Ice Rift (8 page)

Though Scott stared in the direction where the others were, the ice and snow carried by the wind prevented him from seeing that far. “Do you think they'll be okay,” he shouted to be heard above the noise of the howling wind and the fluttering flags that marked overhead cables and the camp perimeter.

“I'm sure they'll be fine,” said Pike. “Though I'd expected Eli to have returned by now. He can't stay out on the ice in this.”

“Let's get inside before the wind carries us off and contact them on the radio.”

Before the wall of snow and ice carried by the one hundred-mile-per-hour winds arrived at the rift base camp, it first encountered the two Sno-Cats parked by the ice rift. The vehicle Max and Theo had anchored to the ice with strong nylon straps tethered to metal spikes driven deep in the ice slid until halted by the restraints. Though the straps strained with the force they prevented the strong wind from claiming the Sno-Cat.

The second Sno-Cat Eli had used to bring the supplies from base camp wasn't anchored. The wind took it in its grasp and pushed it along the ice. It skewed on its tracks as the wind sought the greatest area to thrust its strength against, the side of the vehicle, and moved it toward the edge of the rift.

Eli cursed his forgetfulness when another strong gust buffeted him, causing him to lose his footing. He reclaimed his grip upon the ice and persevered with the climb; the Sno-Cat was too valuable a resource to lose. When he glanced up to check on his progress, he saw the corner of the vehicle he'd failed to secure appear over the edge. He cursed again. If he hurried he might still save it. While keeping one eye on the Sno-Cat as it started to turn, he increased his efforts. Slowly, more of the Sno-Cat came into view as the wind's relentless pummeling drove it over the edge. Realizing he was too late to save it, Eli climbed down the rope.

A forceful gust pushed the Sno-Cat over the edge. It toppled and headed straight for Eli. To avoid being crushed, Eli did the only thing he could― he let go of the rope.

Jack battled against the full force of the blizzard that had finally caught up with the plane. Funnelled along the rift, the strong current gripped the airplane and sped it along at an impossible speed that the small engine alone could never hope to achieve. He shot a glance back at his passenger. The man gripped his seat tightly and stared out at the ice wall zooming by. Jack had never seen a look of fear to match the one he witnessed on the man's face. He smiled at his frightened passenger. “Hold on tight, it's about to get bumpy.”

The man, white as a sheet and shaking, looked at the pilot and then at the ice and snow battering the small craft's windscreen. He was amazed the pilot could see to steer the plane between the two ice walls. He hoped if he died this day, his death would be quick and painless. He shut his eyes.

Even though Jack knew the rift's tall walls sheltered them from the full strength of the storm, with his visibility rapidly decreasing by the second it was only a matter of time before they crashed. Though with the impossible weather conditions it was difficult to tell with any certainty, he thought they must be near the base camp. Because reaching it was their only chance to live through the blizzard, he had no choice but to brave the storm and hope they survived the landing.

When Eli's feet touched the ice shelf, he threw himself to the side and rolled out of the path of the falling vehicle. The Sno-Cat struck the ice he'd just vacated with a loud crunching of metal. Unfortunately, in his panic to avoid one danger Eli headed straight for another. He rolled too far and slid into the rift. He snatched out for one of the ropes trailing over the edge. His fingers brushed one and gripped hold tightly. Hanging from one arm he swung along the side of the ice wall. For a brief instant he thought he heard the sound of an airplane again.

Carried by its momentum, the Sno-Cat bounced on the ice with a screech of buckling metal and tumbled over the ice shelf.

Jack attempted to force the plane out of the rift, but the wind's strong grip refused to set him free. He forced the stick back in an effort to raise the nose of the plane and slowly it began to point skyward. He glimpsed a flash of red out of the left window. Something struck the plane, tilting it at an angle. Both men inside watched the wing torn from the plane scrape along the windows before disappearing from their view.

Jack cursed.

The passenger screamed.

Eli released a sigh of relief when the Sno-Cat bounced clear over him. He then heard the engine noise again, much louder now. He turned his head and was astonished to see an airplane appear out of the blizzard below him. He watched with trepidation as it shot nearer, catching a glimpse of Jack fighting the controls. He watched in horror for its passengers when the Sno-Cat smashed into the wing, sheering it off like it was paper. The wing folded and struck the side of the aircraft before it was lifted by the wind and borne aloft while the Sno-Cat dropped into the crevasse to be lost from his sight.

Now minus a wing, the plane tipped up on its side with the still attached wing aimed at the bottom of the rift. With a shriek of tortured metal, the bottom of the plane scraped along the ice wall, tearing off the skids. The plane dipped to head deeper into the chasm. The screech of metal was deafening inside the plane the passenger now looked upon as his coffin.

Jack released his white knuckle grip on the useless controls. They were in fate's hands now. He braced himself for the impact he knew was coming. As the fuselage screeched along the ice wall, Jack felt the plane rotate. He caught a brief glimpse of the narrowing gap between the ice walls before the airborne snow and ice stole it from him again. A secondary screech of protest filled the small space when the top of the plane made contact with the ice and skimmed along it. Pilot and passenger stared at the buckling fuselage. The sound of tearing metal that filled the small craft announced the loss of the remaining wing. When the top and bottom of the plane touched ice at the same time, an outcrop of ice ripped through the thin aluminum skin. Ice shards sprayed the plane's frightened passenger, his eyes transfixed on the ice wall speeding by only inches from his face. If it was possible for him to be terrified more than he'd been previously, then he was.

When the plane neared the bottom of the rift, it was forced between the narrowing sides of the two ice walls, crushing the top and bottom of the plane. As it became wedged in the tight space, the plane's momentum slowed. It brought a glimmer of hope to both pilot and passenger that they might actually survive the crash. After what had seemed like an eternity for the plane's occupants since the start of the catastrophe, but was in fact only a few seconds, their ordeal came to an end when the plane slowly juddered to a halt. After a few creaks and groans, the plane settled, and except for the weather raging outside and the two passengers' fast pumping hearts, all was still and silent.

“We made it! We actually made it!”

Jack turned to look at his passenger. “You owe me a new plane.”

“After what you just put me through, you can sue me.”

Jack sighed. He would argue the issue later. They weren't out of danger yet. They still had the freezing cold to contend with. If they remained in the plane, they'd soon freeze to death. If they left the plane, they had no equipment to climb out of the rift and seek the shelter of the nearby base camp. He picked up the radio― it was dead.

“So, what do we do now?” asked his passenger.

When he had recovered from the shock, Eli climbed down to the bottom of the rift and headed in the direction he'd last seen the plane before it disappeared into the blizzard. If there were survivors, which he doubted, they would need help. They wouldn't last long in this weather. He came across the plane about one hundred yards along the crevasse. Its wings had been torn off, and the fuselage was crushed and dented. He hoped the passengers inside had fared better. He headed forward to find out.

“So…what do we do? We'll freeze to death sitting in this tin box.”

It was the first time since he'd had his pilot's license that Jack wouldn't have minded if one of his passengers had died. “Be quiet, I'm thinking.”

“Well, think a little faster, my feet are getting cold.”

Jack was just about to remind him whose fault it was they'd ended up here, when the plane trembled.

The passenger's fear quickly returned. “Shit, we're falling!”

Footsteps moved along the plane, buckling its metal skin where weight was placed on it. The handle turned when someone tried to open the door. Failing to do so, a gloved hand cleared away a patch of ice to allow a face to peer in. The man's eyes flicked to the two men staring back at him. “Hi. Landing a bit rough, was it?”

Jack recognized the voice. “Hi, Eli, is the plane secure?”

“Secure? I should say. You'll need heavy equipment to move this the way it's wedged in.”

Jack released his harness, dropped to the side of the plane and moved over to the door.

“The door's jammed,” Eli told him. “I'll try and free it with my ice axe.”

Jack nodded. “Okay.”

Loud booms filled the plane when Eli tried to force the tip of the axe blade between the door and its frame. On his third try he succeeded. Snow drifted through the small gap that appeared at the side of the door.

“Try pushing it from your side, Jack.” Eli shouted.

Jack put his shoulder to the door and pushed.

While the men battled to open the door, the passenger supported himself against the side of the plane, released his seat buckle and slid from the seat. Instead of helping the men with the door, he crawled to the rear of the plane and dragged a large blue bag forward. He then crouched and waited.

Jack slammed his shoulder against the door, moving it slightly. The door burst open on his second try. The wind brought snow and ice swirling into the plane. Jack shivered as he held out a hand. “Thanks, Eli.”

Eli shook the offered hand. “No problem. I was passing by and thought I'd drop in.” He glanced into the plane and nodded to the man inside. “Only the one passenger?”

“Yes, just
him
!” Jack glared at his passenger. “Leave the bag. We can collect it after the blizzard passes.”

“The bag's coming with me,” he insisted.

Jack shook his head. “Okay, but you're carrying it.”

“You think I'd trust it to your care after a flight like that?”

“Errrgh. I've never felt like murdering someone until I met you.”

The man smiled. “You're not the first to say that.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Jack opened a cupboard, pulled out a thermal Parka jacket and some gloves and slipped them on. “I'll go first and you pass your bag out, that is, if it's okay if I touch it?”

“There's no need for sarcasm.”

Jack glared at him again. “Believe me, pal, there is.” Eli helped Jack climb out.

“Difficult passenger?”

“You don't know the half of it.” Jack grabbed the blue bag, glanced at the ground a couple of yards below and threw the bag down. He smiled at Eli.

“You're hoping there's something breakable inside.”

Jack grinned. “Hoping― I'm praying there is.”

“I could do with some help here.”

Jack rolled his eyes and helped his passenger out of the plane.

The man noticed his bag lying on the ice below and glared at Jack's smirking face.

“It slipped,” Jack said.

“You lie as good as you fly, very badly.” The man slid down the ice and retrieved his bag.

“See what I've had to put up with?” Jack slammed the door shut to prevent the plane from filling with snow and ice.

Eli laughed.

Jack glanced up. Snow and ice whizzed over the top of the rift. “How do we get out of here?”

“We don't. Not until the blizzard passes.”

“Okay…” Jack sensed the man had an alternative option. “…where do we go?”

“We go down. Follow me and all will be revealed.” Eli slid to the bottom.

Jack wondered why Eli was being so cryptic and followed him down.

“This way, gentlemen.” Eli, walked off.

Jack watched his irritating passenger hoist the large bag onto his shoulder and follow Eli. Before Jack joined them, he took a last look at his plane and sighed. Even though it was a write off, he was obliged to remove it. The Antarctic Treaty decreed no litter or contamination of any kind was to be left on the ice. It would be an awkward and expensive undertaking. He prayed his insurance would cover the cost.

During their journey they passed pieces of Jack's wrecked airplane littering the rift, all of which would have to be retrieved.

Jack stopped when he saw the Sno-Cat wedged on its side between the two sloping ice walls. “So that's what hit me?”

Eli looked at Jack. “Sorry. The wind blew it into the rift before I had chance to anchor it.”

“See, it wasn't my fault you crashed,” said his passenger, smugly. He nodded his head at Eli. “Get him to pay for it.”