[HANSON STORIES]

To Look Within My Soul

Chapter 23 - The Rescue Begins - Continued



"lor.. Taylor? Do you read me? Over."
"Dad?! Yes I read you! Over." Taylor answered licking his lips in excitement.
"Finally! How ya doing? Over." Walker asked with Isaac, Zac and everyone listening in.
"Umm... not to good Dad. Jason is really sick. He has pneumonia. Over." Taylor sadly said listening for a response.

Sherri's eyes filled up with tears when she heard what Taylor told them. Isaac gently squeezed her shoulder trying to comfort her.
"Dad?" Sherri rasped with fear filling her heart at the news.
"How bad Tay? Over." Walker asked crinkling his eyebrows together realizing this was the reason that Taylor sounded so anxious and afraid yesterday.

"Well he's in bed. I'm taking care of him. I found a vial of penicillin and gave it to him. It seems to be helping. I just gave him another shot of it a few minutes ago. Umm... the snow storm has stopped... I think. Can you come and get us out of here now? Over." Taylor asked licking his lips anxiously hoping that soon they could go home.
"Tay? You gave Jason a shot? Over." Walker asked sounding amazed and smiled a little knowing how much his son hated needles.
"I had to. He was in a coma and..."
"I know. I know Tay. Don't worry we'll get you out soon. Just hang on. There are only snow flurries today and the sky has cleared up a lot now. Over." Walker answered seeing Sherri looking relieved that her Dad was going to be okay.
"I hope soon. Jason didn't tell you this earlier... but we are in short supply of food in here. We only have a few cans of soup and two boxes of oatmeal. Over." Taylor told them listening when Snow came out from under the table and looked up at him anxiously.
"Sam went back to the police station this morning to set things up. He is going to send up a helicopter to look at the area up there. So if you hear them let us know. Okay? Over." Walker instructed as Taylor darted his eyes from side to side fearfully as Snow placed his huge head on his lap and he gently scratched behind Snow's left ear.
"Yeah... okay Dad... I will. How is everyone doing there? Over." Taylor asked wanting to know and also to keep up the conversation wishing he wasn't in this mess right now.
"We're all fine Tay. We just want to get you guys out. Over." Walker answered hearing the saddness in his son's voice as he shifted on his stool.
"Just tell them to look for a fallen tree. It's on top of the door. I just hope the snow didn't cover it completely. Over." Taylor said still petting Snow on the head welcoming his affection toward him. He looked over at Jason seeing that he was still asleep.
"I will Tay. Over."
"What is happening with that guy... David? Over." Taylor asked crinkling his eyebrows together wanting to know and felt a anger crawl up in him.
"He's safely behind bars. Don't worry about him. He is really crazy. Over." Walker answered seeing Sherri bow her head looking down at her feet.
"Good. Why do you say crazy? Over." Taylor asked sensing that they weren't telling him something.
"Well... he still thinks Sherri still loves him. His mother is coming and they are going to get the kid help. Over." Walker answered sadly as Sherri blinked back the tears that welled up in her eyes.
"Is Sherri there? Can I talk to her? Over." Taylor asked wanting to hear her voice. Sherri jumped as Walker waved for her to come next to him. She walked up and shakingly grabbed the walkie talkie as everyone watched her.
"I... I'm here Tay. Over." Sherri stated in a emotional voice cracking with tears.
"It's so good to hear your voice. Are you okay? Over." Taylor asked in a gentle voice as she smiled a little and licked her lips.
"I'm fine Taylor. Everyone is being so nice to me. Are you okay? Over." Sherri asked sniffing back seeing Isaac, Zac and Amy smile at her.
"I doing fine. I'm catching a little cold but I'm doing great. What have you been up too? Over." Taylor asked wiping his head from the sweat feeling hot. He swallowed hard not wanting them to worry that he had a fever too like Jason.
"That's good! Well the guys and me made snowmen the other day. Over." Sherri answered smiling seeing Walker looking at her intently.
"Sounds like you had fun. Wish I could have been there with you. Over." Taylor exclaimed with tears forming in his eyes and swallowed hard.
"I do too. Tay? I..I'm really sorry this all happened. I... I..." Sherri began.
"Sherri? Please don't blame yourself for this. It is all David's fault. All of us were just victims in his delusional mind. Look! We are going to get through this. You're my best friend and I love you! Over." Taylor exclaimed matter of factly knowing she was feeling guilty about the circumstances of the situation.
"I..I love you too! I'll try not to feel that way anymore. How is my father doing? Over." Sherri asked looking up at Walker who was giving her a look of concern.
"He's sleeping right now. After I get done talking here I'm going to make this poultice recipe I found in Jason's medical journals. It should help the congestion in his chest. Over." Taylor explained smiling and noticing that Snow was blinking contently as he looked down at him.
"You are? Over." Sherri asked when Isaac grabbed the walkie talkie from her hand wanting to speak to his brother.
"Yeah I have all the stuff to make it. Over." Taylor affirmed looking at the basket with the herbs and spices for the poultice.
"Tay? What are you becoming... a doctor? Over." Isaac chuckled as Taylor smiled from ear to ear hearing Isaac's voice.
"Yep! Doctor Taylor here. How ya doing Ike? Over." Taylor asked listening intently for a answer.
"Didn't know you had the talent. I'm great but I can't wait to see you again. Well we have to go. Dad says he doesn't want your batteries in your walkie talkie to wear down. Okay? Over." Isaac stated as Taylor frowned knowing that his father was right but hating to shut down.
"Yeah... I'll call back when I hear the helicopter. Over and out!" Taylor answered and then sadly turned off the walkie talkie and placed it down on the table. He looked down at Snow and then up at Jason. He sucked in a deep breath feeling that he had some congestion forming in his chest. He reached for the sheet of paper that he wrote the recipe on and scanned over it. He licked his lips feeling Snow lift his head off his lap and then went under the table again and laid down.
"Now to make this thing." Taylor whispered under his breath trying to get his mind off his family as he read the instructions taking in the steps. He got up to get ready to make the poultice while Jason slept soundly in the bed. He drew in a breath as he stood up and started to cough as he brought his hand up to his mouth. He could feel the congestion building in his chest as he swallowed hard again.
"Maybe I better make enough of this for the both of us." Taylor rasped as he started to begin taking out the bottles from the basket.

Sam was happy to be back at the police station after being trapped in Ben's store for a couple of days. He could see that everyone was nervous and busy answering phones from people who needed their help. He saw Tim walking through the office area coming toward his office as he smiled knowing he was the one who was going to go up in the helicopter to look for the where abouts of Jason Monroe and Taylor Hanson. Tim came in his office and pulled out a stick of gum and put it in his mouth.
"Well is it a go?" Sam asked leaning forward onto his desk.
"Yes sir. The winds are calm out there and I don't see why anything will stop us. Pete is waiting for me. Just wanted to let you know that we are ready for take off." Tim nodded smiling as he chewed his gum.
"Fine. Get out there and find them. Remember there is a tree on the cabin. I don't know how deep the snow is up there but Walker Hanson just called and told me he spoke with his son on the walkie talkie. Taylor told him that he would listen for the sound of the helicopter and call in when he hears it." Sam informed him watching Tim nod running his fingers through his dark curly short hair and then put on his helmet and sunglasses.
"Good. Glad to know that sir." Tim stated smiling liking the fact if things looked bad up there at least the young man would inform them that they were near. He then walked out and hurried to the helicopter pad seeing that Pete had the thing going. He ducked feeling the icy wind whip at his face as he ran to the side of the helicopter and got in giving Pete the thumbs up. Pete signaled back watching Tim slid the door shut. He saw their police captain watching from the door as the helicopter lifted off the ground going in a circle and then took off at full speed heading for the mountains.
"Hope this weather holds!" Pete shouted liking the fact that finally the snow storms passed over the town of Southfork.
"It looks good Pete! I hope we can find them." Tim shouted back gazing out the window as they flew over some wooded terrain. He could see that the whole area was deep in snow.
"This snow has changed the look of the area. I think that lake near the cabin should be coming up to the right soon." Pete stated hoping they would spot it.
"It doesn't look good. I think even if we locate them it is going to take a long time to get to them." Tim said sadly as they flew over some cliffs at top speed.

Walker sat at the counter in Ben's store talking to Diana on the phone as Isaac and Zac were looking out the window.
"There it is Ike!" Zac shouted pointing into the distance at the helicopter as Ike nodded his head seeing it going toward the mountains.
"I hope they find them soon." Ike mumbled and turned seeing his father talking on the phone intently to their mother.

"Yes. Taylor is fine honey. He is taking care of Jason just fine." Walker answered knowing that Diana was concerned after he told her what was happening and about the conversation they had with Taylor earlier.
"I hope that he knows what he is doing out there." Diana said sitting next to Alice in her bedroom and saw that Alice shifted in her bed. Alice felt the baby kick again. Worry filled her hating that she had to just lay in bed while Jason was out there very sick with pneumonia.
"They are going up in a helicopter now. Zac just saw it. Don't worry soon we will get them out." Walker stated wanting to reasure her as he looked up at Ike seeing that he was listening to him.
"I just hope that they rescue them before Alice has her baby. She is due any day now." Diana said seeing Alice look down at her hands.
"We'll get them out in time. We can't let him miss seeing the birth of his child." Walker exclaimed smiling thinking and hoping his words were true.
"Diana? Ask him if I could talk with Sherri." Alice smiled wanting to hear her daughter's voice.
"Walker? Is Sherri there? Alice wants to speak with her." Diana asked looking at Alice who looked up into her eyes longingly.
"Umm... wait, I will get her." Walker said and then put his hand over the phone speaker.
"Ike? Alice wants to talk with Sherri. Could you go get her?" Walker asked seeing Ike nod and then hurry to the door in the back. He ran into the living room and saw Amy and Sherri watching a soap opera on TV.
"Hey Sherri?" Ike breathlessly said seeing her turn and look up at him curiously.
"What?" Sherri asked standing up and brushed off her jeans.
"You're mother is on the phone and wants to talk to you." Ike smiled seeing her eyes light up and ran toward him.
"She is?" Sherri exclaimed and bounded to the door that led into the store front. She saw Mr. Hanson smile and held out the phone to her as she grabbed it and put it up to ear.
"Mom?" Sherri asked excitedly, seeing Amy and Isaac walk into the store.
"Hi sweetheart. How are you doing?" Alice asked sweetly shifting a little trying to sit up higher onto the pillows.
"I'm fine. Did Mr. Hanson tell you what is happening with Dad and Taylor?" Sherri asked sitting down on a stool next to Walker.
"Yeah. We'll just say a prayer that everything turns out fine. I'm glad that Taylor is taking care of him. I'm doing okay. The baby is kicking something awful and I think he wants to come into the world soon by the looks of it." Alice said chuckling a little.
"Well tell him to wait just a little bit longer." Sherri laughed looking up at Isaac who gave her a smile as Amy went to the back and grabbed some fudgesicles from the freezer. She saw Zac looking out the window and walked up next to him nudging his arm as he looked down at her.
"Here. Want one?" Amy asked as Zac took the fudgesicle from her hand.
"Thanks." Zac answered ripping the bottom open and then gazed out the window again as he sucked on the top melting the fudge.
"What are you looking at out there?" Amy smiled looking out the window trying to see what interested him.
"I don't know. I just want to see the helicopter come back... I guess and tell us that they spotted the cabin." Zac mumbled and then turned around watching Amy walk over to Ike and hand them the rest of the fudgesicles.
"Well you take care Mom. We'll be home soon. Yeah. Okay. I love you too!" Sherri said and then gently put down the phone on the counter when everyone turned when they heard a car pull up near the store.
"Looks like Sam is back." Ben announced when Sam walked into the store looking serious.
"Well any word yet?" Walker asked as Sam walked over to the radio that he left and switched it on.
"I am going to contact them now and see what's up out there." Sam answered as everyone gathered around the transmitter.
"Tim? Do you read me? Over." Sam asked into the microphone and then listened.
"Yes. We are over an area now where the lake should be but not sure. Everything is really buried out here. Any word from the kid? Can he hear us?" Tim asked in a frustrated tone as he and Pete circled over the area again.
"No. Not yet. Just keep looking." Sam ordered and looked up into the sad faces of the Hansons.


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