AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jayme waded into the water and fought to keep his feet under him. The water was moving quickly around his legs. He made it to the car and followed the line that was tied to Tripp. It went under the front of the car, but Tripp was nowhere to be seen.
Jayme reached into the water, barely keeping his head above it; and felt around under the front of the car. Eventually he felt Tripp’s head and shoulder. He grabbed his shirt and pulled, but Tripp didn’t budge. He figured with the rushing water, Tripp would be pushed away from the car; something must be stuck. He slid his hand along the rope tied around Tripp and found that it was caught on something under the car; trapping him there.
He straightened, and screamed for Brendan and Will to let go of the rope. It took them a second to realize what he was saying, but they eventually figured it out and let it go. Jayme saw Brendan immediately pull out his phone. Good. Help would be here soon. He tried pulling Tripp now that they let go of the rope, but he still didn’t move. He reached under the car and tried to get the rope off of where it was snagged; but it was too tight, and he couldn’t get it. The only other thing he could think of was to cut the rope. He pulled his knife from his pocket and reached under the car once again. He sliced through the rope, and as soon as he did; Tripp came free. Jayme dropped the knife. Fuck it, he’d get another one; and grabbed Tripp under his arms. He was lifeless as Jayme pulled him free from under the car.
He glanced back at the shore. How the hell was he going to get him there? He was going to have to put him over his shoulder. The car creaked and inched forward. Shit, he needed to move. He squatted, and hefted Tripp’s dead weight over his shoulder. He then began his trek back to dry land. He moved just in time, because the car decided it wanted to float down river some more.
Brendan and Will waited for him, as he slowly made his way through the thigh deep water. The puppy waited with them as well. He sat obediently next to Will’s boot. When Jayme got close enough, Brendan and Will rushed in to help him. They helped lie him on the ground, so Jayme could assess him. He knew he wasn’t breathing, that was a given. He checked the pulse in Tripp’s neck, but it wasn’t there. He tried his wrist just in case, but he couldn’t find one there either.
Unable to process what that meant, he went into life saving mode. He immediately started chest compressions. After thirty compressions, he did two breathes; then went back to compressions.
“Jayme, let me help,” Brendan said.
“Don’t touch him,” he barked, and continued what he was doing.
Thirty compressions, two breaths, and repeat.
Sirens filled the air, but he ignored them. He wasn’t going to stop. He couldn’t stop. Because if he stopped, then he’d lose Tripp; and he couldn’t lose Tripp.
“Jayme, let the paramedics take over,” Brendan said, and touched his shoulder.
He shrugged him off. “Not until he’s breathing.”
“Come on, Jayme. They need to get him to the hospital,” Will said.
“Guys, you’re gonna have to grab him,” someone he didn’t know said.
He could hear everything, but nothing was really registering. Someone grabbed him under each arm and hauled him back. He fought like a mad man, punching and kicking; screaming for Tripp. He watched as they cut off his shirt and attached pads to his chest; while someone else inserted a breathing tube and hooked up a bag to it. Tripp’s body tensed as the AED that they hooked up to him did its job. Jayme froze and held his breath, as he waited for the paramedic to check for a heart beat.
“We got one, let’s get him loaded,” the paramedic said.
Jayme sagged in relief against Brendan and Will, who were the ones that pulled him away. The ambulance was gone a minute later, siren wailing as it went. Jayme’s heart went with it. His whole world was in the back of that ambulance.
“We have to go. Now,” he rasped, and headed for their truck.
Brendan and Will followed. He slammed the back closed and hopped in the driver’s seat. Brendan stopped by his window.
“Maybe I should drive?”
“Get the fuck in, or I’m leaving you here.”
“Oookay.” Brendan skirted the front of the car and climbed in the passenger seat.
With Will in the back, he peeled out of there; and followed the ambulance to the hospital. Jayme shivered. He was soaking wet, and the adrenaline was starting to fade; making him really cold.
A whining noise from the back seat caught his attention, and he looked in the rear view at Will. “What the fuck was that?” he asked, knowing full well what it was.
