Adam maintained regular radio contact with Polar Point throughout the trip. But as he navigated to their destination, he was unable to reach his contact at the runway.
“How far is the village from the runway?”
“With a good off-road vehicle, about an hour. Sometimes two hours, depending on if the trail gets washed out. But this time of year, they’ll most likely come by boat down the coast and up the river to here.”
“Maybe they’re still on their way?” she wondered aloud.
Adam descended, flying a couple of passes over a wide, flat expanse of land near a river. “I don’t see anyone here yet, but it looks clear for landing.”
“Where’s the runway? I don’t see any lights. Not even a flag or anything,” Joy said, glancing around nervously.
“This is all there is. Except for a cabin up on the high ground,” Adam said, touching down. Once they slowed and the plane taxied to a stop, he made another unsuccessful attempt at a radio call to the village.
“I don’t get it. I had good comms with them earlier today before we took off. Hopefully, someone is on their way to pick up the parts. But we have time to wait.” Adam repeatedly looked across the darkening clouds on the horizon. “Just in case the winds pick up, I’m going to put out tie-down stakes and secure the plane.”
He worked quickly, hammering three long metal stakes into the ground and swiftly tying down the plane.
“Um, Adam? Is that fog anything to be concerned about?” Joy pointed toward the nearby mountains. A solid wall of white rolled down between the peaks and over the foothills.
“That’s not fog. That’s a snow squall. And that’s just the beginning. Looks like that storm decided to hit a lot earlier than forecasted. Come on!” Adam took her hand, and they sprinted toward a lone cabin nestled against the face of a rocky cliff.
Adam slammed the door shut behind them just as the wind screamed down from the hills and battered the cabin. Using the dim light from the snow-covered windows, he opened a cabinet, found a box of matches, and then lit a lantern.
Joy was pleasantly surprised to find the cabin was remarkably well kept. It was fully furnished and stocked with blankets, firewood, and canned foods.
“This is actually … cozy. Aren’t you worried that we’re trespassing?”
“Can’t trespass on your own property.”
“This is your cabin?”
“Just a getaway place of mine. Somewhere to go fishing.”
“It’s very nice.”
“All the comforts of home, mostly. The attached shed even has a generator and a well. I’ll fire it up. Then I can try to contact the village again. And let Polar Point know we’re going to be stuck here for a while.”
“Stuck here? How long?”
“At least until tomorrow.”
“Overnight?” she squeaked, taking note of a large chair and a couch. “How convenient,” she mumbled, watching him go into an adjacent room to start the generator.
Returning to the main cabin, he tuned a more powerful radio and finally contacted Seal Harbor. The storm prevented anyone from meeting him at the landing zone, but he was assured they would manage as long as they could receive the parts in the morning.
“We are definitely stuck here for the night,” he said, replacing the headset.
The wind howled, rattling the cabin. Instinctively, Joy stepped away from the window and joined Adam in front of the cast-iron wood stove. She watched him load the stove with kindling and light the fire.
“Just in time. It was already starting to get cold in here. Will that give off enough heat?”
Adam picked up a blanket and wrapped it over her shoulders. “As long as we stay in this room, it’ll be warm enough. And this stove is perfect for heating a tea kettle. I hope you don’t mind soup for dinner.”
“What? You mean to tell me you’re not going down to the river to catch us a meal of fresh fish? Some fishing cabin this is!” she teased.
“No need to brave the blizzard. I can heat up a can of soup like a master chef,” Adam said, opening a cabinet. “We’ve got at least three varieties to choose from.”
Joy peered over his shoulder. “And what do we have here? A bottle of wine. Tell me, Chef, does this pair well with chicken noodle, or would it be better with the beef vegetable?”