11 days in Coastal Highway (Story)

[Mitch]

* Day 1 *
I don’t know what happened. There was some sort of storm, then all the lights went out in the plane and the engines flamed out. When the inevitable crash happened, the cockpit tore off and turned the rest of the plane into a scoop. The snow slowed it down to a stop pretty fast after that. I was not at the back of the plane but far enough back that I was only half buried in the snow. I don’t know what happened to the pilot. When I got out of the wreckage, the only signs of the cockpit were the skid marks in the snow and that’s it. I hope he survived. 

I’m not sure if I was lucky or unlucky, though. My clothes aren’t designed for long walks in the cold. Then again, I saw a road and a powerline, followed them and found some fishing cabins. A part of me is ashamed to say that I looted those cabins for clothes and food. There was nobody there. Same with the larger lakeshore cabins. I would have left notes but I didn’t find a pen anywhere. Hopefully the owners won’t notice that some stuff is missing.
The lake was pretty well frozen, so when I saw a cottage on one of the islands, I took the chance and walked there. I also looted the ice-fishing huts (or whatever they’re called) for matches, food and firewood. 

The animals on the island seemed agitated. It was really odd. Rabbits and deer ran near me then ran off only after having been maybe ten or twenty feet away from me. Almost like they were just running aimlessly and absently and then suddenly had “oh shit, there’s a human” and then run away. 

The cottage had some things but not much. No telephone, which isn’t that surprising given the fact that this is the age of cell phones. There was no power anyway, found that out when trying to switch on the television. That weird storm must have cut the line somewhere.

Since there was still daylight, I decided to walk to the next island. There was another cottage there, though this seemed a little more lived in. I felt even guiltier for raiding it and all. 

I found a pen and a notebook. That’s why I’m writing this now. I decided that it might help later. Who knows, maybe I’ll get a publishing deal out of this experience.
This cottage has some clothes for me but not that much. It’s also getting dark, so I think I’ll sleep for a while. It’s been a hell of a day.

 

* Day 2 *
I should have stayed in the cottage until sunrise.

I decided to leave when the sky was clear and walk to the shore. I thought I saw more cabins there.

I heard a bear growling but couldn’t see it. I kept walking and then saw it behind me. I panicked and ran. I saw a frozen guy and a rifle. I was stupid, I stopped to collect the rifle and the one bullet. Even stupider, I decided to try and shoot the bear instead of running away with the rifle. 

The bear mauled me pretty badly but I could still walk and luckily I had taken bandages from the cottages and cabins, so I was not in immeadiate danger of bleeding out. I even reached the shore alright. But then there was a wolf and it attacked me! I fought it off with mostly adrenalin but afterwards I was so badly hurt I could barely see straight. I did see the next cabin, though, and staggered there. I managed to take some pain killers for the pain and clean the wounds, though truth to be told, it’s all so fuzzy that I barely remember doing it. I kind of wonder how I managed. Anyway, I managed to find the bedroom and sleep a little. A part of me is surprised that I did not die during the night. That would have been a much better way to go than bleeding out somewhere outside. I think.

 

* Day 3 *
I found more food and wood, and a knife (yes!) so I decided to stay inside for the day and cook something. Recover from the mauling. I also used the time to try and patch up my torn clothes with the sewing set I found. There were more clothes in the cabin too, sturdier shoes, for one. Needed a bit of fixing too, but still, better than sneakers. No coat yet. I really hope there are more cabins and cottages nearby so I can just go indoors when the cold gets too much for me.

 

* Day 4 *
I ventured outside. It looked to be a lovely day, so I figured I would go explore a bit. Unfortunately I forgot that if you go outside without gloves during winter, it’s your own fault if your fingers get frozen off. They didn’t but instead there’s now frostbite on my left hand. It hurts like hell but... Not much I can do about it, is there. Good thing I’m left handed.
Besides, I had good reason. I think. I saw a murder of crows flying and cawing in circles in the air, same as with other corpses (which there have been several more than I ever would have liked to see), so I went to take a look. A wolf’s corpse was lying there. I may be wrong but I believe it’s the one that attacked me. Looking over it, I saw slash wounds, probably from a knife. I have a knife and I wouldn’t be surprised if I had used it when it came at me.

Anyway, I’d read enough books about survival to know that wolf and other animal pelts are warm and tough if you know how to make clothes out of them. Since I still haven’t found a coat for myself, I decided to at least prepare for the day I can make one. Come to think of it, I should be thanking my mother, God rest her soul, for forcing me to read all those survival and nature books. At least I have a basic idea of what to do.

Still, even basic idea meant that it took me hours to harvest the carcas. Meat, pelt, entrails. Hours of work. At the end of it I was nearing hypothermia and, well, had the frostbite. Still, did not die and now I just have to wait for the pelt to dry. I’m probably going to be able to use the entrails too. Fishing lines, perhaps. 

I ended the day by reading the book I found. It’s about fishing. Not exactly rivetting stuff but useful.

 

* Day 5 *
Holy shit. I found the bear. I think I killed it.

That is, it was dead when I found it. In a little cove near the place where it attacked me and where I took a shot at it. It took me a few trips to the misantropist’s house (I’m calling the guy misatropist based on the note I happened to see there, just so you know), to warm up my poor hands, but I managed to get the pelt and the entrails. There’s maybe 40 kilograms worth of meat there but I’m not gonna be able to carry it all to way to anywhere.

I ended up walking to another shore where I saw buildings. I also popped into an ice-fishing hut on the way. Some more stuff for me to use. Another moment of mixed luck happened when I came upon a deer carcas at the same time as a wolf did. Didn’t stop to harvest anything off of it after I chased the wolf away but I did map out the area again.
I’ve been drawing a map of the place. I just realised I hadn’t written anything about that.

So yeah, found this village here. I picked the dark wooded house as my base number two, meaning that I left the pelt and the entrails there to dry, along with some other stuff. And an axe! Also cooked and slept. I haven’t yet had to use my sleeping bag.

The guilt about living at the expense of these people, whoever they are (or were), is lessening fast. Given how many times I’ve almost been killed by cold (and my own recklessness or stupidity), I guess that I’ve subconsciously already decided that it doesn’t really matter. Better to be a living thief than a dead nobody. At least that’s how I feel.
I’m going to sleep some more.

 

* Day 6 *
I took a little walk around the place. I saw quite a few more house behind the hill behind Base 2 but I decided not to go there yet. Instead I looted the neighbouring house and then went to get the deer’s carcas sorted. The meat doesn’t look like it’s in the best of conditions but I’ll take it. 

Since I found serviceable gloves in the neighbouring house I decided to go and get me some bear meat. And oh boy, there was a lot of it. I carved out some, I don’t know, maybe twelve kilograms worth of meat? Well, anyway, I once again got attacked by a wolf. At least this time the only things to suffer were my clothes. Too bad my gloves were ruined.
It’s strange. Just before I got to the bear, I had seen a wolf run away from it like it was being chased. Come to think of it, the wolves around here seem to be very aggressive. And they don’t seem to be in a pack either. 

Anyways, I dragged the meat back to the village, put it in the fridge. Well most of it, I grilled some for dinner, along with the deer meat. Tasted alright. I don’t think I got sick or anything. I’ve eaten worse during these past few days and haven’t gotten sick from those either. Maybe I’ve just been lucky.

Gosh, it’s already been five days? I wonder if there’s anyone looking for me or the pilot.

Not me probably. I don’t have anyone who would miss me.

 

* Day 7 *
I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep. So of course I decided to go and check out the houses behind the hill. Or are least the building that looks like a gas station or something.

It took me a moment to realise that the electic lights were flickering. And when I went outside, there were beautiful northen lights dancing in the sky. I wish I had had a functioning camera. But the weirdest thing was that it almost seemed like the flickering was somehow in synchronised rhythm with the northen lights.

I don’t think the wolves liked it. I heard one growling and barking when I walked across the road. I ran into the gas station and turns out that it’s not a gas station but some sort of, I don’t know, gaming hall? Who knows. Anyway, I found two work tables, a bed, another sleeping bag, an oil lamp, a crowbar and, finally, a coat! It’s in bad condition but given that I also found new sewing equipment, I think I can fix it.

I considered making it my new base and sleeping but I wasn’t very tired yet, so I went to check out one of the other houses. Ended up dumping some equipment there because the bag is getting really heavy.

I think I should go get the stuff from the lakeshore cabins. I know have a place to try and make a good coat, so why not leave the materials there to dry out.

 

*  Day 8 *
Moved most of the stuff I’ve found to the gas station, game hall, whatever it is. I’m calling it station for now. I also checked out the third intact house for more stuff. I think I could fill up a large chest with everything I’ve collected. I should be careful, otherwise I’ll see myself become a hoarder, haha.

Anyway, the bear meat I stored at lakeshore house had gone bad. Like, seriously bad. I don’t think I would have survived eating it. So I laid it on to the ice as bait. Maybe it’ll attract wolves and poison them. I feel a little bad for thinking like that but since it looks increasingly more like that there’s no help coming for me, it’ll be my survival or theirs. Well, the survival of the fittest. Isn’t that how it works? Or maybe it’s the survival of the luckiest. At least I get to stay indoors since I have opposable thumbs and can operate door nobs. If they were handles, then maybe the wolves and the bears could burrow in these cabins.

Listen to me, wondering about wolves and bears in houses. This situation is really getting into me.

I noticed that I’m low on firewood. Need to collect some twigs one of these days. Or re-loot the houses for wooden crates and chairs.

I feel like I should mention (although I think I have already) that there have been several ruins of houses and cabins here. It makes me think that this place has been abandoned for a long while now. That the stuff I’ve found is just the sort of things people forget or don’t really care about. It’s not like these houses have been crammed full of non-perishable food, clothes and gear. Far from it.

I don’t know, maybe I’m just trying to justify my thievery to myself. At least I left most of the furniture untouched.

I saw another murder of crows circling nearby. I went to check and lo and behold, there was a wolf’s corpse lying there. I harvested everything and was walking back towards the station when I saw another murder. But my pack was full already, so I decided to deposit the goods before venturing out again. Which I did. Then I was chased by another wolf, judgin by the growling and footsteps (pawsteps?). It probably didn’t like what I was doing one of it’s own kind. Still, I got everything, though this one seems to have been dead longer, judging by the state of the meat. Well, still, dinner.

 

* Day 9 *
Today I spent most of my time sorting through all the stuff. Fixing what I could and tearing apart the things that were too far gone to be saved. Got some fabric and leather out of that project.

I don’t know how it happened but somehow I spent most of the day indoors. I did venture outside when I realised the lights were flickering again. I haven’t seen much of northern lights during my life so I wanted to see them. Somehow I decided that was also a good enough reason to walk over to the lakeshore cabins. Good thing the sun had not yet completely set so I had enough daylight to map some of the road. I could still the northern lights, though faintly.

I think I heard some stomping of hooves during the walk but I didn’t see anything. I disposed of the last piece of wolf-meat I had. I figured it’s soon going to go too bad for me to eat. I’ve taken plenty of risks with my food during this last week and so far I’ve been lucky not to get ill. I don’t want to test that luck too much. Or at least no any more than I absolutely have to.

I reached the cabin without any trouble but then, as if fate wanted to fuck with me, it took me three attempts to light the fire and then I couldn’t make coffee immediately because I had run out of water. Good thing I had some water purifying pills, so I didn’t have to wait for the melted snow to boil. Ate some food too. Now I’m more than ready to sleep. 

 

* Day 10 *
Took my time packing all the stuff. Even fixed some of my clothes. I didn’t much like the wind I could hear through the walls. I still went out.

The blizzards wasn’t the worst possible, as far as snow was concerned but the wind was horrible. I got cold very quickly and had to run to stave off hypothermia. Also, just to get back to the station quicker.

Now I’m just waiting for the storm to pass. I’m using my time to cook the rest of the wolf meat and to sort through my materials. I realised that I’m one pelt short of a wolf-skin coat. And one pelt short of a bearskin coat. Although maybe I should make a sleeping bag out of the bearskin. It’s gonna smell horrible but then again, if I have to sleep outside, it might drive other animals off. I wouldn’t wake up torn to pieces for wolf dinner.

As for deer skin trousers or boots, I need at least three more skins. I started to think that I could hunt for them but again, no bullets for the rifle and no other weapons. I could theoretically make a bow but for that I need a dried oak sapling. Where the hell am I gonna find one of those?! Oak saplings, that is, I could just bring one here and dry it myself. If I did manage to find one.

I don’t think I’ll be leaving this place for a while. The food may become an issue but if it comes to that, I should be able to fish.

 

* Day 11 *
Today I decided to focus on fire wood and the road. Basically I’m going to ditch a lot of stuff from my pack, take only the necessities and walk down the road to the direction where I originally came to the area. Funny how I’ll have then travelled a whole circle. Across the ice, through the two islands to the other shore and back. In more than a week. I think I did it that way because I was delirious and panicky with cold and I saw the ice-fishing huts and the buildings on the islands.

Anyway, the plan is to go take a look around in that direction and gather fire wood at the same time. The weather is good today, so I might even map the place some more.
Updating now that I’m still able to. I found a logging area and a temporary barrack here. I also saw some crows circling. It’s probably a deer. That would explain the wolf that attacked me just moments before I reached the barrack.

At least I’ll have fresh meat again for a few days. Can save those non-perishables for leaner days.

 

...

These are entries from a journal discovered from the corpse that apparently died as a result of a wolf attack. The body was frozen, yet chunks of it were missing, likely eaten by the carnivores of the area. They showcase that luck, more than anything, determines your fate in a wilderness. The writer had survival skills, and though he was not an expert, they were clearly more than enough to keep him alive for several days after the disaster. Unfortunately, he was also a bit of a risk-taker, which increased the importance of luck in his survival. Sadly it ran out in only eleven days. What is most tragic, that he was nearly at the door of his base when the wolf caught him. Perhaps if he had been in a better shape, had he not been hurt by another attack just hours before, he might have made it.

Some of you may say that he should have stayed at the barracks to rest and heal. That is a good point. However, we have hindsight, while he was living the situation. Perhaps there were circumstances that forced his hand and which he did not record here. Unfortunately we can never know.

What we can do is to take the lessons this journal provides and teach them to ourselves and the younger generations, who may never know a life where electricity was an integral part of daily existance. For whom the only times these relics of the past, lamps, computers, radios and televisions, only flicker and glow when the sky is a spectacle of green and purple lights.