Chapter Five: For Dear Life
From his awkward location in the tree, Charlie could see the rescue efforts unfolding on the bridge. He wasn't sure if the driver of the car that had stopped first had seen what had happened to them. But the two little girls were still in their original location and surely they could still be seen from the bridge.
The child in his arms remained unmoving and Charlie turned his attention to her small form.
Another blond. Even coated with mud from their dip in the river, she was a beautiful child….perhaps seven or eight years old.
She was breathing rapidly...but steadily, which was more than he could say for himself, and Charlie could find no sign of physical injury other than a small bump on her forehead. The chill from the water was apparent from the bluish tinge her lips had taken and Charlie pulled her as close to his chest as he could without re-submerging her in the water.
Directing his attention back to the bridge, Charlie could see at least four fire trucks and twice as many police cars. Several search lights had been turned on and much to his relief, Charlie could see that they were directed at the two small children that he had left in the tree.
The storm continued to rage around them and the rain grew more intense. Charlie was starting to feel a little confused and he almost forgot why he was hanging from a tree in the middle of a river with a small child in his arms.
The chill from the water was starting to get to him…he couldn't even remember what it was called when the body got too cold. He tried to concentrate on the firemen that had extended their ladder out over the river toward the trees and were trying to reach the two children. But he quickly found himself entranced by the sound the water rushing around him.
Things seemed to be moving in super slow motion and Charlie knew he was only moments from losing consciousness himself.
He couldn't let that happen.
This child's life depended on him not allowing that to happen.
Turning to look back down-river, Charlie turned his thoughts to Don. Don could have done this. But he was down there…..somewhere. In that car. At the bottom of the river. And he had died to save the lives of these children and Charlie had to make sure they all made it out of this river.
For Don.
He felt hot tears stinging his eyes and Charlie managed to restrain the sob that was trying to escape from his chest. The dizzying sensation in his head began to grow stronger now and he remembered the glancing blow he had received when the river had dislodged the other car. As white spots began to dance in front of his eyes, Charlie acknowledged that he was going to pass out.
With his last ounce of strength, he boosted the child up as far above the water as he could, but he was unable to get more than her legs over a higher branch. Charlie wrapped himself around the tree and tried to entwine his arms in the vines and branches, successfully securing the child's upper body between himself and the tree. His arms were growing weak and now his shoulders were shaking so violently he wasn't sure he could have held on much longer even if he were able to maintain consciousness.
As his vision was reduced to dark tunnels, Charlie tried to keep his eyes on the child. But combined with his grief, the wooziness and nausea was more than he could take and he allowed his eyes to close.
"HEY! THE LITTLE GIRL WAS RIGHT! THERE ARE TWO MORE OVER HERE!"
Charlie heard the voice, but when he opened his eyes the bright beam of a flashlight forced him to snap them shut again.
"Hey, Pal. It's alright now. You can let the kid go."
It wasn't pouring down rain like it had been, but there was a still a steady drizzle. For a fleeting moment Charlie wondered how much time had passed as the sound of the rushing water all around them immediately brought the reality of his situation back into focus.
Another voice spoke up.
"That's right, man. We've got her."
When he forced his eyes open again, Charlie could see two men hovering in front of him. Both were wearing bright orange vests and appeared to be suspended over the water. It took Charlie's sluggish mind a moment to comprehend that they were standing in a boat.
One of the men gently peeled the young girl from his arms.
He had told his mind to tell his arms to let go, but they weren't listening.
"Come on, fella. Let's get you outta here. There are two little girls on that bridge that are gonna be mighty happy to see the both of you."
Charlie closed his eyes again as he felt strong hands on his shoulders, while someone else untangled his arms from the vines on the tree.
He began to phase out again until the grip on his shoulders tightened; pulling him up out of the water, off the tree limb and into the boat.
"I think he's in shock."
"Hypothermia. This water's pretty cold."
"Hey, Pal. Are you still with us?"
With what felt like an almost super human effort Charlie found his voice.
"Uh, huh."
"Mister? What's your name? Can you tell me your name?"
One of the men pulled a blanket around his shoulders, as the other wrapped the child up and sat next to him in the boat.
"Cccalll……F…F...B...I. Please."
The two men looked at each other, puzzled by his request.
Charlie was astonished at how shaky and unsteady his voice was. In fact his whole body was shaking uncontrollably and his teeth where chattering so hard, he thought they might actually break.
But he had to tell them.
He had to tell them Don was gone.
He'd have to tell his father.
"Epp…..Eppes……Ch…Ch…Charlie. P..please…. Cccall…."
The man closest to him put a hand on his shoulder.
"Okay, fella. We'll take care of it. Just relax."
"That's right. Just hang in there, Charlie."
Trying to control the shivering that permeated his body seemed to be a mute point and without consciously deciding to do so, Charlie found himself curled up on the bench with his arms wrapped around his legs in a fetal position. His whole body was starting to feel numb. Blissfully numb.
He felt someone grab him under the arms. Another pair of hands grabbed his legs and lifted him out of the boat and onto something hard.
A bright light was again shining in his face, so he didn't even try to open his eyes. But someone peeled one of them open for him anyway, shining the light in.
"Pupils are responsive. "
He felt someone grab his arm and heard a distinct ripping sound as someone tore his wet sleeve.
He was in the hands of the EMT's.
The voices of the two men from the boat began shouting over the sound of the rushing water.
"He was still in the water, but he kept the girl out."
"Here, take her up to the other ambulance. She was in the water at some point."
"He's hypothermic and not making much sense. Said his name is Charlie Eppes."
The other man's voice cut through the haze in Charlie's mind.
"He told us to call the FBI."
"The Feds, huh? Well, hell."
Another voice - maybe a policeman.
"Where ya taking 'em."
A woman's voice, close to his head spoke up.
"St. Josephs. It's the closest."
Charlie felt a stabbing pain in his wrist as someone grabbed his arm and a moan unconsciously escaped his lips.
"I think his arm's broken. But I've still got a radial pulse."
The police officers continued their conversation over the two EMT's that were hovering over him.
"I'll make the call. Jake - follow 'em in. If he wants the Feds we'd better say close."
"Got it, Lieutenant."
Charlie tried to keep up with both conversations, but his mind felt full of cobwebs.
"What's his temp?"
"Ninety two point eight."
"Looks like we've got a significant head injury too."
He felt something sharp poke him in the arm. They were putting in an IV.
"This was a close one. We'd better move him out."
Charlie felt his body being lifted again, only this time he remained flat. He was laying on something…perhaps a backboard. He could hear heavy breathing as those around him struggled to carry him from the waters edge up to the roadway.
Jake spoke again, this time his voice a little softer.
"The kids?"
The woman answered.
"I think the first two we pulled out are gonna to be fine. The baby was never even submerged, her temp is almost normal. But get this…..the girl says her name is Hannah Whitney."
"Whitney? As in Robert Whitney? As in Sullivan, Hastings and Whitney?"
"That's the one. Paul just left with the kids in unit one. And Harvey is trying to reach the parents. The girl claims this guy saved their lives. Him and another guy. But the water took the car before the other one got out. Says their nanny was in the car too."
"Poor kid. She saw all of that?"
There was a moment of silence around him. Charlie wanted to open his eyes. He wanted to open his mouth and tell them who he was and who Don was and what had happened. But his vocal cords wouldn't obey.
"The search teams are still looking. The cars should get tangled up around the Los Feliz Bridge if Highway Five didn't get 'em."
The woman spoke again, yelling at someone further away than Jake.
"Okay! We're good to go. Peterson has the other kid."
She spoke again, more softly.
"Let me know what the FBI can tell you about this guy. I'm curious."
"Right behind you, Karen. I'll see you at Saint Joes."
Charlie felt the drizzle of rain on his face dissipate and the sudden noise of two doors slamming almost in succession led him to believe he was now in the back of the ambulance.
"His temp's holding just under ninety three. Borderline Severe Hypothermia. Possible concussion. His name's Charlie."
"Charlie? Can you open your eyes?"
"He was conscious when they pulled them out…talked to Jim in the boat."
Charlie tried to stay focused on the voices around him. He even tried to open his eyes again. But he seemed to be drifting farther and farther away from the sound.
"Charlie. Open your eyes, man. Can you still hear me?"
He heard the driver gun the engine of the ambulance.
"He's non-responsive. Pulse….eight six, and steady."
"I'll call it in."
The constant throb in his head started to coincide with waves of nausea and Charlie could still hear the voices around him, but they sounded like they were coming from inside a vibrating drum.
He made a cognizant effort now to shut them out, despite the knowledge that he should try to stay awake.
"They're Robert Whitney's kids, huh?"
"How much you wanna bet this wasn't an accident?"
"No bet, Karen. No bet."
The siren faded as did the voices around him and Charlie allowed himself to sink into a blissfully quiet void.
………………………………
Authors Notes: Thanks for all of the well wishes. Fever has dropped…I haven't injured myself or anyone around me and I am again thinking lucidly. Or as lucidly as I am capable of. My husband sat up my armchair in front of the computer. And life is good!
Please continue to comment when you can. Your thoughts on the story are very much appreciated. I'll try to get another chapter up this weekend!
Chapter Six: Who Said Lightning Never Strikes Twice?
