Wednesday's Words on a Friday

The original Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and eventually taken over by a moveable feast of participants when Delores had computer troubles.

The aim of the words is to encourage us to write, a story, a poem, whatever comes to mind.
If you are posting an entry on your own blog, please let us know so we can come along and read it.


This month the words are supplied by Cindi and can be found here.


This week's words are:


1. King
2. avalanche
3. canyon
4. pianist
5. Wyatt
6. marriage

and/or:

1. supreme
2. packers
3. pie
4. jazz
5. crash
6. farewell

here is my story, which links back to the Jimmy Raven chapters from long ago:


1988   Alaska

While the siren whooped loudly throughout the town, Wyatt King, owner and manager of King's Snow Rescue, called in his team. Several were already on the way, having heard the siren from the first whoop. Ted Jansen, who lived way out near the canyon was the last to arrive and speedily began donning his gear as Wyatt told of the location of the avalanche.

Mount Katano, favoured site of many mountain climbing training schools, had inexplicably dropped several tons of snow and debris down its northern side. Several rescue huts were dotted around the area and the paths to those needed clearing as quickly as possible.

More importantly, Jake Raven had been on the roster for checking and restocking supplies at those rescue huts along with Simon Goldberg and there had been no reply to the latest radio message sent just before the siren started its whooping.

As they set off, some of the men tried lightening the somber atmosphere by joking with Harry Burke about his romance with the new jazz pianist, Claire Kovick, who was preparing to put on a concert at the town's solstice celebration. "Marriage on the cards?" joked Ted.  Harry blushed and changed the subject, asking if anyone knew which hut Jake and Si were likely to be at.

Wyatt replied their last communication had been from hut three, where they had restocked with supplies from the new company Supreme Packers, and were now headed towards hut four. "Right in the path of the avalanche," he said.

Moods immediately became more serious and all the men checked their equipment one last time, then began the arduous climb towards the plateau where hut four was. Or had been.

Reaching their destination a few hours later, Wyatt reported back to the base camp at the lower levels that the plateau was now a good deal smaller, most of it now lying somewhere at the base of the mountain, while the rescue hut was buried under quite a bit of snow and rocks.

The men were quiet as they shovelled away snow and rolled away the smaller boulders, exposing the crushed timbers of hut four. Carefully moving those aside,  they uncovered the bodies of Simon and Jake. Hearts were heavy as they surveyed the damage of the crashing avalanche, realising they must now say farewell to their mates.

Wyatt in particular was saddened to know it would be his job to break the news to Molly Raven and young Jimmy. Simon had been a bachelor and an orphan, there would be no family to inform.



**** I don't know the names of any Alaskan mountains prone to avalanches, so if any of you can hep me out with a name I would be grateful. Or perhaps suggest an imaginary name? Thank you.  

Edit: mountain has been named Mount Katano

Comments

  1. Nice use of the words River and such a well written story. I am not familiar with Alaska but Devils Paw Mountain sounds like a name that would possibly work, it is a mountain there but I don't know if it has any avalanche history.

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    1. Jimmy; thank you, Devil's Paw sounds good, but I'll do a google search as suggested by Lee and see what else there is. More of the Jimmy Raven story can be found in my archives, but I'm too lazy to hunt up all the links, there are quite a few chapters which will all have to be changed now as this will become chapter one, or may be a prologue.

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  2. Fantastic but sad story River......don't know any mountain names...how about Thunder Head Mountain?

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    Replies
    1. only slightly confused; thank you Delores, thunder Head is another good suggestion. I'm glad you liked the story.

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  3. Oh River. I was engrossed by this and read to the end fearing that a tragedy would be exposed, but hoping. Always hoping.
    Telling the family must add immeasurably to the difficulties that the Wyatt's of this world face...

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    Replies
    1. Elephant's Child; it is a sad one, I thought of it as soon as I read "avalanche" in the list. This has become the very first chapter in the Jimmy Raven series, you may remember from way back, Jimmy is an archaeologist who lost his father in an avalanche when he, Jimmy, was eight years old.

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  4. Good story, though anxious and sad.

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    Replies
    1. Sharon Qualls; thank you. I prefer happy, but sometimes the sad is necessary.

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  5. I have a mountain name you could use.. Mount Thebarton. :)

    No avalanches there that I know of, though.

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    1. Snoskred; I was thinking of Thebarton just recently after watching several you tubes of ice skating championships. It's another possibility.

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  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Type "Mountains in Alaska" or "Alaskan Mountains" in Goggle, River, and do a search. You will find a tonne of names.

      Either that, or just make up a name. Your great story is fictional with fictional characters, all of whom have great names, by the way.

      Good story...love it! Great use of the words. :)

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    2. Lee; I hadn't thought of google when I wrote this yesterday, it's a good idea. A fictional name might be better suited, as you say, my characters are fictional.
      I'm glad you liked the story.

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  7. Being that Jim has a new mount once again, Maybe Mount Packer would fit the bill his bills seem to be enormous er sort of Mountainous.

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    Replies
    1. Vest; I don't think Mount Packer would suit, I'd be always thinking of the Packer family who I don't particularly like. Thanks for the suggestion though.

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  8. Aww...I was hoping they'd found a way to stay safe. Maybe it was meant to be, though. Maybe something meaningful is on the horizon for Molly and young Jimmy.

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    1. Val; I think it was meant to be, why we may never know. This chapter is a late comer to Jimmy's story and will become chapter one. Way back in the archives are several other chapters of Jimmy's story who is now an archaeologist in his thirties, with a girlfriend named Rosa who is a travelling photographer.

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  9. As several others have already said, Google search is your friend. I'm sure you'll find just the name you're looking for, if you want to use an actual mountain, or you can come up with a name yourself, you clever lady.

    Another great use of the words, and your story is well-written, too. I was hoping the avalanche didn't kill them, though... what a lousy way to go.

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    Replies
    1. Susan; a name has been found :)
      sometimes stories need to have a sad ending. This one has become chapter one in the long ago, unfinished, series of chapters on Jimmy Raven.

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  10. Standing ovation from here! Well done. I was on the edge of my seat!

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  11. Granny Annie; thank you. I look forward to the day you join us again.

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