and trees "Jesus Christ, do you think the people have been killed? Why would the bear do this?" "Yes... yes I do think the bear killed them, there is too much blood for it to be anything else, and I think it maybe a mother bear"
Suddenly to their horror.
They heard a yell from the distance. They ran over to the source of the noise to see a man next to the river in an terrible shape, his arm had been ripped up and completely removed by something angry, his blood was still spilling into the river water. Oswin ran to him pulling out a bandage and a piece of rope trying to stay calm hoping the thing that did that wasn't still around “okay calm down, you need to stay calm, and you need to breathe and stay calm” Tom ran forward, and they started putting the rope round the man's arm to stop the bleeding however it was made difficult by the fact he was shaking and moving around in agony which they were unable to stop. Tom noticed a cut on his skull, he grabbed a bandage putting it to the man's head putting down as much pressure as he could “okay listen to me, you need to place pressure here with your other hand, Oswin you need to call the forest service now! Don't worry I was a combat medic you can leave him with me, I know what I'm doing” “I am doing!” she grabbed the emergency phone “but I'm not the only one there are 5 others over the other side of the river hurt!” yelled the man “what did this?” “It was a bear!” Tom jumped to his feet and ran forward “Oswin you need to stay here with him, I'm going to get the others” “be careful, the forest service isn't picking up, and I don't know why! Come on you piece of shit!!”