let me be free ✨Bondi Rescue

chapter 17

Whippet POV:

Icebergs was packed, all of the boys except Deano, H, Quinn and Harrison were sitting around a small rectangular table. Beer bottles scattered around, everyone was talking about today. Some chats about rescues, close calls, false alarms but the main topic was obviously Marley and her little date today.

'Did you see it all go down, he lifted her in closely and kissed her!' Maxi laughed mimicking a kiss with his lips

'Her first kiss! This will go down in the record books!' Jesse said taking a sip of his beer

'Hey boys, wasn't Hop meant to join us?' Kerrbox said looking around the table

'He ran out of the tower, looking for Marlow, he seemed really worried. Probably about the boy' Maxi shrugged his shoulders

'I'll give him a quick ring' Gonzo chirped taking out his phone and dialling Hoppos number 'No answer. It just rang out'

'Maybe he's gone home?' I ask
'He would never leave without locking up his office first? So maybe he's in his office?' Jesse said pointing out the window at the complex of offices

'I'll go check' Box got up and left the bar, we continued talking but I felt like something was off. He would've rang, text, anything to let us know?

Kerrbox POV:

Getting up from the table of men I decided I'd check on Hop. I reach the door and I see a figure being thrown to the ground. I take out my phones flash light and turn it on as it's gotten dark outside. A man looks me in the eye and runs.

I scramble over to the man lying on the ground, blood seeping out of his head and face. Blood was everywhere, on his hands and clothes.

As I got closer, I realized, I know this man.

It's Hoppo.

I quickly run over and kneel beside him, he's unconscious and looks worse for wear. He's lost a lot of blood from what I've seen, I check his pulse with my two fingers. Nothing.

I immediately ring the ambulance and text Whippet.

Whip get out here, right now.

I have a spare key for the tower as I am a senior lifeguard. I run 40 metres in front of me and jump the gate to reach the main tower door. I open the door frantically and sprint into the medical supplies cabnit, I grab med kits, oxygen masks and eventually I grab the defib hanging over the metal cabnit.

Running as fast as I can possibly go I don't even look behind me to lock the tower, I run down the stairs and up third ramp. Hoppo is still there, all the boys are out now, he's being kept stable.

'Right, men, I have the defib, we need to keep him stable and take off his top to clean his chest' I am shaking violently. My chest is pumping, he's my best mate, to see him lifeless is the scariest situation I've even seen.

Gonzo has taken off his blue top and is cleaning his chest. Whippet is still doing CPR, counts are all that fill the dark and silent athmosphere. Jesse and Maxi jointly are shining light off their phones onto Hoppo and the procedures happening.

I put the defib on his chest, I take a deep breath in,

'Don't touch him!' I shout
Everyone puts hands behind their heads, we all took a breath in, holding it, waiting for some sort of sign of life.

'No pulse detected, try again after recharging has taken place'

The words from the defibs automated voice kicks me in the stomach.

Glick starts CPR compressions again, taking over for Whippet. Counting with every pump, Jethro and Reidy were keeping an eye on the defib.

'Charged! Quick clean him!' Reidy shouts, I run his chest down with my jacket and watch as he places the two patches on his chest.

A jerk from his entire body is before me, I swallow hard.

I put two fingers behind his ear, checking for any sign of life, until, a faint pumping can be felt. Like a ticking clock, except weaker, a lot weaker.

'I have a pulse!' I shout relief washes over me as I hear sirens in the distance. It had only been minutes, but had felt like hours.

'Start CPR again, it's only faint' I order as Reidy takes over for Glick. Every pump I was hoping he'd breathe on his own. Desperation was at its highest in my mind.

'Here we can take over' the paramedics arrive and are instantly patching up his wounds and doing my CPR.

He starts to breathe on his own, I let out tears, the trickle down my face in relief.

They load him into the back of the ambulance, they shake my hand and say thank you as we have saved him. I can only hope it stays like this, keep him breathing, keep him alive.

I look around at the boys as they drive away. Police are now on the scene and circles of people surrounding us. I approach a male officer and tell him frantically that he was assaulted.

'I-I saw him sir. He was pushed to the ground and was bleeding, I tried, I should've.' I stop when an arm wraps my shoulders, it was Gonzo. I look into his eyes, he is shaken, I can sense it. He hasn't looked like this since his had to get the body from the water when he was only 20.

Then a thought struck me, Marlow.

How are we going to tell her, her only parent, Dad, guardian is in hospital after being dead for 3 minutes?

She's home alone, I walk over to where the boys are debriefing by default. All blaming themselves, cursing under their breath and tears imminent amongst us.

'Marlow' I stop everyone's conversations, Maxi and Jesse look me dead in the eye.

'I'll take her back to me and Jesses apartment, we have a spare bed' Maxi offers, we all decide we'll go and tell her together, Maxi, Jesse, Whippet and Myself.

We leave the rest of the boys to debrief and ring the other lifeguards.

Silence filled our short walk to Hops house, no one wanted to speak, everyone was too shaken to think straight. How can we tell this young girl that her Dad is alive but in a bad way? He has been resuscitated on the side of the street? He was dead for a couple minutes?

We reach the small white home, where 3 family members used to live in harmony, now only one is there.

I ring the doorbell, I hear rumbling on the inside. I was uncomfortable but I had to do it.

The door creaked open, Marlow had a huge smile on her face. Life seemed great to her in her head,

'Hey what's up boys? Come to see am I hiding a boy' she laughs

I look to the ground, 'Actually, Marlow sweet, it's your Dad'

Her face drops.

A/N: This was a heavy chapter I know, sorry for it all being so sad and lonesome!

How do you think Marlow will react?

Make sure to Star and comment to keep me updating!

Xo