With the doors barricaded, we can finally enjoy a peaceful night. The cold won’t bother us tonight. Only the hum of the batteries can be heard. After dinner, we decided to form three groups for the watchparty while the others slept. Daniel and I will keep an eye on things from midnight onwards.

Exhausted i fall into a deep sleep and get my first good night’s sleep in bed in several days. My mind races, but I feel my strength returning. Around midnight, I’m woken by the first guard: Benjamin and Bill. They were a bit restless. They had heard a commotion. It was coming from outside. In all his foolishness, Bill opened the door to take a look. They saw a large shadow, but nothing else. Then they heard a walkie-talkie ringing with the words “Site” and “Pressure.” It’s unclear what this meant.

I hadn’t panicked yet and went to sit in the corner next to Daniel, who started shouting in alarm: “He’s coming.” The same thing that was written on the pipeline next to where we’d found pilot Sjoerd. I tried to calm him down by letting him tell about Earth First. But he was to panicked. We have to keep an eye on him. He could crack under the pressure at any moment. An uneventful watch would help, despite the power going out at 1:30 a.m. and hearing a loud commotion. A cable hitting something. Daniel hid in the corner and did not say anything. Only using my torch to check the doors and our surroundings.

At 4:00 a.m., we woke Arwen and Amanda. Told them about what happened. With the batteries down it started getting colder. But not freezing thanks to the insulation in he room. Just when I thought I was asleep, a huge commotion erupted from the roof. Someone or something was on the roof. We could all hear it. Only Arwen heard it a little more. She heard someone calling her name. Not that I heard anything or anyone else. It must have been the wind. It must have been her nerves.

Our usual routine worked perfectly. Up at 8:00 a.m., we had breakfast, and then set a plan. Further exploration of the buildings. I went with Amanda and Daniel to Engineering to get the power back on.

Just as we stepped outside, Arwen saw large footprints, already slightly blurred by the snow. It was something with a foot size of 24 and a stride of 5 feet. Not something you want to face alone. We move on. Each team has a walkie-talkie and keeps each other informed. Arriving at engineering, everything seems untouched. The generator has gone into power-saving mode, causing the batteries to fail. This often happens when no one checks the generator. There was still power. We heard from the search party that the TV and other small appliances were still on in the personnel room. We decided to meet at the wastewater facility. We updated each other there. Another body had been found in the personnel quarters, along with a note that they had been attacked by Yetis. So, finally. There’s the proof. Along with the photos of the footprint, I can prove what happened. There’s supposed to be another survivor who was taken by the Yetis. Perhaps to the arc site. Because we found a stone depicting a human sacrifice, along with something coming through a portal.

We needed to make a plan. I decided to fix the radio. The others would go to the garage to get the snowmobile ready. During the preparations Benjamin found a box of dynamite here, which was probably intended to seal off the arc site.

Repairing the radio was very easy. If only that were the case for the conversation. We contacted the Coast Guard in Juno. Because of the storm, they couldn’t send anyone immediately. Not until tomorrow, if the weather was good. Although Amanda insisted, they refused to risk flying now.

We got to the garage and stepped into the snowmobile. The road to Telegraph Creek was mostly flattened. And the ride was going smoothly. But first we had to get to the arc site to see if the survivor Anna is still there. Maybe she can tell us more.
I wish I had checked the snowmobile. It had been sabotaged. Just before arriving, the engine sputtered and stopped working. Repair was impossible in the outdoor. We had to continue on foot. Luckily, it wasn’t a long walk, and we soon saw the outline of the entrance. We heared a scream from the cave and then someone running away. It’s Daniel. His nerves have given out. There’s nothing more we can do. We have to go into the cave. It could be Anna. Along the way, we find all sorts of clothes, tools, wallets. What happened here? More screaming. We descend into the cave.

The fight with the bear left Amanda injured. We put bandages on her wounds and give her some painkillers, but it is clear that she needs a rest to regain her strength. We make a fire to get warm and eat some of our moose. Arwen and Harold take first watch to let Amanda and me get some sleep. 

The storm built up fast after sunset. By the time Harold and I took first watch, snow was coming down in thick, wet sheets. Every hour, the drifts grew another half foot, closing in around the camp. We used our hands, shovels, even a mess tin to keep the entrance clear, but it barely mattered — the snow just kept coming.

There wasn’t much talking. Too cold. Too tired. Just the sound of wind, the low groan of the pipeline, and once, something that sounded like a howl from the trees.

We we’re focused on the ferocious wind and layers of snow which was building up before our campsite.Every hour there was an extra layer of 6 inch thick snow. We had to make sure the entrance to our Iglo was not blocked. We started shoveling snow away with everything we could find. But this did not go well. It was sticky and because of the wind we could could only see the pile of snow growing larger.

We had no choice but to wake up Benjamin. Amanda needed her rest. Benjamin was still exhausted. But he was the best guy for this work. Together with him the three of us cleared the entrance of snow for the most part. We let Benjamin rest for a while before it was his time for second watch. Arwin and me we’re still outside and heard a loud howl coming from the treeline. Probably the wind which resonated through the pipeline. Nothing to worry about.

Amanda and me take the second watch. Amanda was feeling better and was able to help me with the shoveling of the snow. But ones outside the iglo we suddenly hear a strange an eerie cry from the woods and almost immediately after a big rock falls down near our iglo. What the fuck is that….. Then more rocks are coming from the sky. Amanda tries to avoid them but two graze her shoulder. She is bruised heavily and is crying with pain. Where do these rocks come from? After six impact it stops as suddenly as it began. Still aware of the danger, we work on and keep shoveling snow.

After our first watch Arwin and me went to sleep. I slept soundly. With all the noise from the wind it was almost if i was back home in Dawson. But then again i heard a shout. Then several more times. It was Amanda. I stepped out of the Iglo and there she was screaming in pain. Someone or something had thrown a rock against her. When i looked around there were six rocks 20 inches in diameter laying in the snow. Benjamin and Arwin told them they heard howling and then the rocks started flying towards them. Amanda’s shoulder was badly hurt. But nothing we could fix with our first aid kit.

Then we all heard howling further away. It was coming from the north. From the pumping station and where we had to go next thing in the morning.

The storm had passed and a new day began.  We talked about the howling, the rocks and the fact that we we’re exhausted. Today we had to reach the pumping station. No matter what. After a heavy breakfast of moosemeat we started walking again. The snow was thick and we moved forward very slow. Afer some miles we had a better view of what was ahead. The pipeline and an forest. An evergreen forest with little snow. We had to take that path. Any other route would take more time. But since the events of last night we we’re more alert.  According to the map it would only be two miles before we would reach our destination. We stepped forward and then our courage sank. Arwin saw it first: a body. Of someone we knew: Jarod the pilot. His body was emaciated. He was hanging by his entrails on the pipeline above us. Who could have done this. This is one of the most horrid things i ever saw. Then Arwin bumped in to me and pointed at some scribling on the pipeline. It was written in blood. Not English but some chant. Written in Aklo. It said: ” He is coming”. The rest of the text i was unable to decipher.

This did not happened long ago. We had to move quickly and  look for help. We decided to step into the forest. only after a few feet we heard nothing: no wind, no animals. Only our breathing. Amanda went in front. The further we went tracks appeared. Human footsteps. Six of them going north. Had help arrived after i shot the flaregun last night !

Did they know we we’re here. We picked up the pace and a sense of relief was building up. But this was temporary. In the middle of a clearing in the forest there was a camp. Not a forward camp of Exxon. It was an ” Earth First”  camp. These is a group of environmentalists which opposed the building of the pipeline. But the camp was destroyed. All around we’re tents ripped apart, earth first banners and blood. Lots of blood and limbs. Everybody was torn apart. This was not something human. This was something different. We started to look around if we could find anything of value which would indicate what happened. Best place to look for was in the tent with had some electrical gear. Probably the command center. When i looked around i found a Journal. It had a few entries about thhe journey to the forest and the plans they had to block the pipeline: they would chain themselves to the pipeline. Reading further there was something else. I did not expect this. It was talk about the Urayals. A mythical beast related to the Sasquath. It described them as tall creatures with no facial features apart from piercing blue eyes. Which they used to hypnotise deer and elk. No talk about that they attaked humans.

Then i heard Benjamin. He found a camera. It was still working. The Earth First group already made some recordings. Mostly about building of the camp and the plans to block the pipeline. But there was something else. A large figure in the woods. Nobody saw it. It was tall and had very long arms. A Urayal ? Had they have something to do with the slaughter. And of the nightly attack on us.

Then Amanda came towards us. Behind her was a young man who we did not see before. His name was Bill and he was the cameraman hired by Earth First to make recording of the environmental action. He said he had been hiding in a cave for three or more days when the attacks started. He could not tell us much about what happened and how did this. He did have a lot of ” Ready to Eat” meals. So we did not have to worry about getting hungry. My belly started aching. The last thing i was thinking about was food. It was best to leave this place and go towards a safe place.

After another mile we reached a clearing and we could see the Pumping station. The lights we’re off. There was no activity in the station. Normally you would see personell busy with maintenance or going out to check on the pipeline. Nothing. Only two gates which we’re ripped apart and some building where the doors we’re open. Not a smart thing to do with this cold.

When we stepped into the compound we could see the office building close to us. Best to check there. If something was going on we could find answers there.Bill and Arwen would stay behind and guard the main entrance.

When we stepped inside. Everything was a mess. Broken desks, chairs ripped apart. It was a complete mess. The only thing that was still in it’s place was the couch… with a body. It had a hole in his head and a gun beside him. What could this be. We decided to go up to the manager’s office.. Luckily this room was tidy and everything looked normal. But here also the same thing. Apparently the manager had shot himself with a weapn. In his pocket there was little note which said he was sorry and he had to do this to save “us” all.

We moved the chair away and searched the room. I could see lights flickering under the desk. So there was still power. The computer still worked. Luckily the password was not difficult to guess. The manager had a thing for tropical locations. Hopefully we could find more information about what had happened. We did. But not something you would expect.

There was a lot of email traffic between the pump station manager Roger O’Connor and the Exxon chief for British Columbia Dan Walters. A few weeks ago the team from Exxon found a cave which contained a very old structure. They dubbed it: Arcsite #31. When we read this Amanda also revealed they found some maps in the EF  camp with AcrSite#31 on it. During a landslide a cave was exposed which contained a structure from before the last ice age according to an Archeologist. Exxon tried to cover this up because if this was going to go public the Pipeline could not be activated. But somehow the news got out. 

It would be big news. They had found a pyramid like structure. But it was more of a sacrificial site. There were a lot of skeletons and bones. Their price was a large animal skull. The investigators took this with them to Pumping Station #31 to be boxed up and sent to Telegraph Creek.
Not shortly after they found the dead body of G. Davidson north of the pumping station. A suspicious death. And also talk of an Obsidian Disc. After this i logged off the computer and talked with the Amanda and Benjamin about what to do next. We had to prepare for the evening and find a place to sleep. The station should have enough supplies for us to stay here for a while. Luckily the managers office was connected to the storage building. Everything here looked intact apart from a box with radio parts. Probably someone wanted to build or repair a radio. We walked back to Arwin and Bill and discussed about what to do next. It was obvious. Our main goal was the garage. Sure enough when we entered we could see two snowcats and a large box behind of the snowcats. The box was prepped for transport. It already had all required labels. When we opened the crate it it revealed a large animal skull which somehow resembled something human ? It gave us an eerie feeling and somehow the thought we we’re not alone.

We had to make plans for the night and next day. Luckily one of the snowcats was intact and had enough gas to take us a long way to Telegraph Creek. We decided to split up. Amanda and me would investigate the pum building while the others would check the maintenance shack and personel quarters. The outer doors on the pump building were intact. When we stepped through we a warm room. The battery room was heavy insulated. It was almost soundproof and was a comfortable 18 degrees. The door to the toolroom was unhinged. Someone had smashed through it. Luckily it was repairable. Finally some luck. In the toolroom there was a stairs to the radioshack. Amanda went first. When we got our first view of the shack it was horrible. Blood, guts, broken machinery. I could not hold it anymore and threw up almost immediatly. Unlucky for Amanda. She was standing in front of me and it threw up all over her clothes. This made the situation only worse. i had to sit down to get my bearings. Amanda checked the shack. She came back with two working walkie-talkies. We waited for a while to calm our senses. Amanda tried to clean up but the smell was lingering in the room.

It was late in the afternoon and we had not decided where to stay for the night. Probably the personel quarters was the best choice. When we met the others we met a new companion. Daniel Baxter from Earth First. He fled to the pumping station after the attack and had hidden in one of the bunkrooms for at least three days. He had the same story as Bill but also told there was something hunting him. It came back every night and was clearly looking for survivors. The others told us all doors were smashed and it was not safe to sleep in the personel quarters. Our best bet was the battery room. It had intact outer doors and was warm. We could repair the inner door and then hold up for the next night. 

When the sun is up, the snowing has stopped. We all are awake and after a good breakfast discus how to move on to the pumping station. Should we follow the pipeline or go trough the forest a much quicker way. In the evergreen forest the snow wasn’t very thick so we could move quickly and it is a short cut. So through the forest it is. There is still a hauling and ghastly wind blowing, and the trees should give us some shelter.

When we pass the pipeline we see something hanging from it, or better someone. It was a bloody corps hanging down from his own intestines. His face is a horrifying mask of fear. When we came closer we saw it was Jarred our pilot. Harold sees strange signs written in blood on the pipeline near the body. He recognizes it as symbols from an arcane language called Aklo. He can’t not decipher everything. But he reads one line. “He is coming”.

What is happening in this cold end of the world where stones are falling from the sky and strange noises are heard in the night, and now this horrible site of Jarred hanging from the pipeline. We need to get to the pumping station as soon as possible before what ever put Jarred up there would hang us next to him.

We walk into the forest where it is unnaturally quiet. The only sound we hear are our own footsteps. The trees give us cover but also a limited visibility. After we cover some distance and despite the snowfall we suddenly see footprint of about six people that had also come this way en were heading towards the pumping station. We follow their footsteps and stumbled upon a campsite, or at least what is left of it. It is completely shattered. We see tents torn to shreds and there is blood en limbs everywhere. We are horrified by this gruesome site. We quickly look around to see if there is still danger lurking around and maybe find some clue of what could have happened.

Harolds finds a journal with notes about a mythical beast called the Urayal. It isdescribed as a tall creature with piercing eyes, but not known for attacking people. I find a filmingdevice and we can look back at the footage. The footage shows that the people of the campsite are people of Earth Firtst, an environmental group who want to stop the pipeline en protest against the pumping station. Looking closely at the footage we see a tall figure between the trees. We can’t see what it was, it was to unclear, but it looked nonhuman.

Amanda finds a cave nearby where the only survivor is hiding. It is Bill the cameraman. He is not part of the Earth First but was hired ro record everything. He tells us that some creature, looking like a big bear, attacked the campsite. Fear is still in his eyes when he’s telling us what had happened and how he got away by hiding in the cave. He begs us to let him come with us, and we can leave him behind on his own, so we let him tag along at least until we get to the pumping station. The campsite still has some canned food and we take everything that is still useful with us.
When we arrive at the pumping station, we see that the fence is bend and torn apart, like some one went through it with force. We go through and look around but there is no one to be seen. This is strange, normally it should have been busy wth people working and walking around. But it looks empty, no people around and the silence is deafening. A shiver goes down my spine. There is something very wrong here. But because we have no other option then to go on, we go and check out the offices first. In the main office we find a dead man. Near him there is some sort of disc with strange signs on it. I show it to Harold but he doesn’t recognize the disc nore the signs on it. We also find two maps that can help us navigate through the station.

In the managers office we see another dead mean. This man appeared to have killed himself with a revolver, a Colt Magnum.375 and 5 ammo. There is nothing we can do for this man anymore so we leave him there but take the weapon and the ammo with us. Who knows it could come in handy. The man also has a note in his pocket. The computer was still on and could have more information. After a few attempts Arwen cracks the password and Harold scans through the data for usefull information. He finds that the last emails are about a cave with bones and a very big skull of a head.

Still hoping to find people alive, we look further. We don’t find people but we do find a big crate with radio parts in the Bulk storage and in the garage we find two snow cats. They were clearly trying to repair one of them but the other is still operational. There is also a big crate with fragile written on it, per-approved by costums. The crate contains the big skull that was mentioned in the email.

We decide to split up to cover more grounds quickly. Arwen, Bill and I go to the personal quarters and the coldroom. We see clothes for the cold outside. There is also a first aid kit, fire starters, a signaling mirror, a survival knife and a flair gun with 4 flairs. We take everything with us. In the bunckroom it is dark. Looking in with a flashlight, Arwen sees and smells a young man who has befouled himself. He is shivering with fear. “They are coming to find us”. “The have her”. He keeps whispering.
When Bill comes in he calls out in surprise “Daniël” Is that you “Daniël”. Turns out Bill knows Daniël Baxter. He is also from Earth First. While Bill and Daniël reunite, I look further and find an unsend letter from a woman named Anna Levesque to Maddox. Anna Levesque s the governor inspector to oversee when the pipeline can be operational. I also see Polaroid with an image of what looks like the entrance of some sort of cave. I put both in my pocket to look at it later.

We regroup and not only Daniël but Harold also smells terible. In his hair there is wommit with little bits of moose meat in it. We saw a showerroom earlier with warm running water, and we all take a well deserved shower there. Daniël and Harold go first because no one can stand the smell of them.

It feels good to feel warm and clean again. Here are plenty of clean clothes around for Daniël and Harold. Because it gets dark soon and we wont be able to reach Telegraph Creek today we decide to spend the night in the battery room. There it is warm en soundproof. So what ever is out there it can’t hear us. To make sure it is save we also take a look in the pump room. There we see that the hatch of the pump house is damaged and open. This must have been done by several men because it needs supernatural power to do this alone. Bill and Daniël say they know nothing about this. So it isn’t the work of the First Earthers, but what could it have been.

We close the hatch en barricade everything and hope we have a save night. I have no doubt that te morning will bring us more danger.