Climbing Trail
The Andes tragedy Part 14
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That night while we were on the plane, Roberto explained the reason we were back. He explained we found the tail of the plane and some suitcases.
They listen closely as Roberto explains his plan to fix Fairchild's call radio. It was worth trying, they all agreed, but it seemed like they were less than enthusiastic.
There were strange gazes from their eyes, tired of this state of affairs. Some showed gloomy and empty gazes like those in the concentration camps I had seen in the photos. A few weeks ago, they were passionate young men. Now they stooped and limped, like old men, and shabby clothes stuck to their thin bodies. They were really like walking corpses even though my condition was no better.
I felt their spirits no longer burning, and I could not blame. We have gone through so much suffering, and there are many bad omens, despite having fought bravely, Rafael has finally died.
Our journey eastward has failed. Two attempts to climb the mountain westward ended in disaster.
The next day Roberto and I started working on a radio call for Fairchild. The cockpit is full of complicated buttons and instruments. We have to figure out which parts are radio-related and which are not.
Finally, we concluded that the radio consisted of two main components, one inside the cockpit control panel and the other hidden behind a plastic panel on the plane's luggage wall. The components that are in the control panel are easily removed after opening some of the reinforcing bolts. The second component, tucked into the plane's dark, narrow walls, is embedded deeper and difficult to pick up. Using only our hands and a little bit of metal and plastic, we tried to remove some of the bolts and tongs that held the transmitter, but we managed to remove them after two days of effort. When I was finally able to take it out and assemble it with components from the cockpit, I saw our efforts go to waste. .
"Carajos! Look at this mess! It can't be, Roberto!" I'm yelling.
Each component has small wires arranged randomly. Roberto didn't respond to me, carefully counting the wires of each component.
I keep nagging and talking about how useless this radio is. Roberto's expression showed anger.
"This radio can save our lives! You promised to try to fix it before we climbed the mountain! " cursedly.
"Good! Alrighty! I'll have Roy check it out." I said relented.
Roy shouted, "No, no! I can't fix it. This component is too complicated."
Roberto said coldly, "We're going to take this radio to the tail of the plane. You're coming with."
Roy's face creased and started crying. He was terrified that he had to leave the plane, and the next day he begged his friends to be allowed to leave the expedition.
Fito and his cousin were firm, forcing him to keep going. They forced Roy to think about our safety. They even forced Roy to train his physique so that his condition is better. Roy did not want to obey them, and often he cried when stepping on the snow.
Roy is not a coward. I had known him long before the accident, from his way of playing rugby and from his way of life. At the beginning of this ordeal, when his physique was still strong, he was one of the most enterprising. Shortly after the plane crashed, Roy was always on Marcelo's side to arrange everything and create a wall to protect us from the cold. And I will never forget Roy's service when an avalanche filled us all, he was quick to act by finding and helping us, without him, we would not have survived.
he's too young. I felt the suffering had destroyed her courage, and it was clear that this ordeal had damaged her health. Now he was like a walking corpse, one of our thinnest and weakest friends, I put my pity on him as I felt for my other friends. During my time in the mountains, I was rarely angry with my friends. I understand their fear, the pressure they face, especially our younger friends, so it's easier to be patient when fear has made them selfish and lazy.
Roy felt the same pain as the rest of us, but as his physical and mental condition grew weaker, I became angry because he was getting more and more troublesome for us. For some reason, it was hard to show my kindness to her. Thus, as he pleaded with me desperately not to be included in this expedition, I did not even look him in the eye.
For the past few days, Roberto had been fiddling with the plane's radio, and as I waited for him to fix the radio, I became even more worried about Numa's condition. Ever since we asked him not to participate in this expedition, his spirit loosened. He withdraws and becomes sullen, he becomes frustrated with himself and with his body for having betrayed him. He became irritable and moody, and worst of all, he was completely unwilling to eat.
"Do you want to eat Numa? Tomorrow we leave for the tail of the plane. "
"But you have to eat, it's just a piece of meat." I said.
"I only eat when I'm going on a trip. Now, I don't have any reason to eat."
"Don't give up Numa. We'll be out of this place soon. " I said again.
Numa. "I'm so weak Nando. I don't feel like I can live much longer."
"Don't say that. You're not gonna die. "
"It's okay Nando. I've lived my life. If I die tomorrow, at least I've had happy days. "
I laughed, "Panchito always said so. He's a reckless man. "
"He is famous for his way of life. How old? " Tanya Numa's.
"Eighteen years. His life is full of adventure, he is macho, popular among girls. " Answer.
"Maybe that's why she died, "Said Numa, "For the girls to be able to date us."
"There's a lot of pretty girls for you, Numa. But you have to eat and stay alive."
He smiled and nodded.
The next day at 08:00, we began the journey, and moved quickly as we descended the mountain slope. As I approached the tail of the plane, I saw a red leather bag lying on the snow, I recognized the bag, it was my mother's cosmetic bag. Inside I found some lipstick I could use to protect my lips from the sun, some candy wrappers, and a little sewing kit. I kept those things in our mountain bag and kept walking. After nearly two hours of leaving Fairchild, we reached the tail section of the plane for the second time.
The first day we took a rest. Roy and Roberto start working on fixing the radio.
They work hard, trying to find a cable connection that fits the battery, but they just guess. And as they felt progress, the wires sprinkled sparks, hissed, and there was an explosion. Roberto asked Roy to be more careful fixing it and they repeated again from the start.
During the day, the air temperature begins to feel cooler, and the snow around the rear tail of the plane begins to melt. A few days ago, a portion of the suitcase was still buried in the snow, but it was now popping up above ground level.
When Roy and Roberto fixed the plane's radio, Tintin and I ransacked the suitcases that had sprung up around the tail of the plane. We found two bottles of Rum in one of the suitcases.We opened one and drank a few sips.
"Don't spend it" I said. "We save it for the trip." Tintin nodded.
We both know that the radio can't work again, but Roy and Roberto are working hard to improve. They fix it all day. I'm getting anxious about this experiment, I want to get back on the plane so we can prepare for our climb.
"How much longer do you think it will take, Roberto?" I asked. He just glanced at me with an annoying look.
"It'll be over if it's done." Said.
(Connected)
