The Lifeguard

Chapter 5: November 9th part 2

People started to leave around 7PM and the slide closed down. Most of the other guards went home and there was only around five lifeguards on duty. Harry was now on the 50 meter pool guarding the deep end while I was at the shallow end of the 50 meter which was split in two thanks to the boom. 

Two guys came up to me complaining about the slide being closed but I had to tell them to come back tomorrow. Harry signalled a rotation and I went to take his radio and guard both pools from the middle. He just gave me a dirty look and was leaving the area.

 I walked up a little bit and saw something at the deep end of the pool. By this time there was only a few people in the shallow end. No one was in the deep end. I walked over and saw something strange at the bottom. When I got close to it my body froze. 

Adrenaline kicked in to my maximum. I have never been more alert in my life than I was in that instant. I got my radio out, screaming

"MAJOR! ON 50 METER POOL, SUSPECTED SPINAL" As soon as I said it I dropped the radio screamed at Harry to cover me who had not yet gone to the other pool. 

I took my shoes off and jumped into the pool. I swam to the bottom and then time stopped. It all stopped. I froze and those two seconds felt like years. 

There was two people at the bottom of the pool not one. I couldn't get both. I quickly got one and brought him out of the water. I passed the person to Loretta and Harry who used a spinal board to get him out.

"Hang on there is another person" I said as I quickly went back down to grab the other person.

 I was already out of breath and I didn't take a proper breath when I went in to get the second person. Adrenaline kept me going and I towed the second who ended up being a woman and got her to the board Loretta was holding. I quickly got out of the pool. 

It probably was only a few minutes but that ordeal lasted a lot longer to all us guards. Sven's words just went off in my head. It doesn't take long for someone to drown.

I focused  and saw that there was only me, Harry and Loretta. The rest of the guards were stationed on pools unable to help us. Harry had quickly evacuated the 50 meter pool but seemed to be on his knees doing nothing as Loretta began CPR on the male who was not breathing. 

"Harry!" I said as he didn't reply. I was soaked and fatigued but I quickly went over to the female. 

I checked to make sure it was safe and free of dangers. She was not breathing. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!. That was the only word in my dictionary at the moment. I needed to conduct CPR. Harry sat there in a frozen state. It seemed the shock had seriously shaken him. 

I didn't care about him. I got my face mask out and placed my hands under the woman's sternum and began CPR. 30 and 2 that's all we do. It's what they teach you in first aid. That's all I was thinking about. I did thirsty consecutive thrusts and then gave two very deep breadths into the face mask. Common I thought. DON'T YOU DIE ON ME.