I Am Alive

Beard frozen, hands numb, legs jelly, lungs on fire. “Where the **** did she go?” I cast my head wildly about, searching for Selena. Last I saw, she was at the edge of binocular range, but climbing. The telemetry receiver came off my back and gave me a solid beep. She was up there in that bright, cloudless blue…somewhere. There! A blinking white light, the sun shining off her breast. “God, I love this bird” I said under my breath. Perfectly in position, I knew the covey of huns was just over the next rise. “Crunch, crunch, crunch, ha! Ha!” The covey exploded at my feet. Selena tucked and gave a couple pumps to build up speed. The covey crossed the valley and was headed up the opposite hillside. “Pop-crunch!” She bounced one off the crusty snow and tail-chased the rest of the covey

to safety. The one she hit started to gather its senses and hop-skip its way to cover. She pitched up after putting the rest of the covey into cover and spotted him trying to sneak away. Caught. Beard frozen, hands numb, legs jelly, lungs on fire. I am alive.