Chapter 6. Rescue
It was barely light when they broke camp. Mist clung to the ground but the
visibility was over 100 metres and both guessed it would improve when it became
lighter. Bob phoned the hotel as soon as they reached the shoulder. "Only three
arrived back here Sir," the receptionist replied. "Should I inform Mountain
Rescue?"
"Ask them to stand by. They might have reached the hut and be safe. We'll be
there in half an hour or so." Bob held the small aerial and slowly swept it in
an arc. "No emergency beacon, Charley but we'll need to listen for another
fifteen minutes in case it is an off period." They walked on. Bob with his
earpiece in listening and sweeping with his hand. Suddenly he stopped. "There's
a signal. It's weak though." he shouted. He pointed the GPS in the direction of
the strongest signal and took a bearing. "Time to call out the cavalry."
"Hi Bob. This is Tony Davey. We met over in Gidleigh a year or so ago. Remember?
You have a problem?" Bob explained the situation, gave his position and the line
of the beacon. "Either the battery on the transmitter is low or they are further
from where they should be than I expected. I would guess they are the other side
of High Tor which puts them dangerously near the quarries. We will check the hut
first and then Charley and I will head over that way. Can you get the search
chopper out?"
"We have problems too. Bob. The chopper's over the Irish Sea doing a rescue but
we'll head for the track to the quarry. May take us an hour from here. The boys
are arriving now. Keep in touch on..." He gave the emergency number and Bob gave
them theirs.
As expected the hut hadn't been used. The supplies in boxes marked Grant and
Grant party were unopened.
"Hi Tony. Hut's not been used. The beacon angle from here gives an intersect
with the previous one that puts them just above the quarry. How you a doing?"
"Not good. Track to quarry was washed away with the rain. Heading to Creapor
Farm and will head in from that direction. We picked up the beacon too and it
confirms you're probably right in it's position. Means a longer walk for us.
Chopper's still out at sea."
Visibility was now a quarter of a mile but the air was still damp and misty and
with the breeze again picking up again, it was becoming clearer by the minute. A
hour later they rounded the side of High Tor and the signal came in clear.
"We're getting close Charley. The fact that someone is operating the beacon
means that one of them at least is alive. It's pretty steep and slippery down
this bit so we'll have to be extra careful. I'm roping us up and we'll ease each
other down the worst bits." It was indeed a slippery slope and several times the
rope was needed to check them down. It was eight forty-five before they spotted
the group. They sat unmoving, huddled together. Bob shouted. Someone raised an
arm. No one stood. "Not a good sign," Bob thought, "But at least some are
alive."
"We've found them Tony. Eight here. One is missing. They all need medical
assistance. Hypothermia and various injuries. Only one able to stand and he can
hardly walk. How far away are you?"
"Less than a mile. Don't move them until we arrive. Any news on the missing
one?"
"Not yet. Peter is trying to talk with Charley. Hang on she's coming over now."
He passed the phone.
"Hi Tony, this is Charley."
"Hi. Didn't realise Charley was a woman. What the news. They are all sheltering
under a big boulder. Apparently they each went to pee before settling down. In
the fog they were told to keep one hand on the rock so they wouldn't wander off.
Roger never came back. It's only a hundred yards from the edge so perhaps.....?"
"Yeah Charley. I get the picture. Tell Bob, the back-up team is arriving and
I'll get some to check the quarry. Just heard the choppers back in base. It's
got to refuel and then it will be with you. Keep the beacon on."
An hour later the last of the group had been airlifted to hospital and Roger's
battered body was being recovered from the quarry. "You coming down with us?"
Tony asked.
Bob looked at Charley. "I think I would like to stay up here rather than face
all the inevitable questioning. The forecast is pretty good for today so perhaps
the air will clear some of the horror of this away," Charley replied slowly.
"We'll spend the night in the hut and return to the hotel tomorrow. If that's
okay with you Bob?" Bob knew she was very upset over Roger's death although she
didn't know him well. She would need some comforting later when the adrenaline
induced excitement of the rescue faded. He thought he knew the sort of
comforting she wanted or needed.
Early May wasn't a popular time for walkers on Dartmoor, especially as the
weather had been intermittently bad since the middle of April. Bob and Charley
had the hut to themselves. They'd done a ten mile hike but finished early in the
afternoon and returned to the hut, made themselves a proper meal, dried their
clothes and tent. Darkness came but the hut was warm with the wood stove burning
nicely and the Tilley lamp hissing and bathing everything with it yellow-white
light. Bob seemed quiet.
"You worrying about what you should have done to prevent yesterday?" Charley
asked.
"Some but I've been wanting to say sorry to you. Sorry for taking advantage of
you last night. I shouldn't have done it when you were vulnerable and couldn't
refuse."
Charley laughed out loud. "Silly man. I took advantage of you. And I'm going to
do so again now. Come here. I'm going to undress you where I can see you. I only
caught glimpses last night now I want to see as well as feel you. And I want you
to see and feel me too. That's why I wanted to stay here the night. Away from
the hotel. Away from the other two and the worry of phone calls. Sally and
Gallie might be my friends but they will rib me unmercifully about being with
you all night. That can wait till tomorrow. Our mobiles are off. No one is
likely to come this way now. It's warm and cozy and I'm going to undress you."
As good as her word, shortly after Bob was naked in front of her. She pulled his
cock to her mouth and sucked it hard for a few minutes. "Your turn. Undress me."
With shaking hands, Bob performed his task and unasked kissed her breasts.
Charley pulled his head to her and demanded he suckle them. Her nipples became
hard and erect. Slowly she pushed his head lower. Bob knew what she wanted. He
seen it in the videos. Her clit throbbed as he sucked and nipped it. "Fuck me
Bob. Fuck me now!" Charley cried. He did. Throughout the evening they fucked
like rabbits. To Bob it seemed he had to make up for all the wasted years of
making do with his hand. He wanted to try all those things he'd only seen in
pictures. His tongue found its way inside her. Her mouth sucked his cock She
took it into her from the front and back until exhausted they lay down and slept
until morning and nature called them to the outhouse where they sat alongside
each other while their bodies rid themselves of their waste matter. "Let's go
back to bed and do it one more time before we have to head back to reality,"
Charley suggested.
