Free Alive in Alaska by T. A. Martin

Off to Alaska

    They say that Anchorage is fifteen minutes from Alaska.   For Danielle Eagleton, she was ready to get back to Alaska.   Fairbanks specifically, for her Sophomore year at the University of Alaska Fairbanks also known as UAF and she was excited in a mature sort of way.
    “Danielle, your Father picked up the tickets for the train this morning.” Her Mother called from the kitchen.
    “Thanks for the nice trip back, Mom.”
    "Do you need any help? Train boards in an hour and a half," said Katty Eagleton.
    Ekaterina Eagleton spoke with a now faint Russian accent.
    “No, Mom I’m just about ready.”
    Danielle grew up in the foothills of the Brooks Range, near Tanana, but her father and mother had moved to Anchorage because of his executive position with his company.   Danielle missed the rugged nature of the Brooks Range. Her memories of her times with her dad hunting and camping were vivid and happy. She had learned a lot about surviving and living on the land which had pushed her in the direction to pursue her education in environmental and resource management. In her freshman year at UAF, she had joined a search and rescue organization called Alaskans on Call. The club had been called on several occasions to rescue lost and injured hikers. This service for Danielle was serious stuff that satisfied her sense of self.   On one occasion she was part of a rescue where people were severely injured, and one, unfortunately, had died in spite of best efforts. The club and she, in particular, had been honored for the work they had done. She had done very well in her first year and this year she would begin the courses for her Major, and she was up for it.
      “Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to the train station?” Her mom asked.
    "No Mom, I've got time to walk.   It's only a quarter mile or so, and I would like to say my goodbyes now."
    Danielle loved her mom and dad and although not very sentimental would miss them until she saw them again.
    “I understand my dear Danielle, let me give you a hug.”
    She gave her mom a big hug, slung her backpack over her shoulder, picked up the ticket envelope on the table by the door, grabbed her rolling suitcase and walked out to the elevator going to street level.  
    "I love you, mom, tell dad I love him." She called as the elevator door closed.
    Her dad, Kooz Eagleton, is of the Tanana people, an Athabaskan native Alaskan.   As an executive, he was provided a company apartment for him and Katty.   It was on the top floor of the Anchorage Hilton right in the downtown, and they would be there for the foreseeable future. It was a perfect day in Anchorage, Alaska the sky was blue and the visibility was good enough that a cloudless Denali was just visible on the horizon.   Seeing the top of Denali didn't happen very often. She walked east on West Third to pick up the trail used for the Salmon Run.   The Salmon Run trail came out right at the train station where she would get the Denali Star.   It was a short and pleasant walk.
    It was her final week of summer break before returning to start classes.   Danielle was expecting a hard but rewarding semester since she had registered for 18 hours of coursework and labs.   But she was smart and dedicated to her chosen field of study.   That was a little unusual for a young college student, but she had grown up with a serious approach to life.
    Danielle stepped onto the platform and pulled out her boarding papers to check the posted information board trackside.   Denali Star, Dome car 1050, seat 12C. She walked toward the line to get aboard.
    Baggage handlers were very busy quickly loading passenger packages and luggage.   Danielle placed her suitcase in the designated cluster for car 1050 and rejoined the line.   She was glad that she and her dad had packed up the rest of her stuff to go to college and shipped it to her dorm in Fairbanks two days ago.   Most of the passengers on this car seemed to have