Chapter 10
Dean, Heidi and Jordan continued down the river shouting for Lara, their voices becoming hoarse. It was Jordan who spotted it first the blood soaked footprints then a dirty tea towel. He called Dean and Heidi over beore radioing
"Recuse base this is rescue 5 we have found bloody footprints and a tea towel, I think its Lara's" He said giving his grid reference
"Rescue base I'm sending rescue 2 to your position I want you to track her do you copy rescue 2" Michelle asked this being the only positive lead
"Rescue 2 we copy we are about 20minutes away" Vince informed them.
"This way" Dean called following the bloody footprints. They followed the footprints carefully and calmly.
"I found something" Heidi called picking a water bottle out of a bush and a packet of bread with reeds in.
"Lara's?" Dean asked
"Must be otherwise it would be swarming with ants or mice by now, means its fresh and she must be nearby" Heidi offered
"Also means she is confused she wouldn't chuck water or food away otherwise" Dean said being practical, he pressed his radio
"Rescue base this is rescue 1 portable we found a water bottle we think its Lara's"
"Empty?" Michelle queried
"No" Dean said aware it said a lot for Lara's health "but it is still fresh"
"Ok rescue 1 continue on I'll have a helicopter ready for medevac" Michelle said. They continued tracking on the muddier soil it was harder slowing them down. They still shouted for Lara three shouts then a silence to allow her to answer back.
"Lara, Lara, LARA" Dean shouted.
"I'm here help" they heard
"Lara" Dean exclaimed as the split off to search the area.
"What are you doing back?" She asked he followed the sound of her voice thinking it was the best sound ever even if she sounded confused
"Back Lara, where did I go?" Dean asked confused
"Away everyone goes away" he rounded the corner and saw her.
"Lara," he whispered glad he had found her. He ran over noting her injuries as he did Heidi and Jordan just steps behind him.
"Ok Lara we got you just lie down where does it hurt" Dean asked
"Everywhere" she responded, Jordan tapped his radio
"We got her" he said, knowing that is all he would have to say.
"Is she ok?" Michelle asked,
"She is conscious, Dean is assessing her now" Jordan told them.
"My head feels fuzzy, my arm hurts, my feet" Lara said fighting through the fog "I was bitten" she whispered.
"By what?" Lara what bit you?" Dean asked
"I found a snake bite" Heidi reported, working on the pressure bandage. While Dean got IV access and started a bag of fluids.
"Rescue base we need snake anti-venom, Lara has cuts and bruises most look infected, I think her leg is broken and she is feverish and dehydrated"
"Rescue 2 to rescue base were about 5 minutes away over" Vince reported, Dean started with the top to toes.
"Ok Lara we need to put some oxygen on you" he said placing a non rebreathe mask onto her.
"No Dean it's not going to work" Lara protested,
"Lara keep it on, come on" Dean said her airway was clear, her breathing easy but fast, but that could be from the agitation. He did a pulse and a blood pressure, her pulse was fast her blood pressure low, signs of both infection and dehydration. Her temperature elevated which indicated infection. Onto pain he gave some morphine and noted her GCS was 14 with the confusion marking it down. Carefully he ordered Heidi to begin splinting her leg, her toes were still pink and it had a pulse. Her feet were torn up so she cleaned them as best as they could. Jordan assembled the stretcher while Dean monitored her condition and kept her awake.
"Rescue 2 portable to rescue base, she has infected wounds, a snake bite and a broken leg. She is still conscious. Over" Dean told them
"OK the helicopter is at 49 56 72 and waiting for you with the anti-venom rescue base out" Michelle said.
"Rescue base we've arrived a rescue 1's position" Vince reported, happy to see Lara alive. "OK Dean where we at?" he asked.
"Breathing is fast 26, pulse is 130, BP 90 over 40, temp 39.8, she is alert but disorientated, we've put a pressure dressing on the snake bite, splinted the leg and dressed the worse of the wounds. There is a litre of Hartman's running though as fast as it will. Jordan has assembled the stretcher" Dean reported
"Ok, Heidi how is the splint going" Vince asked taking charge
"I'm done" Heidi reported just taping the last dressing on.
"Ok be ready to roll on 3" Vince said, "Lara this is going to hurt"
"No I can walk" She protested trying to fight them not remembering they were real and here to help her
"I know that Lara be humour us" Vince told her taking the head as Dean grabbed her middle and Heidi and Chase supported her bad leg as Jordan slid the stretcher in.
"Arghhhhh get off me" Lara screamed the pain making her think Mark had her,
"Easy Lara your safe" Dean soothed to some avail, she stopped kicking anyway. Until they began strapping her onto the stretcher
"Nooooo please noooo get off me please help help" Lara begged
"Lara your safe" Dean said trying to hide the frustration she was obviously traumatised and confused
"The chair she thinks she is in the chair" Heidi said remembering that contraption she must have been restrained in
"Lara, we need to attach you to the stretcher. I won't tie your head, arms or legs ok so you can undo it anytime you want" Heidi offered. Lara relaxed as the straps went round as loosely as they could while still holding her on the stretcher. She held still long enough for them to lift the stretcher, Vince and Heidi one end, Chase and Jordan the other, Dean walked alongside it squeezing the fluids in.
"Don't leave me" she begged
"We are not going anywhere" Vince said "You're going to be ok, Mark is dead" he told her
"No" Lara said not understanding "I don't want to go back" she began panicking and trying to climb off the stretcher, slowly they lowered it down
"Lara, LARA you are safe, do you trust me?" Dean asked,
"Yes" Lara mumbled her eyes finding his
"Good then relax, we are getting you out of here" he promised.
She did leaning back into the stretcher. Dean was safe, Dean said she was going to be ok. She felt so confused her head feeling funny. Mark was here he had been chasing her, Vince had said something about dead was he dead? Was she? Was all this, another hallucination it made her head hurt. The swaying of the stretcher made her want to sleep but the voices were telling her to stay awake. She didn't want to annoy them but it was getting harder they were so far away.