Supersonic Hearing

I'm diligently working on the seventh novel in my published version of my Beauty of Life series, GUARDIANS: Mission to Rescue Innocence, but my muse made me take a small break and write this little one-shot. Sorry but I don't have a release date yet for GUARDIANS, it is about half done. When I do, I will post another little story to let you know.

SETTING: Sam and Spike responding to a swatter call on a rainy day.

Ossington Avenue

"Help! Help me!" a fearful voice wafted up to Sam as he strode through the pouring rain to the SUV after the fifth swatter call today. They decided to split up to respond to hot calls, so the entire team wasn't jacked up on one side of town if a real call came in. Sam halted and scanned the area.

Spike trotted over, disgust on his face. They broke in on a whole bunch of nothing responding to a call of armed women discussing a killing spree. Well, not nothing, five grandmotherly types all knitting and surprised when the burst in.

He wished there was a way to stop the false calls, especially on days with nasty weather. Each time they went out they ended up soaked to the skin. He opened the SUV door and noticed Sam still outside standing in the rain. "Sam, dude, let's go."

When Sam only stood, his head turning and an expression of concentration on his face, Spike asked, "What's up?"

"I heard something. At least I think I did." When Spike started to speak again, Sam said, "Shhh."

Spike strode around the vehicle to join Sam, his ears straining to pick up any sound over the noise of the raindrops splashing onto the ground. Then he heard it too. A soft fear filled plea for help. His eyes met with Sam's unable to discern where it came from.

Another disembodied cry floated to them and Sam's head whipped to the right, narrowing in on the direction of the sound. His eyes moved downward toward the drainage grate at the curb. "There! It came from there." Sam rushed forward and dropped to his knees. "Hello, is anyone down there?" Sam called out as he peered into the darkness.

Spike joined Sam pulling out his flashlight and flicking it on. The light revealed a small frightened boy clutching a stuffed cat, with water swirling around his calves.

Surprised by the sight, Sam said, "How did you … hang on little buddy, we'll get you out." He turned to Spike. "He's too far down for me to reach and I'm too big to fit. Can you try?"

Handing Sam the flashlight, Spike flattened himself on the ground and attempted to squeeze through the opening. Frustrated, he pulled back. "No go."

Sitting back on his heels, Sam flicked on his headset. "Winnie, we have a critical situation. A boy about four or five is stuck in a storm drain at our location. The water is rising fast. We need rescue services."

"Copy." Winnie made a quick call to Toronto Fire Services dispatch. When she finished, she reported, "ETA five minutes."

Spike shared a look with Sam, both thinking the same thing. The boy might not have that long. Waiting isn't an option.

"Rappelling gear. We make a loop and drop it down to him and pull him up," Sam said as he stood and jogged to the back of their SUV.

Shining the light on the boy, wanting to calm him, Spike asked, "What's your name?"

"Noah."

"Hi, Noah. I'm Spike, and my partner is Sam. He went to get a rope so we can pull you out. Do you live around here?"

Noah shook his head. "Grandpa's."

"What is your grandpa's name?"

"Grandpa."

"Okay. What is your last name?"

"Worth."

"What is your Mom's or Dad's name?"

"Kelly and David."

Switching on his headset, Spike said, "Winnie, see if you can find a location of a Kelly or David Worth. They would have a son named Noah."

"Copy."

Sam rushed back with the gear prepared. He knelt and as he lowered the rope, he said, "Noah, grab this and put it over your head and under your arms. Once it is in place, I'm going to pull, and it will tighten around your chest. Then we can pull you up."

Noah did as he was told with additional encouragement from both Spike and Sam. Sirens sounded off in the distance as Sam began pulling Noah up. The sirens drew a crowd of people from the surrounding houses. They stood on their porches wondering what the commotion was all about.

Spike reached out and grasped the little boy's hand when he was near the top. As the fire rescue truck stopped, Spike lifted Noah out of the drainage.

Untying the slipknot, Sam released the boy as Spike held him in his lap. "You're safe now."

A woman and two men rushed out of one of the houses across the street, not caring about the rain as the woman shouted, "Noah!"

"Mommy!"

The firemen, parents, and grandfather all converged at the same moment.

Spike gave the boy over to his mother and stood, wearing a huge smile. He patted Sam's back as his partner coiled the rappelling line. "Never thought I'd say this, but thank God for your supersonic hearing. Without it, things could've turned out much differently."

Peering up at the unharmed child being smothered with love, Sam grinned. Moments like these created the beauty of life.

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The first six novels in the Beauty of Life series are available now on Amazon. Search for Laura Acton to find all six books:

FORSAKEN: On the Edge of Oblivion (Beauty of Life, Book 1)
SOLACE: Behind the Shield (Beauty of Life, Book 2)
BELONGING: Hope, Truth, and Malice (Beauty of Life, Book 3)
OUTLIER: Blood, Brotherhood, and Beauty (Beauty of Life, Book 4)
PURGATORY: Bonds Forged in Hellfire (Beauty of Life, Book 5)
SERENITY: A Path Home (Beauty of Life, Book 6)