Because the ratings system has changed, I will have to change the rating to T since it used to be K+. I just want to be safe.
7 pm at the Camdens—
"Ruthie is 5'3" tall, black hair and brown eyes. She has her hair down, she was last seen wearing light denim jeans, dark blue pullover shirt with white, and gray lines across the chest of the shirt." The police officer said on the radio while Simon and Eric were in the van, Kevin and Lucy in his car driving around looking for her.
In the van—
"I called all of Ruthie's friends and one of them said that she was going to a memorial service for some boy who was tragically killed with his parents in an auto accident." He told his father who was driving.
They were stopped at a stop light as Eric turned and looked at his son with fret since he had no idea what was going on with his daughter but realized it when he was told. The rain was still pelting the car and city with tons of wind as they both headed east since that is where the friend had stated where the memorial was.
Santee was pitch dark, it must have been a major power outage and they even passed the street where the memorial service was. The headlights were showing the wet road and they could see a river on the right side then they thought they saw something or someone on the post of a sign then realized it was Ruthie.
Oh no! I can't believe that's Ruthie. Oh man! How are we going to get her out of there? Well, I hope we can get her cause she looks like she's trapped. She looks so scared. I'm scared for her too and want to hold my baby. Eric thought to himself.
As Simon got the rope from the back seat, his dad parked the car 20 yards from where Ruthie was since the water was rushing so fast; then they got out of the van, rain pouring on their backs as Simon put tied the rope around his waist. Because of the amount of rain pouring, the ditch was practically a river as the water rushed through Ruthie and standing water rose to their ankles. Eric was holding the rope as his son went to the ditch ledge, looked where his sister was since she was lit up by the headlights and he got in the blustery cold water that rushed him to the post. His father kept a tight grip on the rope as he walked slowly so his son can get to Ruthie since the rope was 4 feet long and she was 5 feet from Eric.
Just as Simon got in the water, it swept him towards Ruthie as he stroked like a swimmer to her then grabbed the post and she held took her hands off the post, putting her arms around her brother. Simon let go of the post while his sister had her arms around his neck and he tried to help his dad by doing the butterfly stroke while he pulled. The cold water rushing through his kids as Eric pulled on the rope as he struggled to hold his balance. The rain has finally stopped, the water in the ditch was slowly going down but the father has his knees bent, leans his weight back as he pulls the rope.
Getting so tired, but I got to keep going cause it looks like Dad is having trouble. She is holding on to my neck with her legs wrapped around my waist and now it's stopped raining. I'm so cold and hungry. I need to go faster now since it has finally stopped raining and the water seems to stop acting like a river. He thought.
He strains as he pulls while his neck and face begins to turn red then a blue car coming from the east slows down as they see what is going on then pulls over. Two people come out of the car as Eric collapsed from exhaustion and it started to rain heavily. Both men, strong and bulky looking pull those two out with four pulling motions then as the kids are on land, they leave in a hurry.
"What was that?" Simon asked after he heard the car doors slams and screeching tires.
"I don't know but how long has dad been out?" She asked as she noticed her dad on the blacktop.
"I think we were rescued by two good Samaritans and they just left." Simon said as he got up as well as Ruthie and they hugged each other then ran to their dad.
Eric was just waking up to seeing heavy raindrops fall on his face as he put his hand over his eyes and saw his two kids looking at him.
"Simon? Ruthie?" Eric asked in happiness but was too weak to get up but they helped him to the car and he told Ruthie he wanted to hold her. Simon pulled the lever to the passenger seat back, Eric climbed in slowly since he was so tired and Ruthie climbed in, on top of Eric as he was holding his baby. Simon got the blankets from the back seat then put them on his dad and sister then got the other one to put around him and he started driving.
Simon started to drive then eventually getting back to Glen Oak, he decided to take his pale looking, tired dad and his sister who was in the water for so long to the hospital. After arriving there close to the emergency room, he got out, went inside to tell the nurses that his dad, he and sister needs to be looked at because they were in water for long period of time. The nurses got his dad and sister, he went to park the car and came back so they checked him out too; the nurse called Annie who came over with a police officer who was on the case of Ruthie being missing.
"Simon? Are you okay?" Annie asks her son just as she walks in to near his bed.
"Yeah, I'm okay.. I just feel cold but I think we will be okay." He tells her.
After she walked out, she went down the hall where Ruthie was in the room talking to a police officer.
"Ruthie? Are you alright honey?" She walked in and gave her daughter a hug, her daughter hugged back.
"I'm fine mom. Just tired also I finished eating but still feel hungry."
"I'm so glad you are okay but--." She started but was interrupted by the nurse. "Ma'am, I'm sorry but visiting hours are over for the night."
She gave her daughter a hug as she did the same then left, also she went to see Eric for a minute who was asleep so she went to talk to the doctor who told her they can go home tomorrow. The next day after going home the Camden parents and their daughter talked about what she was doing that could have cost her and her brother their lives.
Towards the end of May, Eric had a meeting with the church board about a mission he and other ministers in the state were about to embark; they were told to think about the mission since it could be a long one.
Eric then went home that day, saw his wife was in their room finishing the laundry, he closed the door and she looked towards him with a smile.
"Hey. What are you so happy about?" She asked him as she got a little scared and didn't smile anymore.
"I think you should sit down first." He tells her then they both sit on the edge of the bed, "some of the ministers from around the state are going on a mission to Iraq as missionaries." She looked at him shocked and Eric then left go to see what the twins were up to.
