Page 65 of Second Chances
Chapter 28
“Come on. We’ll takemy truck,” Josh said and grabbed his keys from the workbench. “Did she say where she walked out onto the ice? Chance Lake name is pretty big and if we get it wrong, we will have to drive all the way around. The ice isn’t thick enough for us to drive over it yet.”
Charlotte hopped into the passenger seat of Josh’s truck and slammed the door. “She walked down the trail at the end of Sugarbush Lane.”
Josh nodded and put the truck into gear. As they sped off from the main street, Josh turned on his CB radio and called in the emergency to search and rescue. The dispatcher said that they would have someone there as soon as possible, but there had been a big pileup on the west side of town, and the whole team, including the helicopter, had been dispatched to the scene.
“Well, dammit. Call off some of the team and dispatch them, this is an emergency. If they don’t need the helicopter, call it to Chance Lake ASAP.”
“10-4 J.J.,” the voice came through the crackling radio.
“Is there someone else we can call?” Charlotte gripped the door handle as Josh drifted the truck around the corners on the snow-covered back road.
“That’s everyone,” Josh said grimly.
“But they will send someone to help, right?”
“Yes, but we’re going to get there first. I’ve got ropes and an intensive first aid kit in the back seat. We are going to have to save her. Did she say how far out she was?”
Charlotte’s voice cracked, “She said she was about a football field away from shore, but every time she tried to move, she heard the ice cracking.”
“She’s smart to stay down on the ice and disperse her weight around. There’s a creek that runs into the lake by that trail, and the ice is never safe there – even in the dead of winter.”
“What was she thinking?” Charlotte muttered underneath her breath. “I should’ve told her to stay put, I should’ve told her that I was going to make everything all better.”
“You stop that right now,” Josh growled. “You’ll drive yourself insane if you keep up the ‘what ifs.’ This isn’t your fault. You didn’t walk her out onto the ice.”
Josh’s stomach was contracted along with every single muscle in his body. He gripped the steering wheel as if the harder he held it, the faster he would be able to get to the lake. He switched the truck into four-wheel drive as they turned onto an unmaintained road. “Hold on,” he said.
Charlotte reached for the handle above the door and braced herself as she was bounced around the cab of the truck. Josh pulled the truck up to the shoreline and he could see Megan’s body lying out on the ice.
Charlotte jumped out, “Megan,” she screamed. Megan didn’t move.
Josh grabbed Charlotte’s arm. “Keep the truck running. Get the blankets out of my first aid bag.”
Charlotte nodded and pulled the duffel bag out of the back seat. Josh grabbed two coiled up ropes and tied a bowline around his waist and attached the other end to the winch on the front of the truck.
“Charlotte. I’m going to go out on the ice and get Megan. I need you to stay here and get ready for when we get to shore. When I give you the signal, you flick this switch.” He pointed to a switch on the dashboard of the truck. “This operates the winch. When I wave to you, all you have to do is flick that switch. Okay?”
“Okay,” Charlotte nodded and turned up the heat in the truck. “Be careful.”
Josh stepped out onto the ice and began moving toward Megan in a low crawl. He kept his eyes trained on her, his eyes looking for any sign of life, and his ears alert for any signs of the ice giving out from underneath him. As he neared Megan’s lifeless body, he heard the sound that he was dreading, the distinctive cracking of ice under too much load. He dropped down to an army crawl and continued forward.
“Megan,” he shouted and practically screamed for joy when he saw her look up and meet his eyes. She grinned widely and tried to stand up.
“No! Don’t stand up. Stay there and don’t move.”
“It’s so beautiful out here Josh,” she smiled at him and tried to stand up again.
“Meg. You need to look at me,” Josh continued his army crawl and was within ten feet of Megan. “You have hypothermia and I’m going to get you to safety, but you have to do exactly as I say.”
“I love you, Josh.”
Josh had been to plenty of cold exposure rescues and knew that hypothermia caused delirium. He knew that he loved Megan but wasn’t sure if it was her or her hypothermic brain talking to him. Either way, he felt a warmth rise inside of him but kept his focus on Megan.
When he reached her side, he slid the other rope under her body and secured it into a harness. Before he waved to Charlotte to signal her to activate the winch, he leaned in close to her ear and whispered. “I love you too. Now, hold on to this rope. You’re going to get towed to shore, but I need you to stay calm and as still as possible. He waved his arm in the air and saw the rescue rope become taut. He kissed Megan on the cheek, “Hold on, baby.”
Josh kept a fair distance from Megan while army crawling parallel to her. He could see that she was holding on and he knew that she was going to be sore tomorrow from being dragged along the uneven ice and snow. When she reached the shore, Josh crawled to her side and undid the ropes. He picked her up in his arms honeymoon style and rushed her to the truck and put her in the back seat.
