Though the Monsters

Chapter 27

Run

Two weeks and Hadlee was still running on a bit of a high from Halloween. Why? She didn't particularly know but she loved it. Summer was in full swing at Bondi and since she was finally free from the confines of the brace, Hadlee was taking advantage of distance tasks as much as she could. Walking, jogging, running and more. If it was active and within her job description, she was doing it. At one point Harrison and Jesse were sitting at the bottom of the tower steps watching as Hadlee moved from one end of the beach to the other.

"That training with Harries seriously paid off didn't it." Jesse said.

            Harrison nodded as his sister yet again passed them on the sand.

"I mean, she's been crashing hard at night and finally sleeping a solid seven or eight hours without seizing so I'm calling it a win," Harrison said. "And I'm pretty sure she's in the best shape of her life."

            Jesse nodded.

"I'm sure she's happy to have her knee back." He said.

            Harrison laughed and nodded.

"You have no idea. You thought she was excited when they put her in that basic support brace? Yeah, imagine that times about one hundred and you're halfway there." He said.

            Jesse's eyes widened.

"Seriously?" He asked.

            Harrison turned and looked up at his friend sitting a couple of steps above him and cocked his brow as if to say, 'are you doubting me?' Jesse mouthed a simple 'wow' and moved past the moment in stride. Harrison turned back to the sand and watched Hadlee run past them again.

"How is she not dropping dead on the sand?" Glick asked from the tower making Harrison laugh.

"She's Hadlee." He called back.

~~~~~~~

            Summer season means bigger crowds and with bigger crowds come more rescues, the whole reason for the Waverly Lifeguard Council in the first place.

"Hads, watch the water for a minute, I'm gonna go help Maxi." Hutz said passing the binos to Hadlee as he moved quickly out of the tower to the central set of flags.

            With Harrison now on the sand only Hadlee and Deano were left in the tower. Hadlee had been finishing up some paperwork in the med bay but quickly made her way up to the desk when Harrison left. She'd only just sat down when Deano rapidly reached for the radio.

"Mouse you've got one about 20 meters out that's practically gone." Deano quickly spoke.

            Hadlee's eyes trailed over to Backpacker's where Mouse was stationed and watched as he made his way out to the struggling patient in what felt like slow motion. Both Deano and Hadlee slowly stood as their heartrates began to rise. When Mouse got to the patient Hadlee's heart dropped, Mouse had to heave the man onto his board. He'd been fine not even two seconds earlier, how had he gone under so quickly? Mouse sat in the open water before looking towards the tower and yanking the chain three times, it was a resus.

"Resus at Backpackers!" Deano practically yelled into the radio.

            Hadlee dropped the binos and only just caught a glimpse of Deano before her brain flipped and she was trying to remember where the D-fib was. She'd just fucking put it away! Where the hell had she put it?

"Hads," Deano said pulling her attention to him. He gently yet urgently handed her the D-fib and looked into her eyes intently. "Run, Hadlee, run."