'Oh crap...' Maddie exclaimed, all thoughts of collecting wood vanishing with this new crisis. 'It didn't even rattle!'

'Sometimes they don't.' Abeline replied as she held onto her wrist again. 'Maddie, listen. You're going to need to call for help-'

The teen nodded, forcing back the rising panic inside her. 'Let's just move you away from here and get you sitting down and I'll call, okay?' Watching her grandmother closely she helped her move a little ways from where the snake had disappeared and helped her sit down. Pulling her phone from her pocket she dialed 911 but there was no signal. 'Damn it!' She held her phone up, trying to get some service.

'There's a radio in the truck.' Abeline suggested, trying to stay calm for both her sake and Maddie's. 'In the glove box there's a first aid kit too. Once you've called for help you'll need to bandage and splint my arm. You remember how Trey showed you?'

Maddie nodded as she returned her phone to her pocket. 'I'll be right back.'

Her heart was racing as she hurried up back to the truck and she had to take a moment to compose herself before she tried using the radio. Flicking the power switch to on, she frowned when it didn't light up. 'Oh come on... please!' She tried again twice without any luck and began looking for the problem. 'Damn mice...' She found where the cable had been chewed through under the dash. There was no way she was going to be able to use the radio.

Knowing time was of the essence she didn't linger with the radio any longer and quickly got her phone out again to check for signal. Still no service and with no service, no way of calling for help. 'Okay... Stay calm Maddie. You've got this... You know what to do.' She told herself as she felt the panic rising inside her again. Opening up the glove box she pulled out the first aid kit and hurried back down into the gully to where she had left Abeline.

'Mice chewed through the radio cable.' She reported when she returned, carrying with her a large straight stick she had found on the way down. 'Can't get any signal up there either.'

'We'll need to get back to the ranch to get service.' Abeline winched as Maddie pulled the glove off her hand and her wedding rings, the teen placing them in her pocket.

Maddie looked up at her with worry. 'You can't drive.'

'Your going to have to Maddie. We ain't got a choice with the radio broken.'

She nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat. 'Well, we did say I was going to drive back didn't we?'

Abeline managed a weak chuckle.

'I'm going to have to get this coat off you so I can bandage up your arm.' She said as she forced herself to keep calm and focus on following the correct first aid protocol Trey had shown her. 'I'll try to be gentle.' As carefully as she could she eased her arm out of the sleeve and took the coat off before wrapping it back around her shoulders. 'How are you feeling?'

'Arm feels like it's on fire.' She replied through gritted teeth as Maddie placed a dressing on the wound and began to bandage up her arm, starting at her fingers. When she ran out of bandage she grabbed another one from the first aid kit and kept bandaging right up to her shoulder. 'Your doing good Maddie.' She encouraged as Maddie tore up another bandage to use to tie the stick to her arm as a splint.

Maddie managed a nervous smile, hoping Abeline couldn't see how frightened she was. As she finished tying the splint on so that her arm was completely immobilized, she started to think of what they were going to do next. She knew a snakebite victim had to be kept still and not move around but she didn't have much of a choice. Glancing up at her grandmother she could see she was already starting to sweat and her color didn't look too good. The wound too already had started to turn discolored and swell leaving no doubt as to if the bite had been given with venom.

Abeline needed to be gotten to hospital, fast.

'Alright, how does that feel?' She questioned when she finished with the splint.

'Fine, you did good.'

'We need to get you back up to the truck.' Maddie quickly threw everything back into the first aid kit and zipped it up. 'How are you feeling now?'

'A little bit lightheaded... nauseous too.'

Taking note of that she slung the first aid kit over her shoulder then helped Abeline to stand. 'We'll take it slow.' She assured her as she held her arm around her waist to support her. 'If you need to stop, we'll stop. Just let me know.'

She nodded but made no verbal reply and Maddie could feel that panic rising again as they started up to the truck.

It was slow and hard going, the muddy ground, rocks and fallen branches not making it any easier on them. Maddie was out of her mind with worry but forced herself to remain calm. Abeline was relying on her to remain calm. Every couple of steps she looked up at her to see how she was doing and by the time they made it back to the truck, it was visible that she wasn't doing too well.

After helping Abeline into the passenger seat Maddie closed the door after her and quickly jumped into the driver's seat. Taking a deep breath she put her foot on the brake then the other on the clutch and took the truck out of gear before turning the key. The truck started much to her relief and she glanced over at Abeline again before she started forward.

Abeline sure didn't look good.

Knowing that time was of the essence her anxiety was rising as she put the truck into first gear and after a bumpy start they were on their way back to the ranch. Keep calm... don't panic. Maddie told herself over and over as she slowly drove back along the track, wishing that she could go faster but not daring to over the slippery ground. The last thing either of them needed was for something else to go wrong.

By the time that they neared the ranch, over an hour had already passed since Abeline had been bitten. With having to stop and open and close gates they had been delayed further, not to mention the fact that she had stalled the truck quite a few times. Abeline had done her best to encourage her but now she couldn't hide the fact any longer that she really was starting to get in a bad way.

Finally, Maddie brought the truck to a stop out the front of the house. Turning the engine off she jumped out, hurrying over to the passenger side. 'August! August I need help out here!' She yelled loudly, opening the passenger door. 'August!'

A moment later August appeared at the front door. 'What's going-'

'Mawline's been bitten by a rattlesnake, I need you to call an ambulance.' She said as she quickly began to assess Abeline's condition. Her breathing was labored and her eyes closed, Maddie giving her a slight shake on her shoulder. 'Mawline? Mawline can you hear me?'

Abeline didn't respond.

Oh crap... She thought as she realized she was unconscious and she felt that panic she had been trying to hold back rising again within her. As she dragged Abeline out of the truck and placed her down on the ground beside it she could hear August on the phone to the dispatch giving them the location. Blocking what he was saying from her mind she focused her attention on her grandmother, watching her breathing. It wasn't right. Something was really really wrong..

'Maddie, she wants to speak to you.'

Taking a deep breath she took the phone. 'Hello?'

'Hello Maddie, my name is Anne. Can you give me a run down on what happened?'

'My-my grandmother was bitten on her wrist by a rattlesnake almost two hours ago.' She replied, her hands shaking as she held the phone to her ear. 'It was a western diamondback.'

'Can you tell me how she is?'

'She's unconscious and not breathing properly.' Maddie was struggling not to lose it. 'I think she's gone into shock.'

'Just stay calm Maddie, we have an ambulance on the way. Do you know what to do for a snake bite?'

'Yes, yes I've already bandaged and splinted her arm.'

'Good. Good girl. Have you got her lying down?'

'Yes.'

'And you say she isn't breathing properly?'

'Yes. It's um.. it's like, fast and shallow but uneven.'

'Okay. What is her skin color like?'

'It's- she's really pale and-' She felt her skin. 'Clammy.' Don't panic... don't panic. 'I-I don't know what to do-'

'You're doing just fine, just stay calm. Keep watching her breathing. Can you send someone to get you some blankets for her?'

'August-' She looked up at him. 'Blankets.'

He nodded and hurried back into the house.

'He's gone to get some.' She replied back to the dispatcher. 'How long will the ambulance be?'

'They're on their way, they'll be there in about twenty minutes.'

Upon hearing that help wasn't far away, relief washed over her. It wouldn't be long now. August soon returned with some blankets and she draped them over her so her temperature didn't drop any further, still speaking to the dispatcher.

All she could do now was wait.

There was nothing else they could do.

Abeline took another breath then stopped, Maddie watching closely. After a couple moments and without seeing the rise and fall of her chest, her heart skipped a beat in panic. 'She-she's stopped breathing!'

'Do you know how to do CPR?'

'Y-yes.'

'Put the phone on loudspeaker and start CPR.'

'I don't think I can-'

'Yes, yes you can. Don't think, just do it Maddie.'

As instructed Maddie quickly put the phone on loudspeaker and dropped it down beside her before throwing the blankets covering Abeline aside. Interlocking her hands together she began to do chest compressions as August watched on, frozen with horror.

'Come on Mawline!' Maddie begged as she finished the thirty compressions then did the two rescue breaths before doing the chest compressions again. 'Come on! Please!'

She didn't hear what the dispatcher was saying, her whole attention focused on alternating between the chest compressions and the rescue breaths. By the time she had started on the fifth round, her arms were beginning to get tired but she kept going. 'Come on! Please!'

Abeline gasped suddenly, Maddie stopping the chest compressions as she began to breathe again. 'Thank God...' She wiped her cheeks dry from her tears and swallowed back the lump in her throat before picking up the phone. 'She's b-breathing again...'

'Good job honey. Is she responsive?'

'Mawline? Abeline?' She shook her shoulder gently to try and prompt a response but there wasn't any. 'No-no she's still unconscious.'

'How is her breathing now?'

'It-its still fast... fast and shallow.'

'Do you know what the recovery position is?'

'Yes. I-I'll move her into it now.' Carefully she positioned her as Trey had shown her before and rolled Abeline onto her side then covered her with the blankets once more. 'Alright, she's in the recovery position now.'

'Good. Just watch her breathing. If she stops breathing again you will need to recommence CPR.'

'Okay.' Maddie wiped a couple more tears off her cheeks as she wrestled her emotions under control again. 'How much longer until the ambulance gets here?'

'It won't be long now Maddie. You're doing good. Just stay calm. Help is on the way. Keep watching her breathing.'

'Okay...'

They kept waiting, Maddie kneeling on the grass beside Abeline to keep monitoring her breathing. August came and joined her, both of them placing an arm around the others shoulders. Finally, Maddie could hear a siren in the distance.

August stood. 'I'll show them in.'

She nodded as he left.

'The ambulance should be there by now Maddie.'

'Yes, they've just arrived.' She replied to the dispatcher.

'Your grandma will be in good hands Maddie so I'll hang up now. You did great honey.'

'Thank you for your help.'

'Your welcome. I hope your grandma will be okay.'

So do I... Maddie thought as the call ended, August showing the ambulance up the driveway. Relief flooded through her at the sight of the paramedics arriving, a man and a woman getting out of the ambulance after they parked behind the truck.

'Hi, my name is Adam and this is Leah. You must be Maddie.'

She nodded.'Thank goodness you guys are here.'

'Can you tell us what happened Maddie?' Adam asked as Leah opened up one of the bags and began to assess the patient's condition.

'My Grandma, Abeline Walker, was bitten on her left wrist by a rattlesnake at around two-thirty this afternoon.' She started. 'We-we were out cutting wood when she got bit, there was no service to call for help and we had to walk a distance to get back to the truck so we could get help... I put on the bandage and splinted her arm before I moved her. After I got her back here I realized she was unresponsive and she stopped breathing while I was on the phone to the dispatch and I did CPR until she started breathing again.'

'Good, you've done well.' He assured her.

'Is she going to be alright?'

'We're going to do what we can and get her to the hospital.'

'Thank you.'

Maddie stood back with August watching as the two paramedics attended to their grandma. When they had loaded her onto the stretcher and the driver and Leah loaded Abeline into the back of the ambulance, Adam came back over to them.

'We've only got room for one of you in the back-'

'It's alright, I will get a ride to the hospital with a neighbor.' Maddie assured him. 'August, you go with them. You know the rest of the details they'll need and I don't.'

He nodded and climbed in the back of the ambulance and they headed down the driveway a moment later, Maddie watching them leave. Alone in the silence she sank to the ground once more and finally, the emotions she had been struggling to keep in while she had been looking after Abeline couldn't be held back any longer.

God she hoped she'd be alright.

After a good cry she felt a little better and pulled her phone out of her pocket, finding the Davidson's home phone number through tear blurred eyes. Please answer... She begged as she listened to the phone ring. Please...

'Gale Davidson.'

Thank God. 'It-it's Maddie Walker here Mrs. Davidson.' Her voice quivered as she spoke and she had to swallow back the lump in her throat. 'Um... Mawline got bitten by a rattlesnake and she's on her way to the hospital now but I don't have any way of getting there. Could-could you give me a ride to the hospital please? Dad-dad's at work and Grampa's away-'

'Of course sweetheart.' She interrupted. 'Give me ten minutes and I'll be over to pick you up'

'Thank you.'

'No worries honey, I'll be there soon.'

After ending the call Maddie wondered what she needed to do next but her mind was too jumbled up with thoughts for her to think straight... All that played over and over in her mind was Abeline. God she hoped she would be okay.

Fresh tears threatened to fall but she held them back and decided that while she waited for Gale to come pick her up she'd go gather some things for Abeline. Picking up the blankets off the ground she took them back into the house, dumping them beside the door before she headed into Bonham and Abeline's room. After finding one of Abeline's small suitcases in the closet she threw in some clothes for her and headed back outside to wait.

It wasn't long before Gale came up the drive and Maddie hurried over, climbing into the passenger's side of the truck. 'Thank you so much for this.' She started as she quickly did her seat belt up. 'There wasn't room for me to go with them in the ambulance.'

'It's alright Maddie.' Gale assured her as she reversed the truck back and turned around. Glancing over at her she could see the teen was on the verge of crying again. 'Hey, you okay?'

'N-no.'

She placed a hand on the teens hand. 'Your grandma's gonna be okay. Alright? Abeline's tough. She'll be alright.'

'Dad-' Maddie stood as Cordell came down the hallway into the waiting room, her father taking her into his arms. 'Oh Dad, thank goodness you're here...'

Cordell kissed her head, holding her tight then looked over at August and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'You doing okay bud?'

August nodded. 'I'm okay Dad.'

'Have-have you heard anything yet?'

'No... not yet.' She replied as he let her go, the two of them taking seats down beside August and Gale. 'What did they tell you?'

'Just-just that Ma had been brought in.' He looked over at Gale.

'She brought me in Dad.' Maddie explained, seeing the confusion and questioning look on his face.

'I thought I'd stay with them until someone arrived to be with them.' Gale spoke up. 'But now that you're here, I'll be on my way.'

'T-thank you, for bringing Maddie in and-and for staying with them.'

Gale nodded and stood, turning back to Maddie. 'You did your best honey. Let me know how things go.'

'I will.' Maddie agreed. 'Thank you again.'

'So...' Cordell looked back at Maddie after Gale had left. 'W-what happened exactly?'

After taking a deep breath she explained what had happened while doing her best not to lose her emotions for a second time. She'd already lost it a bit on the way in in front of Gale (which had been embarrassing to say the least) and though she assured it was alright, she was still very upset with herself for losing it.

While listening to Maddie relay the events of the afternoon, Cordell kept his arm wrapped around his daughter. 'You-you did your best sweetheart.' He assured her after she had finished. 'It was... was a hard situation honey. You did the best you could.'

'But what if it wasn't good enough? I mean, it was longer than three hours since Mawline got bitten and her getting to the hospital.'

'You did the best you could.' He reaffirmed. 'Ma is strong... she'll be alright.'

'God I hope you're right.' She said softly.

'We haven't been able to get in touch with Stella-' August spoke up after a moment. 'She hasn't been answering her phone.'

'We need to tell Grampa and Uncle Liam too.' Maddie added.

'I-I'll um... I'll ring Dad and let him know what's happened but Liam...' Cordell paused. 'Liam hasn't been answering my calls or returning my texts.'

'I'll contact him.' She offered.

'Shouldn't we wait though until we know something?' August questioned. 'We don't even know how Mawline is yet.'

'No... Dad, he-he'll want to get back here.' He stood, taking his phone from his pocket. 'You try Stella again.'

'I'll ring Uncle Liam.' Maddie said and got up as well, moving to the other side of the room to make the call. As usual, the phone rang out and all she got was Liam's message bank. Not bothering to leave him a voicemail she opened her messages and began typing a message to him.

I'm not fooling Uncle Liam, I need you to call me back! Mawline is in hospital. Ring me.

She hit send and waited. After a few moments the icon that indicated that he had opened the message came up and just as Stella and Todd came into the waiting room, he rang.

'Uncle Liam-'

'Maddie, what happened honey?' Liam asked with concern. 'Is Mom alright?'

'She-she got bitten by a rattlesnake a few hours ago.' Maddie replied, struggling to keep her voice even. 'We've been here at the hospital for almost an hour and haven't heard anything yet... We-we need you here Uncle Liam.' Her voice hitched as she swallowed the lump in her throat. 'Please, come home.'

There was a long moment of silence.
'Is Cordell there with you?' He finally questioned.

'Yes but we need you too. Grampa, he's away and-' Her voice broke again and she had to pause before she continued. 'Can't you come home?'

More silence.

Liam took a deep breath. 'Maddie, let me know how things go. It-it's complicated... I can't come back. Not yet anyway.'

Maddie nodded though her eyes were misting again. 'I-I understand. You and Dad really need to sort things out though. I know it's not my place but... Please, just think about coming home.'

'I will. Let me know how Mom is as soon as you hear anything.'

'Promise.'

'I've got to go. Let me know how things go.'

The line went dead and Maddie took a moment to regain her composure before she turned back to her family. Stella and Todd were with Cordell and August and as she walked back over to them they looked up at her.

'Did you get in touch with him?' Cordell asked.

Though she was loath to lie to him, she shook her head. How could she tell him she had basically begged him to come back and he had refused? 'I got his message bank.' It wasn't a complete lie, she had. 'Did you talk to Grampa?'

'He-he's gonna come back tonight. He'll be here in a few hours.'

Maddie nodded as she took a seat once more. 'I hope we hear something soon...'

They waited.

Todd offered to stay but Stella encouraged him to go home and he did so after a time.

Time kept slipping by, Maddie curled up next to Cordell on the couch with August and Stella seated on his other side.

Finally, a nurse came over to them.

'Abeline Walker's family?' She questioned. 'Hi, I'm Ellie. You must be Cordell.'

Cordell nodded as the four of them stood. 'How is she?'

'Her condition has stabilized for now.' She reported. 'The doctor will be by shortly to speak with you but he just wanted me to give you an update.'

Maddie lingered back, listening closely to what the nurse said though it was only brief. After assuring them that the doctor wouldn't be much longer she left and they returned to their seats to wait again.

As Maddie placed her hand into her pocket, her fingers brushed against something cold and hard. Fiddling around with it for a moment she remembered it was Abeline's engagement and wedding rings that she'd taken off. Thank goodness I didn't lose them. She thought to herself, still playing with them in her pocket. It's a wonder they didn't fall out...

A short while later, the doctor came to see them. After introducing himself to Cordell he explained what Abeline's current condition was. After two doses of antivenom they had started to see an improvement. In addition to the snakebite, they were also treating her for shock brought on from the effects of the venom.

'I believe it was you who put the pressure immobilization bandage on, am I right?' Dr. Linthar questioned, directing the question to Maddie.

She nodded. 'It was the right thing to do, wasn't it? I mean, I know some people say not to but I had to do something before I tried moving her so I could get help.'

'And it was the right decision to make.' He replied. 'You very well might have saved her life.'

Maddie didn't care for any praise or recognition, more worried about seeing her grandmother. 'When can we see her?'

'I would recommend going home and getting some sleep then return in the morning...'

She didn't pay much attention to what he said as he directed his reply at Cordell. After a little while the doctor left and Cordell turned back to them. 'He-he's right. We'll go home, try to get some sleep and come back early in the morning.'

I've been lucky enough to never need to ring emergency services so I'm not 100% sure how a conversation with dispatch or handover to paramedics would go but I've tried my best.

When I did my first aid course I questioned my instructor if the pressure immobilization bandage was the right thing to do for all snakes and he said yes, hence having Maddie practice this on Abeline. Some sites I've seen in the US say they don't recommend it but since that's what we do in Australia, that's what I've written.

Snake bites aren't great, especially if the patient is a very young or old person. In this situation, Abeline should have been kept still and wait for help to get to them but with no way of getting help, Maddie was forced to go for help. This brought on the shock and it can happen within just a couple hours after being bitten. I ran through this scenario with my instructor as research for this chapter and he said in this case, moving is the only option though it increases the venom's circulation from the movement.

I came very close to being bitten by a snake only a couple years back. I was a ruler length from the snake before I looked down and there was a king brown (Australia's most venomous snake) right at my sandaled feet. Not something I want to repeat so a timely reminder to everyone to be careful! Watch were you walk and always wear good footwear outside.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed the update! See you all again soon.