Read parts 1-5 here.

Dean showed her how to survive in extreme weather conditions. Her shooting skills improved with practice. She became sufficient in fishing and hunting. When Dean suggested they get a pair of hunting dogs, she had a hard time imagining living on the medium-sized boat with two dogs. Pulling up to the breeder’s home, Nicki saw all the puppies running around the yard, and her heart melted. She’d make it work.

Bailey and Sadie became part of their little family. The puppies were inseparable. Rolling around on the deck, chasing each other the length of the boat, it was a wonder neither one fell overboard into the frigid waters. 

As the dogs got older and bigger, Dean trained them with hand signals and one-word commands. He took them both on hiking treks in the winter, at first, on long rope leads until they understood their range limits. Training the dogs on the lakes and rivers for ice breaks proved tricky, but they were smart and wanted to please their master. Their retrieving skills were impeccably accurate. And whereas most dogs shy away from the sound of a discharging gun, Bailey and Sadie sat upright at attention, waiting for their command to “fetch.”

* * * * *

Nicki and Dean’s life was anything but routine. The summer months were spent out on the water fishing for salmon or halibut. Occasionally Dean and Chuck would charter small groups from Texas or Oklahoma. The winter months, August through December, were spent hunting for caribou, moose, and bear. In between the hunting and fishing, they got together with Chuck and Anne whenever possible.

The first time Nicki heard Dean booking a charter for the coming summer, she became upset. 

“I don’t want strangers sleeping on my boat,” she exclaimed.

“We’re not taking our boat.” Dean walked over to the little window above the galley sink. Pushing the curtain aside, he pointed to the large fishing vessel docked alongside theirs. “See that boat? Chuck and Anne own it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” 

“It was a surprise.” He put his arms around her waist. “See, you live next door to Anne.”

* * * * *

Whereas the charters started out as occasional, Nicki realized fishing was big business in Alaska. She took over the marketing end, and they became more frequent and lucrative. Two years later, Nicki and Dean had saved up enough money to build their own cabin. They purchased a property in Cooper Landing, the halfway point to Chuck and Anne’s house, and the docks. 

The next two years were spent on the design and build. Everyone who knew Chuck and Dean, and had a skill of either plumbing, electrical, or carpentry, came out to help. Nicki and Anne befriended a woman who was an interior designer. She was able to help Nicki use every nook and cranny to her advantage. The result was a unique, cozy cabin with modern conveniences and, best of all, it had space to move around. Nicki was glad to pack up her belongings from the boat and move them permanently to the cabin.

Soon after moving into the completed cabin, Dean proposed. They held the ceremony on their own land with a few of their closest friends. A keg of beer and a bonfire served as their reception party. Anne did all the cooking. 

It was that night, as they sat around the fire pit, some of the men began telling stories of their life in Alaska. Nicki, for the first time, heard about the Alaska Triangle.

“What in the world is the Alaska Triangle?” She laughed.

“No laughing matter, I can tell you. People have gone missing without a trace. You can either believe the stories or not, but when someone you know or love goes missing, it’s hard to ignore the facts.” A guy sitting across from the pit took a gulp of his beer, and someone handed him a joint.

“Here you go, Pete. Suck on this some more.”

Anne, sitting next to Nicki, leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Pete’s brother went missing on a hunting trip back in the ’80s. Never found him.”

“Pete, I’m so sorry. Anne told me your brother went missing. Are you comfortable talking about it?” Nicki asked.

“Sure am. Some of these knuckleheads have heard the story a thousand times…”

“What’s one more?” Some guy in a camo jacket yelled out as he elbowed the guy sitting next to him. 

“The short story is,” began Pete, “he went out before sun up one December morning. It was the last week to hunt bear. He never came back. A few weeks later, some hikers found his dog roaming around the wilderness, almost starved to death. The search party lasted a week. The weather had turned bad, so any tracking was lost. I went out with my Pop, after the thaw, looking for any remains, his gun, his pack, but we found nothin’.”

The group silently waited for Pete to continue.

“My Pop used to tell us never to go out alone. Always bring another person with you. The Indian Folklore about Kushtaka, the land otter man, lures people to their death by taking on a compelling form, a shapeshifter of sorts. We always thought he liked to scare us with those stories. But truth be told, you should never go out there alone. If you trip and sprain your ankle or break a bone, how you gonna get help?” Pete took a long drag off his joint.

“Chuck and I are planning a trek to find the Underground Pyramid next summer,” Dean blurted out.

Nicki looked over at him. “What? Anne, did you know about this?”

“Hell, no.” Anne looked over at Chuck. “When were you boys going to tell us about this trek?”

“When we had the whole thing planned out. In case something was to happen, we would want you to know where to look for us,” explained Chuck.

“In case something was to happen?” Both women said together.

“What is the Underground Pyramid?” Nicki asked, looking at Dean.

“It’s like the Egyptian Pyramids; only it was built thousands of years ago by extra-terrestrials. It’s underground, and, according to legend, the government keeps it a secret.”

Nicki shook her head. “You waited until we were married before telling me you’re crazy?”

“It’s not crazy. Chuck and I have been planning this for years. The charter business is going well. We’re planning to hire a couple of guys this summer so we can take a few weeks off.”

“A few weeks off?” Both women echoed again.

“Well, it looks like the honeymoon is over, fellas. Thanks for a great time, but we gotta be heading out.” Several of the guys got up, slapping Dean and Chuck on the back. A couple of them said, “good luck with this one,” as they headed toward their trucks.

Anne and Nicki cleaned up the kitchen together while Dean and Chuck continued to sit around the fire pit. 

“Think they’re discussing their trek?” Nicki asked.

“Ya think?” Anne was visibly upset. Chuck was never one to keep his plans to himself. “I wonder why he never mentioned this to me?”

“Maybe he knew you wouldn’t approve.”

“And you do?”

“Heck, no. Of all the training I got from Dean, he never once mentioned the Alaska Triangle or these hidden pyramids.”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine, but in the back of my mind, it scares me, too. Over 400,000 people have gone missing in Alaska doing stupid stuff like this. Do I want either of them to fall victim to Alaska’s curse? No, it is my short answer. But I can’t let fear dictate our lives. If this has been a dream of theirs, who am I to tell him not to go?”

Nicki contemplated Anne’s words. “You’re right. Before they go, it will be up to us to ensure their life insurance premiums are paid.”

Anne looked at Nicki in horror. 

“What? I’m joking.”

“Let’s go get our husbands and call it a night.” Both were exhausted from the long day.

* * * * *

After the beans were spilled over their trek, the men spoke openly about their plans during the winter months. 

“At least I’ll have the dogs to keep me company,” she said to Dean one night at dinner. 

“Actually, I’m taking the dogs with me. They’re a great deterrent against bears.”

“You mean, I’ll be here all alone?”

“Anne can come to stay with you, or you can take turns. One week here, one week there,” Dean said as he took a bite of his steak. 

Another detail he forgot to mention, Nicki thought to herself.

* * * * *

The pit in Nicki’s stomach since their wedding night grew as the time approached for the men to leave. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling surrounding her. She became moody. She spent hours in the library reading about the thousands of missing people in Alaska. 

Several facts calmed her nerves, though. Dean was experienced with the Alaskan terrain. Chuck and the dogs would surely protect them if they were attacked by a wild animal. The fact she wouldn’t be aware if anything tragic was to occur until they were overdue coming home bothered her the most.

The night before Dean took off, she made him his favorite dish of enchiladas, then took him to bed. The next morning, he kissed her goodbye and told her he’d see her in two weeks. Dean had given her all the information she would need. He even instructed her on how to use the HAM radio. 

Nicki watched as he backed out the front door. “I love you,” were his last words to her. He closed the door, and the cabin went silent; no dogs were panting, no toenail clicks on the tile floor.

* * * * *

They had been gone a week the night she turned on the High-Frequency HAM radio to 5.1675 MHz, the emergency channel for Alaska. All she heard was static. She took out her stationery and penned her seventh letter to Dean since he had left.

Honey,

I can’t believe you have only been gone for seven days. It seems like a lifetime. I’m sitting here listening to the emergency channel on the radio, as I’ve done every night since you left. The silence is the worse. I miss you, and I miss Bailey and Sadie. I realize I’m being selfish by wanting you here always with me. My love for you is unbearable. I felt safe whenever you’re around and lost when you’re not. 

By now, according to your map and schedule, you should have been able to locate the area of the underground pyramid. I can’t wait to hear all the details. 

When I spoke to Anne today, we both had a good laugh when she told me she didn’t miss Chuck farting in bed every night. She said she was glad to have the reprieve. I told her you probably had a contest judging who’s was the loudest and smelt the worse! 

Seven more days and you’ll be in my arms again. I love you.

N.

She folded the letter, kissed it with red lipstick, and put it in the envelope with the others. Turning out the light, she heard the oddest thing across the static on the radio: “Hiker found near Denali. Send emergency crews. One missing along with two dogs.” Nicki went numb. The phone on the desk started to ring. 

“Honey, have you heard anything?” It was Anne’s voice. Nicki couldn’t speak. “I’m coming over to get you.”