Chapter 4: the rescue
Violeta and Rafael got home with no time to spare. They ran across the field with Cesar to the hole. Violeta and Rafael dropped themselves on the ground near the hole. "Rex!" they cried. "Rex!" "Mommy!" came his reply. "Cesar!" Rafael said. "Get the phone, call 911!" sweaty, shaking, and covered in dirt from lying on the ground, Cesar grabbed the phone, and called the fire department. As the firefighters got out to the situation, word spread out that Rex Salazar was stuck in a hole. Construction workers would have to drill a hole beside Rex and inch down beside it. Then, when they were deep enough, which was about 24 feet down, they would use high pressure water cutting tools to break the rock and get Rex out. But this was a dangerous task. Any false move could send the whole thing tumbling in, and Rex would be lost. Afternoon passed, evening came. Then the sky was completely dark, the men were still digging down. There was a breathing pump for Rex, which Violeta stayed near at all times. There were big lights, lights that you would usually see on a movie set, was set up around the hole, to make things brighter. Also, the men had head lamps.
Rafael and Cesar were sitting together. "I shouldn't have yelled at him." Cesar said sadly. "I should have just reminded him about the folder." Mr. Salazar sighed. "You're all right son." He said. At 9:55 PM, the men said they were halfway there. Violeta was exhausted. But she just kept going, cranking the air pump. She was sweaty, and her lab clothes had dirt on them. Her hair was frizzy from sweat, and her glasses were hanging off her face. But she kept going. Rafael went over to her. "Honey." He said. "Why isn't he talking?" Violeta panicked. "He hasn't called my name in over an hour!" "He might be asleep." Said Rafael. "Go inside the house and get some water." Violeta slowly trudged her way across the meadow to the house. As she did, she started crying. At 10:20, the men said they were having trouble getting through the bed rock. So things would be delayed by 2 hours or so. But everybody stood by and awake. Neighbors stood by to watch and support. But as it got closer to midnight, some people started to leave to go home to bed. Violeta stayed crouched by the hole at the air pump at all times. Rafael often helped, and Cesar did too, but at, 12:04 AM, he went home too.(which I think is probably a crazy idea.. if YOU had a little brother or sister that was trapped in a hole, what would YOU do? Would you stay by the hole talking and comforting through and through, or would you say "well, I'm tired, going to bed, wake me up when he/she is out of there."? The next step was hard. There was a massive wall of rock and stone between the men and Rex. They had to drill really slowly, or else, the whole thing might cave in. at 1:30 AM, Violeta went to go pray. She wanted her son alive and well, and make sure nothing happened to him. After she prayed, she went back to working the air pump. Time seemed to go on forever and ever.