Alaskan Ice-Warmers

The four of us had always talked about running through those woods. Every year at the Fourth of July fireworks show at our cabin, one of us would dare another to go in. No one wanted to admit they were scared, so we’d make up some lame excuse.

“My ankle hurts, I think I twisted it going down the stairs.”

“I don’t want to miss the fireworks.”

“I’m too tired, someone else go.”

But now we stood in the opening of the woods, glow sticks and flashlights in hand. We waited for my cousin, Jacob, to make the first move. This was, after all, his idea to begin with. He was the one who created the Alaskan Ice-Warmers, the name of our adventure group, and he was the one who told us there was hidden treasure on the other side of the woods and that this was the year to actually find it. Plus, he was the oldest. If anyone was going to lead us into the dark cavern of branches and tree trunks, it had to be him.

Standing before the mouth of the forest, we began to doubt Jacob’s tale. The trees were tall, taller than any trees I’d seen at home. They were arranged in parallel rows like a haunted cornfield that went on and on forever. It was still bright outside as the sun was just beginning to set, but the canopy of trees prevented any light from slithering in. From here, the woods looked empty and cold. There couldn’t be any treasure on the other side. There was no other side, the trees kept going on and on forever.

Despite our reluctance, we slowly made our way inside. As expected, Jacob was the first one in followed by Reece, Maria, and me. Dead leaves and pine needles crunched under our shoes in the absence of undergrowth. The only living things in these woods were the endless rows of trees. The trunks started to bend down towards us from above as we passed, as if they were watching us and wondering why we entered their home.

The only obstacle we encountered was a small log taking a nap on its side. Silently, we stepped over it and continued on. I don’t think a single word was spoken between the four of us on this walk. The trees were silent, so we decided to do the same.

After about five minutes of walking, we began to see light ahead of us. Sure enough, the trees opened up to a field of prairie grass and wildflowers dancing in the setting sunlight. We stepped into the field amazed at what we discovered. Jacob was right, there was an end to the woods. The treasure, then, had to be here.

A single, lonely tree stood in the middle of the field. It was shorter than the trees we had been walking through, and it seemed to have lost its leaves many years ago. We headed in that direction, our hearts beating faster with every step. We were really going to find hidden treasure where no other person had ever gone before.

About halfway to the lonely tree, Jacob stopped and said, “I have to pee. Don’t go on without me.” He walked off into the tall grass to do his business while the rest of the Alaskan Ice-Warmers groaned and kicked at the ground, eager to reach whatever was inevitably hiding underneath that tree. I stared at its barren limbs and wondered where its leaves went. Why did they fall off and not return? Did it miss them?

As I stood marveling at the tree, the three of us turned our heads at the loud “KOO KOO KATCHOO” coming from Jacob’s direction. This was the Alaskan Ice-Warmer distress call. A second after the call rang through the field Jacob sprinted towards us.

“I heard something. Run!” he called as he ran past the three of us.

We bolted after him, knowing our fearless leader would only ever run from imminent danger. The towering trees swallowed us once again, but this time we weren’t quiet.

“What are we running from?” Reece yelled to Jacob who, by this time, was yards ahead of us.

Instead of answering, Jacob yelled back, “Just RUN!”

So, we ran. We ran over the dead leaves and pine needles, disturbing them from their resting place. We ran and jumped over the sleeping log and down the lines of trees. Because my legs were shorter than everyone else, I soon began to fall behind the pack.

“Tori, catch up!” Maria screamed back at me, but I wasn’t a soccer star like her. I wasn’t ready to be running for my life at seven years old.

The trees loomed over me, watching me in my state of panic as I realized whatever we were running from would catch me first. My heart and mind were racing, and I could feel the sweat dripping down my back. I had to make it out of these woods. I had to catch up.

Even when the trees cleared and we were back to the road, we didn’t stop running until we got to our parents lounging in lawn chairs and drinking beer in colorful koozies.

“How was your adventure?” they asked as soon as we fell to the ground, gasping for air.

Jacob told the story about the field and the lonely tree, and how he heard something charging towards him in the grass. As the story evolved over the years, the sound he heard in the grass took on a bear-like growl.

Since then, the story has been that the Alaskan Ice-Warmers got too close to discovering the bear’s hidden treasure under the lonely tree, and therefore banished us from the woods. It’s a cute story, but not quite what I remember. I don’t remember hearing a bear running after us, in fact, I don’t remember hearing anything chasing us at all. I think it was pure fear that chased us away from the treasure.

After that adventure, we stayed out of the woods. We let the bear keep her treasure, and the Alaskan Ice-Warmers continued on with our adventures until they were all suddenly just fantastical stories told at Jacob’s going-away party, Reece’s college graduation, or Maria’s wedding.

Although all four of us made it out of the woods that night, I don’t think I was ever able to catch up.