Freya and the Mountain Radio

Freya’s mother, Ingrid, was a mountain rescuer, and her partner was a big, fluffy dog called Tundra. Tundra’s job was to find people who were lost or hurt on the snowy slopes. With her powerful nose, she could smell a person even under the snow.

One winter weekend, Freya stayed with her mother at the rescue hut high in the mountains. Freya loved the hut, with its warm stove and its maps on every wall. But she did not like the big radio on the desk. When it crackled, her stomach twisted. Talking to strangers, even on a radio, made her feel anxious.

That afternoon, a call came in. A skier had fallen near the frozen lake and could not walk. Ingrid clipped on Tundra’s orange vest. “Stay by the radio, Freya,” she said. “If the helicopter calls, tell them where we are.” Then they disappeared into the white hills.

Freya waited. The clock ticked. Suddenly the radio crackled. “Rescue hut, this is the helicopter. Where is the team?” Freya’s hands shook. She wanted to hide under the desk. Then she remembered how Tundra always kept going, even in deep snow.

Freya picked up the radio and pressed the button. “This is the rescue hut,” she said. Her voice wobbled at first. “The team is at the frozen lake, on the north side.” She looked at the map and added, “Next to the three tall rocks.”

“Thank you, rescue hut. Great job,” said the pilot.

That evening, the skier was safe in hospital with a broken ankle. Tundra was snoring by the stove. Ingrid hugged Freya tightly. “You helped save someone today,” she said. Freya smiled. Next time the radio crackled, she thought, she might even be the first to answer.