Bondi Mile

Chapter 2 - Don't Panic, But

Just like that I was back in the room, back down to earth and back to the Bondi prom where an elderly man was laying beside me out cold. I knelt down to the man, my heart racing in my chest

'You know what you're doing Mel. just breath'

A woman, who I decided was either his wife, girlfriend or family member, was trying to talk to me. All I could hear was my heartbeat in my ears.

'Start CPR Mel'

"Hello? Can you hear me? I am here to help you, can you hear me?" I nudged and lightly shook the man on the shoulders for a response and he didn't move. I leant down to see if he was breathing, and just like that as I put my ear to his mouth and my vision streamline to his chest, I knew there was nothing there.

The woman was still yelling and panicking beside me, I didn't wan't to panic, but I was certainly out of sorts. A crowd started to form around myself and the man

"MOVE BACK, Someone get a lifeguard, NOW" I shouted, the woman he was with looked at me opened mouthed and then rushed off as I turned my focus back to the man.

'Keep going Mel, that's it'

I titled his head up and pinched his nose giving two strong breathes into his mouth and then started the 30 chest compressions as the crowd grew more and more with no one here to help. This was my worst nightmare, he was elderly which means the chance of him surviving was so low. I wanted him to live, he will live.

"...25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30!"

I did another two breathes into his mouth, sweat was dribbling down my neck as I continued with the compressions, the sun beating down.

"...20, 21, 22..."

I had to keep going as I heard and felt the most hideous crunching noise come from the mans chest, CPR and rib breaking unfortunately go hand in hand. Tears started to well up in my eyes and sweat stung them, I wasn't going to save him unless I had help and I was scared. I don't know where the woman he was with had run off too. but she was certainly taking her time.

Two breathes, back to compressions.

I was in such a state but so determined, so much so that when the lifeguards showed up and took over from the compressions the most I could do was sit back the breathe through blurred eyes. An old lifeguard with stubble and black shades on had to shake me out of it.

You know when you get so into something it becomes determination to do well and get the right result? That was me in that moment. I was in a trance, in some sort of zone, in the words of Coldplay, when you try your best but you don't succeed, that's what I'd done.

"Lean back against the wall now love and get yourself out of the way, Barnet will look after you" he stated to me with a hand on my shoulder, "You did a fantastic job".

I didn't speak.

I started to full on cry, I was drenched in sweat and I was anxious, I needed a drink but I didn't even have the energy to get up. Everything was a blur and I felt dizzy, overwhelmed at what has just happened.

I tried to get up and fell back down onto my hands and knees.

"Barnet quickly! Get her water, lay down, quickly" were the only words I could hear from the lifeguard who had spoken to me beforehand. My eyes slowly started to close and everything started to fade

I was definitely going to faint. Fantastic, just what these boys need to add to the drama.

With just that little bit of consciousness, I heard the words "He's breathing". At the same time, two arms, one wrapped around my stomach and the other under my arm wrenched me up from the floor.

"I'm Barnet, let's go, you're going to be just fine" were all I could make out from the young lifeguard helping me up. I relaxed and sighed a sigh of relief at the fact the elderly man was breathing.

I let myself go.