Hello - I've made this chapter a bit longer than the others because there was so much to fit in and I didn't really want to break it down. Enjoy and as usual, please leave constructive critiscm in the review section!
There was silence for a second before Penny felt her heart swoop. She knew how dangerous a rip was, how strong they were. Even though Sam was a strong swimmer and would be able to escape it, he still had to get back to the shore with Mandy...and they could be miles away from land.
The radio crackled again. "Firefighter Morris, we're going to need your help for this one. How far away from Pontypandy are you?" Station Officer Steele asked.
Penny grabbed her radio and pressed the talk button. "We're about two minutes away, sir. I'll head to the Ocean Rescue Centre immediately."
She dropped the radio onto her lap and turned to Boyce. "Could you please drop me off outside of Ocean Rescue, sir? We need to get there as quickly as possible."
"Of course," Boyce replied before he flipped a switch on the roof of the car. The siren and lights turned on and Boyce sped up by about 10 miles. They sped down the lane, the loud wailing of the siren echoing behind them.
Penny leaned back in her seat, mentally preparing herself for the rescue ahead. Hopefully, Sam and Mandy were alright. They should be. They had to be...
She wondered how they ended up in the water. As far as she knew, there weren't any swimming activities planned for today and it was a bit chilly so they wouldn't have gone paddling. She shivered. Hopefully, it wasn't too cold. She picked up her radio again. "Sir, can we call Nurse Flood out? The water will be cold and they could have hypothermia when we get them out of the sea. They'll need checking when we get back to shore."
"Good idea, Firefighter Morris! I'll call her now." Station Officer Steele replied.
Boyce stopped in front of the Ocean Rescue Centre. Quickly, Penny got out and ran inside, leaving the car door open. Ben and Elvis were waiting for her, all ready to go. As Penny pulled on her Ocean Rescue uniform, Elvis briefed her on what they were going to do.
"Tom is going to try to get a visual on them in Wallaby Two while we head out. Ellie is with him in case we need to airlift them out." Penny nodded as she put on her helmet and clipped it up. "We're going to go out in Neptune to get them and then we'll immediately bring them back to shore," Elvis continued.
"Alright, Elvis," Penny replied as they climbed into Neptune. Ben started up the boat's engine and they slid down the ramp, landing in the sea with a splash. Penny looked back at the shore to see Charlie and Bronwyn staring anxiously out to sea, gripping the railing tightly. Station Officer Steele must have called them to say that Sam was in danger. Penny frowned - she knew how close Sam and Charlie were and how hard it was for Charlie to see his brother in danger.
As Neptune bounced along, Penny turned and peered at the horizon, looking carefully for any sign of Sam or Mandy. She could hear Wallaby Two overhead, it's blades slicing through the air. "Any sign of them, Tom?" she asked, talking into the radio.
"No, Penny," the familiar Australian accent answered. "I think they've been swept out quite a bit - the tides look quite strong." Penny bit her lip. She knew that they had to find Sam and Mandy quickly before fatigue overwhelmed them, or they got hypothermia or...
Penny stopped. She had to stop thinking like that - thinking so negatively. They would be fine and she knew it. They were strong swimmers and there were no dangerous animals to worry about.
Elvis pointed excitedly at the horizon. "Penny, Ben! I think that's them!" Penny ran to the side of the small boat. She laughed with relief when she saw them.
"Ben, can you get as close as you can to them? Elvis and I will grab them," she said.
Ben and Elvis nodded. "Roger that, Penny," they chorused.
Penny picked up her radio. "Station Officer Steele, we have a visual on them," she said.
"Very good. Tom Thomas is on standby if you need him."
"and Yes sir. We are approaching them now."
Ben slowed Neptune down so the waves wouldn't push Sam and Mandy further away. They stopped a couple of meters away from them.
Sam looked up at them in relief. "Thank goodness!" he exclaimed, panting. "I was getting worried, we drifted so far."
Penny smiled. "Well, we're here now. Elvis is going to throw you a life ring now, okay?"
Mandy and Sam both nodded tiredly. Penny watched as Elvis threw the life ring to them. Mandy grabbed on tightly and Sam did the same. Elvis started to haul them in. Finally, they were close enough to reach. "Grab Mandy first," Sam asked, exhausted.
"I will, Sam," Penny answered, leaning over the side of Neptune to grab Mandy. She pulled her up, grunting from the effort. As soon as Mandy was safely onboard, Penny gave her a life jacket to put on.
"SAM!" Penny turned to see Elvis grabbing at Sam, who was slipping underwater. Even though Elvis was leaning as far as he could, he couldn't reach him.
"What happened?" she gasped.
"I think he fainted," replied Elvis, breathing heavily, nearly panicking.
Penny jumped into the water with a splash. "I'm going to get him," she said. "Tell Tom we need him here with a double harness ready and radio Helen and Station Officer Steele!"
Elvis nodded. Penny took a deep breath before diving down into the murky sea.
The water was cold and the salt stung Penny's eyes. Through the dark, murky water, she could just see Sam floating downwards, unconscious. She kicked harder and tried to reach him, but he was too far away.
Still determined, Penny swam deeper. The pressure change was making her ears pop painfully and it was so dark she could barely see. Finally, she caught up to Sam and she grabbed his sleeve. He stopped sinking and they floated there for a second, motionless. Penny looked around, before grabbing Sam under the arms to get a better hold on him. She started kicking furiously.
Unfortunately, Sam was a lot heavier than Penny was. Her lungs were aching from the effort of dragging him along. Desperately, she looked up. The surface was still so far away...and she was so tired...
I am not giving up, Penny though. I'm going to get us both up to the surface and we are both going to be okay. She kicked even harder. We are not going to die!
By now, her arms and legs were aching and her lungs were bursting. Penny was starting to slow down. I have to keep going, she thought, struggling to not open her mouth and take a breath. I can make it to the surface if I keep kicking...
She looked up as a thin shadow fell across her face. The shadow belonged to a rope, dangling in the water. Penny reached up and grabbed it, one hand clutching the rope and one hand holding onto Sam. As soon as she did this, the rope was hauled up, dragging Penny and Sam with it. Penny kicked as hard as she could to help speed them up. We can make it, she thought, we're so close...!
They had broken the surface of the water. Penny gasped for air, still holding the rope tightly. Her whole body ached.
Elvis was leaning over the side of Neptune, holding the other end of the rope. "Are you alright?" he asked, dropping the rope.
"I've been better," Penny croaked. "Just get Sam out of the water...quickly." She watched as Elvis pulled Sam out of the water and lay him on the floor of the boat. "Elvis, you need to do CPR on him, I think he swallowed some salt water," Penny said urgently. Elvis nodded, before turning back to Sam.
Ben left the controls of Neptune for a second to help Penny climb into Neptune. She collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily.
"Is she alright?" Mandy asked Ben anxiously.
"I don't know...Penny? Can you hear me?" Ben gently shook her and took her pulse.
Slowly, Penny sat up. She rubbed her eyes. "I'm fine," she said. "I'm just tired. Is Sam okay?"
"He's breathing!" called Elvis. "But I think he needs to see a doctor as soon as possible."
Penny nodded. "Ben, can you radio Tom and get him to send down a double harness? Elvis, you'll need to strap Sam into the harness and go with him. Take him to Newtown Hospital as quickly as you can, alright?"
"What about you, Penny?" asked Ben. "You were under for at least a minute, you should probably go to the hospital as well..."
"I'm fine - making sure Sam is okay is our main priority right now. I'll see Helen when we get back to the shore," Penny replied before she struggled to her feet.
"Sure thing, Penny." Ben took his radio from his pocket. "Tom, we need a double harness, now...Station Officer Steele? Yes, they're out of the water... we're air-lifting Sam to Newtown Hospital...yes...of course..."
Penny turned away from Ben. "Feeling okay?" she asked Mandy.
Mandy tried to smile. "It was a bit scary in the water but I think I'm fine. Fireman Sam helped me stay afloat." Penny smiled. "Is he going to be okay?" Mandy added.
"Of course. He just swallowed a lot of water, that's all."
...
After Sam and Elvis had been lifted onto the helicopter and Tom was flying them to Newtown, Ben drove Neptune back to the shore. Helen Flood, Station Officer Steele and Chief Fire Officer Boyce were waiting anxiously.
"Mandy!" exclaimed Helen as they all walked out of the Ocean Rescue Centre. She ran towards Mandy and hugged her tightly. "Oh, you gave me a fright. I'm glad you're okay." She started giving Mandy a check-up.
Boyce and Station Officer Steele walked over to Ben and Penny. "Well done, you two," said Station Officer Steele proudly.
Penny tried to smile, but all of a sudden, she felt exhausted and dizzy. Everything around her was beginning to spin. She leaned on the railing and closed her eyes.
"Penny?" asked Ben, "are you okay?"
She shook her head. "Feel dizzy..." she mumbled. She swayed, and Ben stumbled forward to catch her.
"Nurse Flood," called Boyce, a sense of urgency in his voice, "we need you here now!"
Footsteps...worried talking...her own, raspy breaths...they were the last things Penny heard before she fell unconscious.
I'm probably going to have a little break before I write the last chapter because I have some other stories I want to add to and I have a couple of story ideas that I'd like to develop a little bit further. So it might be a few weeks before I post the next chapter. : )
Klouie