An Emergency within an Emergency

by Shirley Ann Burton

When five college campers get trapped in a forest fire with little or no hope, it's International Rescue to the rescue. Please R & R.

An Emergency within an Emergency

By: Shirley Burton

(Originally published in Collision Course Issue 3, Spring 1997)

The date was July 17, 2026. The sun was beginning to rise on the southeast side of Tracy Island, which meant it was going to shine directly into Kyrano's quarters. Feeling the sun's warmth on his face, Kyrano woke up smiling. He pulled himself out of bed and put on his sandals.

Meanwhile, Gordon quietly walked out of Virgil 's room and was sneaking down the hallway when he saw Kyrano walk out of his room. "Morning, Kyrano," he whispered theatrically.

"Good morning, Gordon. What is the practical joker trying to do this time?"

"I've set Virgil's clock-radio to give him a little alarm call," replied Gordon, grinning broadly, "and it should go off any time now."

Gordon and Kyrano waited, and sure enough, thirty seconds later the radio in Virgil's quarters sounded off, playing the 1975 classic song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. It was just beginning to get to the loudest part of the song with the electric guitar playing the loud chords.

Virgil ran out screaming and laughing hard, and upon seeing Gordon he yelled, "I'll get you for that, goofbrain!"

Everyone else in the luxury home heard Virgil, and they opened their doors to find out what was happening.

"Hey," Jeff said in a gruff tone, "what the heck's going on here?"

As Virgil started to chase Gordon around the house, Kyrano filled Jeff in on the details.

Virgil and Gordon ran outside and around the swimming pool, but soon Virgil had his younger brother cornered as Gordon was forced to step on the diving board. "Give me a loud wake-up call, would you?" asked Virgil, holding his arms out as if he were about to push someone.

Realizing he was running out of board Gordon said, "Now wait a minute. You wouldn't do this to somebody who just woke up, would you?"

"That depends on the person who pulled the joke."

Alan and Tin-Tin were first to spot the action. "Oh, no!" Tin-Tin exclaimed. "It looks as though Gordon's going to get wet."

"With one small push," added Alan, "you could be right."

Gordon was down to his last step and with one small push by Virgil, he fell into the water.

The rest of the family came along to see the end result of Gordon's latest gag. They all started laughing when he popped his head above the surface of the water.

Virgil walked up to the rest of the group and said, "I should have known Bohemian Rhapsody was on the air."

Gordon, in his now wet pajamas, came along and said, "Are you kidding? I had no idea about that song playing on the radio. Talk about lucky."

"T-That's a true one-in-a-million shot," said Brains. "How many times c-can someone be awakened by the loudest point of that c-classic?"

"That's a good point," Scott said. "It may never happen again."

"Oh, well," Jeff said happily, "since we're already up and running, we may as well have Kyrano cook breakfast."

"Good idea," said Gordon. "That should give me enough time to dry off from my backfired joke."

"Oh, it didn't backfire," Virgil said. "It was just a twist of bad luck with that song."

Everyone walked back into the house smiling because Kyrano was about to prepare another good meal. Also, by the way the sun was shining, it looked as though the day would be all smiles.

In the meantime, over ten thousand miles away in the southeastern United States, the high noon sun was hitting a group of college friends who were on a summer hiking trip at Cheaha State Park in Alabama. The day was typical of an Alabama summer day: very hot and humid. Fortunately for the group, they were more than prepared for the weather with food and plenty of water.

Leading the group of five friends was a handsome young man named Sam Wilson. Standing more than six feet, he was easily the tallest member of the bunch. He had just graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He had studied to become an architect, but after four long years he wanted to take some time off from the hard work. "I just love nature trips, don't you?"

"You bet!" said Lainie, Sam's younger sister. Attending the same university from which her brother had graduated, and only a year behind, she had exceptional talents, including a black belt in karate, a pair of silver medals at the previous summer's Alabama Sports Festival, and a lot of vigorous energy. She was also in the English Honors Program at UAB.

The third person involved was Reggie Gonzalez, an exchange student from Peru. Learning to speak perfect English as a child, he had no trouble communicating with his friends. Resting from his studies as a nursing major he was truly enjoying himself. "This is great, mis amigos! I love going back to nature."

"I think it's so important to understand the natural world," said Eric Mayers, "before we lose it all under concrete." Eric was an environmental science major at Faulkner University. He was an enthusiastic proponent of 21st Century neo-ecology.

The fifth and last member of the group was a shy, quiet young woman who had had trouble making friends until she met Sam, Lainie, Reggie, and Eric. Her name was Shelley Berndon, and she was a mass communications major at Auburn University at Montgomery. She had high hopes about becoming either a radio broadcaster/producer or a television anchorwoman. In the last five years, though, this brown-eyed, brown-haired girl had suffered from "anxiety attacks," resulting in her heart rate accelerating to a dangerous level, even when she was resting. Fortunately, her spells in the last three months lasted for only a few seconds. The only setback was that she was considerably weakened, but she wouldn't allow that problem to stop her from enjoying life, hence her trip into the forest. "Whew!" she exclaimed. "It's really hot today. A rainstorm would really help us right now."

"Shelley's right," said Sam. "It hasn't rained in over two months. Just a little rain would cool us off."

Of course, the only way to cool off in Alabama during the hot summer was by means of afternoon thunderstorms. With the Gulf of Mexico providing the moisture, it would not take too much warmth to bring the rough weather to the area. This day was no exception, as the sky was already darkening.

"Oh, boy," Lainie said, feeling uneasy. "We need to get back to our cabin before it starts raining on us."

Eric agreed. "A summer shower around here is more like a gullywasher, and flash-flooding can happen."

Reggie had something else in mind. "I'm more concerned about lightning strikes. Since the trees are so dry one lightning bolt could easily start a forest fire."

Sam calmly said, "Well, we shouldn't take any chances, so we might as well go back."

They all turned around and started walking north toward the cabin that they had rented for the weekend. Everything was going well on their walk back, that is, until a lightning bolt came out of the sky and struck a tree just to the right of the trail only fifty feet behind the group! The tree suddenly caught fire and split in two right down the middle. When the two sides hit the trees next to them, they too caught fire, and within seconds the area behind the group had become a huge conflagration.

The five hikers knew that they had to run as quickly as they could back to their fire-resistant cabin. For nearly fifteen minutes they jogged non-stop, trying to escape the forest fire.

At last Shelley saw their objective. "I can see it! Go for it, hurry!" They all made it safely inside, just as the flames started surrounding the cabin.

In their safe haven Reggie had a suggestion. "We must call the ranger station. It's our only chance to get help." Lainie agreed to the idea and picked up the cabin telephone.

At the ranger station ten miles away, Chief Ranger Richard Wallace noticed the fire. With horror he realized it was in the same region where he knew the five students were staying. He heard the telephone ringing and quickly picked up the receiver. "Ranger station, Chief Ranger Wallace speaking."

"Chief Ranger Wallace, this is Lainie Wilson. We're staying in the cabin ten miles from your station—"

"Say no more, Miss Wilson. I already know that you're all trapped there. I suggest that you all stay in that fire-resistant cabin. I'll do the best I can to get help for you."

"Thank you, sir. We'll stay here."

When Chief Ranger Wallace hung up the telephone, he knew he had to do something, but there was one major problem. The state budget in 2007 had gotten so bad that the govemor had no choice but to eliminate the use of helicopters and planes that had been used to extinquish forest fires. He realized that the only hope for the five hikers was to put out a call on the short-wave radio.

In geostationary orbit 25,000 miles above the Earth was the heart of International Rescue communication system. First to be involved in executing the dramatic rescues, Thunderbird Five was capable of picking up all kinds of distress signals.

John Tracy had returned from his monthly break on Earth only two days ago, and now the auto-alarm drew his attention to the first emergency call since his return: "Calling International Rescue," a voice said. "Calling International Rescue. This is an emergency."

John activated the tape recorder to pick up every word, and then pressed the "send" button on Thunderbird Five's powerful radio transmitter. "This is International Rescue. Please identify yourself and describe the nature of the emergency."

"International Rescue! Thank God! This is Chief Ranger Richard Wallace at Cheaha State Park in Alabama. A forest fire has broken out here, and it's spreading very rapidly. The immediate concem is the safety of five young people who are trapped the middle of the fire. They are safe for now in the fire-resistant cabin, but the air is getting very hot and they may run out of oxygen. Please send help!"

"Stay calm, Ranger Wallace," responded John. "Help is on its way." He wasted no time in getting the rest of the family into action. "Central control from Thunderbird Five, come in please."

Jeff had just walked into the lounge when he saw the eyes of John's portrait light up. He took his seat at his desk and spoke into the microphone. "Go ahead, son."

"Father, there's an emergency situation at Cheaha State Park in Alabama." John described the situation.

Within minutes everyone had gathered in the lounge as Jeff discussed the plan of action. "Scott, take Brains with you in Thunderbird One. Set up the mobile control unit at the ranger station, ten miles east of that cabin."

"Yes, sir," Scott said. "Come on, Brains."

As Scott and Brains started to leave, Jeff turned to Virgil and Alan. "I want both of you to take the Firefly in Pod 5 to the danger zone. Be very careful as the fire is spreading rapidly. Land Thunderbird Two immediately south of the edge of the fire in the nearest clearing."

"Yes, sir," they said in unison.

"All right," Jeff said. "We're ready. Thunderbirds Are Go!"

As International Rescue sprung into action, the five people in the cabin were beginning to wonder if they were going to escape safely.

Unfortunately, things got more complicated when Shelley began to breathe heavily; she placed her left hand on her chest.

Eric was first to notice her sitting down in a chair. "Are you okay, Shelley?"

"I don't think so," she responded, panting with every breath. "I think I'm having another anxiety attack."

Lainie said, "Maybe it's just the excitement of the situation."

"Sure," added Eric. "It'll be over in a few minutes."

"I sure hope you're right, Eric," Shelley replied, "but I have had some long-lasting ones."

Thunderbirds One and Two were over coastal California when Scott contacted his father. "Our estimated time of arrival at Cheaha is thirty minutes."

"F.A.B., Scott. I'll let you know if anything else develops."

"Right, Dad."

Fifteen minutes after Shelley began to suffer from her attack of anxiety, she was still not feeling well, and she was weakening considerably.

"I'd better check her heart rate," Reggie said. He knealt by her and gently took her wrist. Using his watch he timed her pulse. Eventually he looked up. "Her heart rate is well over two hundred beats per minute!"

"This is more than a run-of-the-mill panic attack, said Lainie.

"I agree," said Reggie. "Our only chance is to call the ranger." He picked up the cabin telephone.

Ranger Wallace was looking through his binoculars, hoping that Intemational Rescue would arrive soon. When his phone rang, he grew worried that another cabin was in trouble. Faithful to his job, however, he picked up the receiver and calmly said, "Ranger station, Chief Ranger Wallace speaking."

"Sir, this is Reggie Gonzalez, one of the five people in the cabin. One of our group is having a heart problem. Her heart rate is racing and—-"

Wallace spoke frantically. "Hello, Reggie! Are you there?!" But it was no use - the fire had burned through the telephone line.

On the other end Reggie hung up the phone and turned to his friends. "The line is dead."

"It must have been fried by the fire," Eric said.

"If we don't get help soon, we've had it!" cried Lainie.

Sam agreed and added, "And Shelley may not last much longer if her heart rate stays too high."

Ranger Wallace knew that if Shelley didn't get medical help she would die. He went back to the short wave radio to contact International Rescue again.

Thunderbirds One and Two were only five minutes away from the Cheaha area when the crews of both ships received a message from Jeff. "We have an emergency within an emergency. According to John, one of the five people trapped in the cabin may be suffering a heart attack, and it's up to us to get her to the nearest hospital as soon as possible."

"I-In that case," started Brains, "might I make a quick suggestion?"

"Anything, Brains."

"Why d-don't we have Alan take the Firefly into the area just surrounding the cabin. He can blow out the fire for a quarter-mile radius around it. This should g-give Virgil enough room to bring the emergency escape pod d-down to pick up Shelley and take her to a hospital in Birmingham."

"Great idea," Alan said excitedly. "It's her best chance."

Scott added, "It's her only chance. Let's move -- her life is in our hands."

"Keep in touch, Scott," Jeff said.

"F.A.B., Dad."

Chief Ranger Wallace saw Thunderbird One land next to the ranger station while Thunderbird Two landed at the clearing three miles south of the fire's edge. "I'm sure glad you came," said the ranger. "State budget cuts have really hurt us in the forestry division, and forest fires are getting harder to put out all the time."

"I can understand that, sir," Scott said. "Now to get the mobile control set up."

"Use my office, by all means."

"Thank you, sir."

Meanwhile, Virgil and Alan were getting ready to launch the Firefly. As Alan donned his firefighting suit, Virgil said, "How long will it be before I can get the escape pod down to them?"

"Give me between ten and fifteen minutes to create the fire break and then send down the escape pod."

"Okay."

Scott and Brains had finished setting up mobile control. Scott asked the ranger where the cabin was located.

"Exactly ten miles west of here."

Scott used the computer to plot the coordinates to send to Alan in the Firefly. As Brains looked outside the window at tne raging inferno he couldn't help wondering if this might just be International Rescue's first failure...

It had been more than half-an-hour since Shelley's heart rate had risen. Luckily, she stayed very calm. "As long as I can. . . stay awake," she said, her voice beginning to fade, "I'll make it."

"Hang on, Shelley," Lainie said, holding her friend's hand.

"You're going to make it," added Sam.

"Don't . . . worry - I had one . . . last two hours. I'll be all right."

Eric looked at Reggie and said, "Wow! Shelley's one tough kid."

"Yes, and she is determined not to give up on herself." Reggie then turned away and said to himself, "Dios, sea con Shelley, por favor (Spanish for: God, be with Shelley, please) . . ."

Alan was ready in the Firefly. "Mobile Control from Firefly. I'm ready to go."

"F.A.B., Alan," said Scott. "Steer course zero-seven-three. Cabin is eight miles no northeast of your present position. Remember to blow out the fire for a quarter-mile radius."

"F.A.B., Scott." Alan drove the Firefly toward the cabin, but he was thinking more about whether Shelley would survive the difficult ordeal. "Don't worry," he thought. "We'll get you safely out of danger, somehow."

Shelley's heart rate was still too high, and she started to feel very cold. "Am I dreaming, or am I . . . freezing?"

Being a nursing student Reggie knew that this a the first warning sign of a heart attack. "She's in real danger!"

Lainie grew so concerned she started to scream. "She won't make it; she won't make it!"

Sam grabbed his younger sister by the arms and yelled, "Stop, sis! You're going crazy!"

Lainie struggled to break the grip, but she exerted so much energy in doing so that she exhausted herself. She then dissolved into tears and gave Sam a hug.

He calmly said, "It's all right, sis. I know you're upset; we all are. Hopefully the ranger was able to call for help in time."

Suddenly an explosion rocked the cabin and its inhabitants.

"What's happening?" Eric asked frantically.

Reggie looked through the window and noticed something weird. "There's some kind of-of machine out there, like some kind of tank," he said, "and it's trying to put out the fire!"

To their amazement, the "tank" kept shooting shells of nitroglycerin to blast the fire out around the cabin.

Lainie was awed by the sight. "Wow! That's the first tank I've ever seen used for something other that fighting!"

Eric laid a hand on her shoulder. "But it is fighting, Lainie. It's fighting for our lives."

The Firefly was doing an excellent job in creating a clear zone around the cabin.

Virgil was ready to take off. "Mobile Control fron Thunderbird Two. Taking off now, Scott."

"F.A.B., Virgil." Scott changed frequencies a contact Alan. "Firefly from Mobile Control. Are you done clearing the area?"

"Give me one more minute, Scott, and it'll be ready."

"F.A.B. Virgil's now airborne."

Sure enough, Thunderbird Two was hovering over the cabin. Inside, Shelley was still very cold and started to drop in and out of consciousness. "Are we . . . going to get out of . . . here?"

Sam reassured her. "Yes, we'll get out. Someone out there's putting out the fire around us."

"Good. At least . . . we have a chance."

Alan finished the clearing operation and called Virgil. "Firefly to Thunderbird Two. Mission here complete. Prepare to lower emergency escape pod in one minute."

"Right, Alan."

Alan then activated his megaphone to speak a the cabin occupants. "Attention in the cabin. Please come out immediately so that we can get the sick member of your party into Thunderbird Two's emergency escape pod and transport her to the nearest hospital."

Eric arched his eyebrows. "Did he just say 'Thunderbird Two'?"

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Lainie. "It's International Rescue!"

"We'd better do what he says," Reggie said. "Shelley's life depends on it; she's getting worse."

"Let's go!" Sam shouted. He knealt by Shelley. "Come on, we're getting out of here right now."

"We-we are?"

"You betcha. Come on, I'll take you." San wrapped his left arm around her right shoulder and got her to her feet; they walked slowly out of the cabin to join the others. They gazed in awe at the blaze surrounding the cabin but felt as if they were in the eye of a hurricane. They could not imagine how anyone could pull off such a maneuver in this kind of situation.

Alan climbed down from the Firefly's armored cabin to inform the group of what was about to happen. "Listen to me very carefully," he said, raising his voice above the roar of the fire. "Thunderbird Two is ready to transport your friend to the hospital."

Shelley slowly raised her right hand. "I guess that's me," she said weakly. "I'm the sick member, Shelley."

Alan spoke briskly. "Okay, Shelley, when Thunderbird Two lowers the pod, I want you to get into the bed and lie there. Try not to move or talk, all right?" Shelley nodded her head in agreement. Alan then looked at Sam and said, "Could you go with he and keep her comforted?"

"Of course. My friend Reggie here is a nursing student. He can help, too."

"Great. I'll get the pod here now." He radioed Virgil. "Thunderbird Two from Firefly. Lower the pod now."

"F.A.B." Virgil pulled a lever on his control panel, lowering the escape pod. Within a minute the pod was on the ground.

"Mobile Control from Thunderbird Two. Emergency escape pod has made contact with the ground. Am ready to raise the pod with three passengers."

Scott was monitoring the situation. "Right, Virgil. Alan, I want you to bring the other two people to the ranger station immediately to ensure that all five are safe and sound."

"Okay, Scott. I'm on the way." Alan got everyone's names. "Lainie, Eric - I want you two to come with me to the ranger station."

"Yes, sir," Eric responded. "Come on, Lainie."

Lainie yelled to Sam. "Get her safely away, big brother!"

"No problem, sis."

As Lainie and Eric boarded the Firefly, the pod with Sam, Shelley, and Reggie was moving up into Thunderbird Two. In seconds all five were safely out of danger.

Ironically, at that moment rain began to fall on the entire area. By a miracle of Mother Nature the fire was completely out before it could do more damage to the park. In the ranger station, Chief Ranger Wallace was so excited to see raindrops. "This is fantastic! Our first real rainstorm in over a one-and-a-half months. It's what we needed!"

Scott and Brains were pleased at the end results of the rescue mission and shook hands to congratulate each other for the success. Brains said, "Whew. What a b-break for us, huh?"

"You're not kidding," Scott said in relief. "Now all we have to do is pray that Shelley is going to make it to the hospital in time."

"I have faith," said Wallace. "Shelley's made it this far with a high heart rate, and she doesn't sound like a quitter. Let's hope she'll be all right."

Virgil requested the Birmingham Medical Center to have the emergency room ready for Shelley, and minutes later Thunderbird Two touched down in the hospital's hurriedly cleared car park.

Sam and Reggie followed the paramedics as they swiftly wheeled Shelley into the main elevator and quickly went up to the third floor.

Virgil, still at the controls of the giant transporter, received a message from Scott. "Lainie and Eric are safe here at the ranger station; I'll shortly be bringing them to the hospital in Thunderbird One. In the meantime, please return here to pick up Alan and Firefly, and then head for base."

"F.A.B., Scott. I'm on my way."

At the ranger station, Lainie and Eric joined Scott and Brains, ready to board Thunderbird One. Before leaving, though, Lainic remembered something very important. "Shouldn't we call Shelley's mom back in Montgomery to let her know that Shelley's here in the hospital?"

Brains agreed. "T-That's a good point. It's vital to her that her m-mother be by her side."

Scott came up with an easy solution. "Chief Ranger Wallace, please call Shelley's mother and inform her that Thunderbird One will pick her up and take to the hospital. Lainie has the number."

As the ranger began dialing Scott tumed to Lainie. "Is there a place close enough to your house that's big enough for my aircraft to land? A car park or playing field, say?"

"Well, there's the high school's practice football field, not too far from her house."

"That should be fine." They began filing out the station. Scott waved to the ranger. "Goodbye, Chief Ranger. Thanks for your help."

Wallace smiled. "Thank you," he said.

Twenty minutes later, having safely delivered Mrs. Berndon to the hospital, Thunderbird One took for Tracy Island once more, keeping the secret identities of the Intemational Rescue members safe.

Mrs. Berndon waited anxiously with Shelley's friends for word of her condition.

Finally, Doctor Carl Crossen, a cardiologist, came out to say something. "Mrs. Berndon?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"I have some good news. Your daughter Shelley is going to be all right."

Everyone had a huge sigh of relief when they discovered the news.

"Oh, thank you, Doctor," exclaimed Mrs. Berndon. "Is there any word on what exactly happened?"

"I'm afraid not at the moment, but I can tell that her blood pressure was dangerously low. Her heart rate was up to 204 beats per minute, but we were able to bring the rate down to 90. She'll be all right, but we have to keep her here for two days' observation. Will you stay here and help keep a close eye on her?"

"Yes, doctor, I want to be with my daughter all the time."

"Okay, we'll move her to room 423 on the next floor. You can all come along if you like."

Shelley woke up the next morning to find her friends at her side and her mother asleep in a nearby chair.

The nurse walked in and woke Mrs. Berndon. "Ma'am, you need to wake up. Your daughter's already awake."

"Oh," Mrs. Berndon replied sleepily. "I'm sorry."

The nurse gave Shelley breakfast and checked her vital signs to make sure she was not having another spell. Her mother and friends were glad to see her able to eat normally.

However, Shelly wanted to know one thing. "Does anyone know what I have yet?"

"No," her mother said, "but we should know by later today."

Throughout the morning they all watched television and had a few laughs, keeping Shelley on the up-and-up.

At about noon Chief Ranger Wallace walked in with a bouquet of roses. "Hello, Shelley. How are you doing?"

She was pleasantly surprised that the ranger had come. "I feel all right, I guess." She took the flowers from him, stared at them for a moment, and then promptly burst into tears.

"Shelley," said her mother. "Whatever is the matter?"

She replied tearfully, "It's not because all of you are here. I'm glad for that, but it's just the flowers and the thought of what I may have are making me feel helpless and hopeless."

Dr. Crossen entered the room and asked Mrs. Berndon to step outside.

She did so, then closed the door and turned to the doctor. "Well, what happened? Did she have a serious anxiety attack, or was it a heart attack?"

"Neither. Shelley has developed a condition in which one of the ventricles in her heart has a short circuit. She may have had it from birth."

"Is it serious?"

"If she has a spell lasting too long it could be, but with the right treatment her conditon will be nothing more than a nuisance."

"What's the name of this condition?"

Supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT for short."

"You mentioned treatment. How?"

"There are two ways. One way is by giving her two medications, one to control the blood pressure and one to control the heart rate. The other way is to do some electrophysiological laser surgery to fix it for good."

"I don't trust laser surgery at the moment," Mrs. Berndon said, "so I'll let her have the two medications."

"I agree with you. I think Shelley's too young for such an operation, but she can resort to surgery when she's older."

"At the moment she needs something to cheer her up."

The nurse walked toward the door with a large basket of candy and more flowers.

Mrs. Berndon knew that they were for Shelley, but she was afraid that her daughter would become more depressed. She and the doctor followed the nurse back into the room.

As the nurse gave the basket to Shelley, she noticed an envelope; she took it and opened it. It contained a letter, which read:

Dear Shelley Berndon,

We hope you are recovering well from your ordeal. We want to let you know that lve care about you very much. As most people go through life they do not encounter any trouble, and they never appreciate the value of life. On the other hand, people like you and I who face problems and anxieties realize how special life can really be. It 's so precious after you go through a difficult situation. I should know, since I lost my wife.

However, I said to myself that my life will always be special because my wife will always be a part of me. If you think you may never lead a normal life with whatever condition you have, let me tell you something. In my lifetime I've seen a blind person climb Mount McKinley, a deaf young woman become Miss America, and a hockey player come back from cancer. They wouldn't let their handicaps stop them from achieving their dreams, and we certainly won't let your problem stop you from going on with ordinary life. In fact, when you leave the hospital, we don't want you to have an ordinary life. Instead, we want you to have an extraordinary one!

Best wishes for a full recovery,
The members of International Rescue.

Shelley's eyes lit up with joy as she read the letter, and she thought to herself, "Wherever you are and whoever you are, I'll take the advice."

Then she noticed the postscript:

P.S. Look inside the basket for a surprise.

She did so, and she found an International Rescue patch. She was elated. "Wow! This is too cool! I'm gonna put this on my favorite shirt!"

Everyone cheered as her tears of sadness turned to tears of laughter.

In the end, Shelley went home to Montgomery the next day, and she was given her two medications. Since her incredible ordeal, she has been active. She has not made below a B average at Auburn University at Montgomery for four straight quarters. She still goes out with her friends and has a wonderful time. She keeps the International Rescue letter in her purse and close to her heart. Shelley Berndon intends to live the best life anyone could ever hope for.

This story is dedicated to the memory of

SMSGT Nelson Donald Burton, Jr.

(November 27, 1941-June 25, 1988)

The real Jeff Tracy of my life, my father.