The rugged terrain of the Alaskan Territory provides the setting and character of the short story, The Companion. Jack Raines, a veteran of WWII, settles in Skagway after the death of his mother in Kendall Washington. A loner and a drifter, Jack meets Charlie and they forge a friendship built on their complementary differences. As bush pilots they are fearless but as comrades they are woefully human.
The spirituality of the wilderness and the spiritual nature of death are explored through this friendship and Jack’s personal loss. The beauty of Alaska is made tactile and a major element of this tale.