Read Online Critical Dawn by Colin F. Barnes, Darren Wearmouth - Free Book Online
Authors: Colin F. Barnes, Darren Wearmouth
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shallow breaths. “I thought I was going to die …”
“It’s okay, buddy, don’t talk. Conserve your strength. I’m going to help get you out and put this harness on. You’ll be lifted out of here. You’re going to make it. Just squeeze my hand if I hurt you, okay?”
Luke nodded gently and squeezed his hand.
Before Charlie started excavating him from the debris, Charlie informed the others. He could feel the relief over the radio.
“Okay, I’ll go slow,” Charlie said as he lowered himself until he straddled the boy. With his free hand, he started to shift the clods of earth from around the boy’s arms and legs. He made quick progress, but Luke hadn’t moved a muscle.
Paralysis, Charlie thought. He could have broken his back.
For a brief moment, he wondered if it was such a good idea getting the harness on him, but with the rumbles getting louder beneath him, he didn’t think he’d have enough time to get an EMT down there to assess him properly.
Charlie made a judgment call: he’d get the kid out and worry about the rest later. It was better he took him out alive and injured than leave him to die.
“I’m just going to let go of your hand for a moment, buddy. I need to get this harness on you. Just nod or make a noise if I’m hurting you.”
Luke did just that, nodding and making a breathy, squeaking noise that sounded like, “Do it.”
Each moment felt like a lifetime as Charlie worked on freeing the boy. He could feel the vibrations of the rumble below travel up his legs.
Five minutes later, or what felt like five years, Charlie had managed to clear enough debris from him that he could slip the harness over Luke’s legs and waist. He attached the ropes and various safety gear and applied tension to test the connections. It was solid.
Luke didn’t budge or make a noise.
“Can you grip the rope?” Charlie said, handing it to him.
The boy’s grip was weak, but he’d only need it to stop himself from falling backwards as they hoisted him up.
“Good lad. This might hurt, but it’ll only be for a short while, and you’ll be back on the surface. Try and keep hold of the rope as they lift you up, okay?”
“Okay,” Luke said. “Thank you.”
Charlie stood back and reached for the two-way radio, readying to call up to the others. But the surface beneath him rocked and shook, making him drop the radio.
He lost his balance and fell backwards, cracking the back of his head against the rocky surface. He slumped forward as pain bloomed in his skull, making him see white flashes.
Before he knew it, the dirt below dropped away in a roar that made his ears pop. The pressure changed, and below him, watching in horror, the remaining debris fell away into a dark void.
The harness gripped around his legs and waist as he swung out, his weight making the rope twang with the sudden tension.
Luke yelped as he too tensioned against his rope. His grip failed him, and he fell backwards, his limbs flailing. The harness held him to the rope, but his eyes flashed wide with sudden terror.
“Oh shit,” Charlie said, “Hold on, Luke. I’m coming.”
With a twist of his body and pushing off against the hole, Charlie sent himself swinging out to the center of the hole, reaching out for Luke. He grabbed him by the arm and helped lift him upright.
“Grab the rope,” Charlie said as he helped direct the kid’s hands. “Are you hurt?”
“I can’t feel my back or my legs,” Luke said, his eyes closing tight.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here.”
Charlie looked up to the hole and was about to shout up when he heard another roar from beneath him.
This time, it was different. It wasn’t the sound of earth falling but rather something mechanical. When he looked down, he saw a belch of smoke bubble up. It made him choke and cough. The white smoke continued to fill the hole, tightening his throat so he couldn’t yell out.
And in the smoke, gaining on them, a large, metallic object
“It’s okay, buddy, don’t talk. Conserve your strength. I’m going to help get you out and put this harness on. You’ll be lifted out of here. You’re going to make it. Just squeeze my hand if I hurt you, okay?”
Luke nodded gently and squeezed his hand.
Before Charlie started excavating him from the debris, Charlie informed the others. He could feel the relief over the radio.
“Okay, I’ll go slow,” Charlie said as he lowered himself until he straddled the boy. With his free hand, he started to shift the clods of earth from around the boy’s arms and legs. He made quick progress, but Luke hadn’t moved a muscle.
Paralysis, Charlie thought. He could have broken his back.
For a brief moment, he wondered if it was such a good idea getting the harness on him, but with the rumbles getting louder beneath him, he didn’t think he’d have enough time to get an EMT down there to assess him properly.
Charlie made a judgment call: he’d get the kid out and worry about the rest later. It was better he took him out alive and injured than leave him to die.
“I’m just going to let go of your hand for a moment, buddy. I need to get this harness on you. Just nod or make a noise if I’m hurting you.”
Luke did just that, nodding and making a breathy, squeaking noise that sounded like, “Do it.”
Each moment felt like a lifetime as Charlie worked on freeing the boy. He could feel the vibrations of the rumble below travel up his legs.
Five minutes later, or what felt like five years, Charlie had managed to clear enough debris from him that he could slip the harness over Luke’s legs and waist. He attached the ropes and various safety gear and applied tension to test the connections. It was solid.
Luke didn’t budge or make a noise.
“Can you grip the rope?” Charlie said, handing it to him.
The boy’s grip was weak, but he’d only need it to stop himself from falling backwards as they hoisted him up.
“Good lad. This might hurt, but it’ll only be for a short while, and you’ll be back on the surface. Try and keep hold of the rope as they lift you up, okay?”
“Okay,” Luke said. “Thank you.”
Charlie stood back and reached for the two-way radio, readying to call up to the others. But the surface beneath him rocked and shook, making him drop the radio.
He lost his balance and fell backwards, cracking the back of his head against the rocky surface. He slumped forward as pain bloomed in his skull, making him see white flashes.
Before he knew it, the dirt below dropped away in a roar that made his ears pop. The pressure changed, and below him, watching in horror, the remaining debris fell away into a dark void.
The harness gripped around his legs and waist as he swung out, his weight making the rope twang with the sudden tension.
Luke yelped as he too tensioned against his rope. His grip failed him, and he fell backwards, his limbs flailing. The harness held him to the rope, but his eyes flashed wide with sudden terror.
“Oh shit,” Charlie said, “Hold on, Luke. I’m coming.”
With a twist of his body and pushing off against the hole, Charlie sent himself swinging out to the center of the hole, reaching out for Luke. He grabbed him by the arm and helped lift him upright.
“Grab the rope,” Charlie said as he helped direct the kid’s hands. “Are you hurt?”
“I can’t feel my back or my legs,” Luke said, his eyes closing tight.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here.”
Charlie looked up to the hole and was about to shout up when he heard another roar from beneath him.
This time, it was different. It wasn’t the sound of earth falling but rather something mechanical. When he looked down, he saw a belch of smoke bubble up. It made him choke and cough. The white smoke continued to fill the hole, tightening his throat so he couldn’t yell out.
And in the smoke, gaining on them, a large, metallic object
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