Tumble In the Jungle

Tumble In the Jungle Ch. 2

Using the torch on Maureen's mobile, the pair smiled at each other as she opened the thermal bag then began pulling out the various items she had packed for their lunch. At the same time, Bob set the items to the side, making things neat in the middle of one of the pair of beds in the cabin.

The rain outside was falling thick and heavy. Thunder loudly clapped and lightening flashed outside, revealing the campsite, which looked as though a veil had been cast over it. Outlines of trees and stumps would be illuminated with each flash, briefly giving details before darkness would once again cloak everything,

Opening a can of soda, he took a long pull and swallowed, enjoying the feel of the cool liquid as if flowed down his throat while Maureen sat down at the opposite end of the bed, her back to the cabin door. Looking up, Bob suddenly stood up his face a full of alarm when a figure crawled its way onto the small landing at the top of the stairs.

Startled, Maureen turned to look behind her as Bob ran across the room to the soaking wet figure that was lying on the floor of the cabin, half in and half out.

"Anthony!" Bob cried as he fell to his knees beside the young man bending over to begin assessing him...taking in how bruised and battered he was. At the same time, Maureen stepped around Ant and looked outside, searching for Dec but the rain was falling too heavily to see more than 5 or 6 meters away. In the back of her mind, if Ant was here, Dec had to be near by.

"Bob...where's Dec?" she asked, turning back to Ant who was now semi-reclined in Bob's arms, holding his misshaped left wrist against his chest, blood flowing from a multitude of cuts and scrapes from his head and exposed arms.

"He fell down...some steps...over there," Ant said, pointing in the distance to an area neither could actually see due to how heavily the rain was falling.

Pulling out his phone, Bob immediately called the clinic and handed it to Maureen.

"Tell Jared to send a team with two stretchers...we need backboards, collars, resus equipment, med kits and splints. There's no way an ambo can get to us with this heavy of rain...the roads are most likely washed out so we're probably on our own here."

Gently, Bob lowered Ant back down to the floor before taking off into the rain in the general direction the young man had pointed to. Seconds later, after several falls in slippery mud, the medic made it to Dec's side. Leaning over the young man, he could see that Dec's eyes were barely open and he shielded his face with is body.

"Well, hello, you," he said in calm tones as he reached for Dec's neck to feel his pulse. "Imagine my surprise to see Ant come stumbling into the PM hut just a few moments ago."

Dec licked his lips then gave Bob a small nod only to grimace in pain. He hurt everywhere...the ability to tell which part of his body hurt the most was lost to him. It was all encompassing...it was absolutely everywhere.

"I need you to stay perfectly still for me," Bob urged, while placing his hands on either side of Dec's head, stilling any further movement. In response, Dec cried out in pain at the contact and he reached up in an attempt to remove the medic's hands. His terribly aching head was warring with the horrific stabbing pains in his left leg and arm. Bob's strong hands were pressing right where his head hurt the most. He tried to move his body away from Bob then literally screamed out when he moved his leg. His tears were indiscernible from the rain drops hitting his face and Bob leaned over his charge, speaking in soothing tones but he knew his efforts were inadequate as he felt Dec trembling hard beneath his grasp.

"Shhhh...lad...I'm sorry, son but I need to help you stay still until Jared gets here with a collar for your neck. I know you're hurting and scared but I've got you...I'm here and I've got you, lad."