Hard Times

Hard Times 4

Connie's point of view....
She sat in the doorway of one of the ambulances as some nameless face strapped up her arm. It hurt like hell but Connie didn't complain, the broken barrier on the other side of the road held all her attention. She studied the safety cable that ran through it, tort and straining as it held the weight of the destroyed Mercedes, she watched and she waited for some sort of sign, shouts could be heard for over the ridge and she wondered what they meant.
Swatting away the paramedics, Connie stood, disoriented, in a dream like state, something was happening she could tell, the shouting was becoming frantic, they sounded urgent and worried as they called out Jacob's name. She felt arms trying to hold her back, to stop her getting any closer, but she needed see.
More emergency rescue officers quickly made their way down the slop taking more equipment with them. "Let me go..." pleaded Connie straining to break free. "...Grace."
"...go...go...go..." Someone called. It was followed a large bang echoing up, the tethers went slack, they no long held the car.
She could hear a sound that made her blood run cold, a metallic creaking, the sound of metal impacting on rocks and the hard ground. Connie made a dash for the edge, she made it just in time to see a ball of flames erupt upward followed by a plume of black smoke. She would have crumbled to the ground if it wasn't for the two paramedics holding onto her. "Please...please let them be okay."

Jacob's point of view....
He watched Connie being led up the bank, her shoulder slumped, it was the stance of a broke woman. Not physically but mentally. Shifting his attention back to the wreckage. "Come on firecracker." He murmured to himself.
Sparks flew as the fire department cut away the collapsed roof, he wanted to be with her, to protect her and comfort her. The scene before him was nothing short of disastrous, it made his heart ache.
With a loud creaking sound the beaten roof was pulled off. "Let me go in..." Jacob stopped Ian. "...please...I promised Connie I wouldn't leave her alone."
"Okay...just keep your head!" He agreed.
Jacob moved quickly, climbing into the car, the broken glass crunched under his knees. "Hey, firecracker..." he greeted the unconscious child. "...got yourself in a bit of a pickle don't you..." Jacob continued talking to her as if she'd answer at any moment while he checked her over. "...you've got your mum so worried about you..." he fitted a neck brace carefully. "...I know your going to show us all how much of a fighter you are..." he signalled for the spinal board. "...I'm so sorry if this hurts princess."
Ian help Jacob ease Grace's limp body onto the board, they were halfway out when another tree collapsed under the pressure, the two men looked at each other as the safety cables groaned with the added strain.
The rescue works shouted to them, urgency in their voices.
"Jacob..." said Ian next to him. "...MOVE NOW!"
"...go...go...go..." the team instructed, they could see the cables beginning to fray.
Sliding Grace from the car, two firemen took the weight and carried her to safety as Jacob and Ian jumped from the wreckage a split second before the car plummeted down the sharp incline. The group shielded their eyes from the bright flames that bubbled up from below.
Jacob wasted no time, he was up on his feet racing up the hill to catcher up with the men carrying Grace. As they came over the ridge he saw Connie charging to towards them.
"Is she okay...are you okay?" She panicked addressing Jacob taking his hand, he smiled and gave her a nod.
"Mrs Beauchamp..." interrupted Ian. "...Grace still hasn't regained consciousness and her heart beat is slow but strong..." he motioned Connie into the back of the ambulance, her grip slipping from Jacob's. "...we need to go now."
She sat to the side of the ambulance, watching as Grace was wheeled in and hooked up to the machines.
"Jacob?" Called Connie when she realised the doors had been shut and he wasn't inside.
"He's in the other ambulance...he'll be waiting at the E.D for us." Ian reassured her. He gave her a sad smile, he'd never seen the hard headed clinical lead cry before, he suspected not many people had. Looking down at the broken little girl before him, Ian guessed she had a lot more tears to shed before the day was out.

To Be Continued.....