Stolen Princess

The Lake Gathering

"ROAR!"

He jumps off and does a cannonball into the water.

The kids jump off doing safe tricks, each getting a round of applause.

Mal gets ready to do her dive but she does something daring. She turns around her back towards the edge of the rocks, and just falls back doing an impressive backfall dive. All the kids go crazy and everyone looks impressed.

"M you should try" Blake says,

"Yeah, I want to see you dive"

"Oh- I don't know how" M says, trying to get out of this situation.

"Please..."

"Please"

"Why not M?"

"Guys, I really don't want to" M admits, and can't believe that her friends would join in on the begging, especially because they know what happened.

"Okay, okay guys, let's leave M alone" Aaron reasons, not wanting to push his best friend too far, "She doesn't want to and plus" He adds trying to divert their attention, "Belle and Adam got popsicles." he smiles looking at M who gives him a grateful look back.

"Yes, and the good kind" Adam winks at us.

"Thank you"

"Yes thank you" Ben smiles, looking at his parents.

"Oh I want grape!" Blake grinned, reaching over to grab one from the cooler.

"M, do you want one?" I ask, grabbing 2 red ones for Aaron and I, as well a green one for Sawyer and a blue one for Eva.

"Um, I'll get one, thanks"

She grabs a purple one for herself and cuts it in half, giving the other half to Dewy. M then sits on a chair with me next to Eva.

"So..." Eva starts, flipping her sunglasses to rest on her head, " I was thinking, about Coronation prep"

"Wait like M, actually becoming queen" I squeal.

"No, I'm too young for that"

"Well your dad became King at 16," I mentioned.

"He was also prepping for that title since a baby, and I am 15"

"Aunt Mal will probably push it back a few years," Eva smiles, "But I can't wait to make your dress"

I visibly frown, I always imagined I would.

"Guys, you both can make it" M compromises.

"Nice" Eva smiles, as we high five.

"Enough talk about that" M says changing the subject...

"Danny!!" Doug yells and we hear Evie scream.

Our heads shoot over and I see Danny sinking in the lake. Everyone rushes to jump in but to my surprise it is M who is the fastest. She bolts and dives right in swimming down grabbing the toddler. She rushes out as everyone crowds around. This happens to be quite familiar to another situation, one M was trying to forget.

Ben is on the phone with Adam trying to get medical here. Evie is crying so hard as Doug is trying to save his son. Seeing Doug break upon this, M immediately steps in and assesses the situation. Danny is unresponsive, and not breathing.

- - - - -

M

Seeing D- Uncle Doug break, I knew I had to do something. This was just like last time, but I was trying to focus. I gently reach out to take Danny out of Doug's arms before lying Danny on the ground, making sure he was flat on ground. He wasn't responding and I check for a pulse and find none. I then start chest compressions. I check and make sure I am in the right position, with my two hands in the middle of his chest. His chest is small, but I keep my mind on the task at hand, saving this boy. I align my shoulders directly over my hands, locking my elbows and pressing in at least 2 inches. Each time allow his chest to return to normal position before I start the next. I do this around 30 times, trying to stay at a constant speed. I then tilt Danny's head to open his airway and gently pinch the nose shut, taking a normal breath, and making a complete seal over his mouth with mine. I breathe into him for at least 1 second making sure his chest rises and the air to exit before giving the next breath. (The CPR steps I found were from the red cross website https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/performing-cpr/cpr-steps [hopefully I am describing it right]) I check the pulse and there is barley anything, so I start compressions and around the second set, 19th compression, his jerks up and spits up the water. He catches his breath, looking around, before I check his pulse again. It's normal, at least as much as it can be.

I relax into someone as the paramedics arrive to check Danny and suddenly I get a bitter taste in my mouth and my stomach turns. All I know is that I am now on the grass throwing up, all my breakfast and lunch.