Free After the Fall: Jason's Tale by David E. Nees Page A

rather than later.” The dismay he
felt was sharpened by his remembered sense of loss of family.
    Sam helped Jason get his harness fine tuned. The addition of
Judy’s strategic padding made the travois feel much more comfortable. Jason had
repaired the damage and felt confident it would work even better. Judy made him
take two of the wool blankets knowing that Jason would find the wool useful.
Sam also gave him one of the ponchos for the inevitable rainy days and nights.
    The next morning, after an extra large breakfast and many
hugs, Jason got himself into his harness and pulled on his backpack. Judy
looked sad, as if she were seeing off one of her kids. Even Sam looked a little
sad, but Jason smiled at them.
    “You were a Godsend. I’ll never forget you and your help.
I’m so glad you didn’t shoot me that rainy day when I showed up. I must have
looked pretty bad.”
    “You did and I’m glad I didn’t,” Sam responded, grinning.
“We’ll always remember you, too. We wish you well in finding a place of your
own.”
    “We’ll be praying for you,” Judy added.
    Sam advised going north on the road for about a mile and he
would find an old two-track trail, just after a little creek, heading west into
the foothills. It was one of numerous old roads dating back to colonial times
that cut into the mountains. They were used to access the forest for its
timber, bark and minerals. These old two-track trails, often called bark roads,
hundreds of years old, provided relatively easy travel into the mountains. Up
on the ridge, which Sam expected Jason could reach by evening, he would find a
hunting trail going north.
    With a smile and wave, Jason set off down the drive. He
hoped Sam and Judy would be all right. They had made it through the first
winter just fine. But as he walked down the road, he could not shake a nagging
worry about Sam’s dismissal of threats from outlaw gangs. He hoped Sam was
right.

Chapter 9
    Jason hiked up the bark road. His travois worked so much
better than before. The spring day was sunny and filled with promise. The trees
were beginning to bud. The air was clear, the birds were singing. He could hear
a Chickadee with its clear, three note whistle, and the staccato chirping of a
purple finch. In spite of his sadness at leaving, it was a day that held the
promise of new beginnings. This first day he stopped early to enjoy the weather
and savor some of the food Judy packed for him. It wouldn’t last long, so he
decided to eat it right away. He set up camp just off the road, below the
ridge. It had been a comfortable first day hiking and he was pleased that he
and the harness were getting along better.
    Shouldn’t feel sad, he told himself, reflecting on
Sam and Judy’s decision, just grateful that he found them when he did. They
allowed him a respite from his plunge into the deep end of wilderness living.
They provided him a place and the time to heal and recover from being
overwhelmed. Jason now felt much more ready for his odyssey. He was hardened
and chastened from his initial experience and had learned some lessons about
finding the rhythm of the forest.
    He turned his thoughts from Sam and Judy to his own plans.
It was still to find country that was remote and had game, and then find some
shelter where he could establish a living situation that was a step up from
camping. Long term camping was not a viable option. It would break his body
down, especially through the winter. He would look to find or create more
substantial shelter. He sensed he was getting closer to his goal. He could feel
it as he went to sleep under his lean-to.
    The next morning Jason lingered around his camp after
breakfasting on Judy’s biscuits, a hard-boiled egg and some herb tea. Judy had
insisted on giving him some eggs, biscuits, canned meat and mint tea, and Jason
wanted to enjoy them. Suddenly he heard what sounded like shots in the
distance, down in the valley from where he had come. He stood and