Mountains Part One
As a member of the local Mountain Rescue team in my local town, I have wheeled a few stiffs off the mountainside. One or two will stay with me for a long time, others there wasn't much we could do for them.

It was a warm, Summer's afternoon a few years back and I was out with a few friends climbing on one of the more well known and more challenging ascents. It was decided that I go up and secure the line so my friends could climb up. So there I am, scaling the rockface, with the sun beating down on my back, slowly pulling my body up the side of a mountain. All in the name of 'fun'.

I got to the top of the ledge and hauled myself onto it. I looked around for a secure spot to hitch the rope to, when I spotted a large rucksack sitting alone on the narrow ledge. I edged my way over to it and, thankfully, there was no one attached to it. I shouted up, but got no response. I called the base to let them know that I was on the scene but I needed assistance. By the time I'd climbed to the next ledge, the rest of the team would have been there anyway. So I started to climb.

I got there and quickly pulled myself up onto the ledge and noticed the casualty. When I shouted over to him, he responded. This was a good sign. I told him to lay still and that help was on the way. It was then he told me that his head felt strange. So I leaned over him and moved his hat away from his head and clocked an eyeful of the large wound on the side of his head, which was infested with maggots.

I tried to keep him talking, and he was right up until he heard the helicopter coming in. I'll never forget what he said:

Me: Don't worry (name deleted), we'll soon have you in the hospital and back to full health in no time.
Him: (hears helicopter)Is that for me?
Me: Yes, that's your transport now. Don't worry, everything will be just fine.
Him: Just leave me here. This is the final sunset.

and with that, he closed his eyes and never regained consciousness.

When the post-mortem results came back, it said that he had been laying there for a few days before being discovered.
(Spicy McHaggis Should have been doing work on, Tue 4 Mar 2008, 18:49, 2 replies)

Hard for you
but I'm glad he didn't die alone.
(TDub Nunc id vides, nunc ne vides on, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 1:24, closed)

Wow,
may my last words be as eloquent.

Hats off to you lads in the MR - couldn't do it myself.
(MrC. Having the most boring username on b3ta since 2004, Wed 5 Mar 2008, 10:09, closed)