Louisiana 7 - Origins

The Boy Who Claimed The Mountain - Ross Selby [part 2]

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[ 6_6] - If your enjoying the story thus far please take a sec and vote/comment. I'd really appreciate it.  The next chapter starts now.  This is unedited-beware.

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[TWO DAYS LATER]

An under paid bus driver, escorting Bolton High’s baseball team, finds himself involved in a three car pileup on the James Madison bridge just near the school.  With the traffic built-up from rush hour, rescue crews found it extremely difficult to maneuver through and reach the crumpled bus.  The streets were so packed that, like many of the parents, rescuers were forced to reach the bus by foot.  I managed to arrive before the rescue crews.  If no one else could save them then I would attempt to do something-but what?  Underneath the bridge, however, the situation was steadily intensifying.  If the bus were to lose balance and plummet over the side it would mean certain death for all the survivors.  The James Madison Bridge was constructed to commute local workers past the massive train yards that covered the Industrial sector.  The bus was on a collision course with the 4:45 which you could hear in the distance. 

Two large train tracks raced under the bridge in both directions and the bus was still teetering at the mercy of the wind.  On top of that, behind the bus was a sedan wedged under the rear that kept its tail in the air.  If the back tire of the bus were to come down, the unconscious driver of the sedan would be crush.  To add further insult to injury, an SUV pinned the sedan under the bus.  The driver of the SUV didn’t make it.  I took a chance and raced up the stairs of an apartment building.  Five floors later I managed to reach the roof.  I took a quick couple of deep breaths as I set up my mini tripod and started shooting.  I could see the driver’s skull protruding through the windshield but what I noticed at this height was a child seat smothered by the back of the driver’s chair.  I switched the camera over to digital video, placed it on a wide shot and pressed record.  The footage would be less detailed but I’ll be able to get everything.  I had no clue if ‘flyboy’ was going to show but I couldn’t wait.  If there was a child stuck in that seat that might be alive…I couldn’t live with myself if I failed to act in time.  I raced back down stairs and over to the bridge where an enormous crowd had gathered.  The bridge was yellow-taped off and the police were keeping the TV crews at bay. 

I shoved my way through the crowed and reached for one of the police officers on patrol, “There’s a child seat in the back of the SUV!” 

The officer grabbed me by the collar and shoved me back into the on-looking crowd, “Stay…behind…the tape boy!”

The cops were spread far too thin and no one was looking into the vehicle out of fear that they’d tip the bus.  I mentally got myself ready to rush the bridge when-in clique hero fashion- flyboy arrived.  

I could hear the audience gasping as I pushed my way over to the end of the bridge.  He was standing in mid-air as the sun boldly flared behind him-his timing couldn’t be more perfect.  I pointed to the truck as he hovered in air.  I wasn’t sure if he even noticed me in the may-lay.  What in the world was he doing just standing around?  As my impatience built I started to yell out the first thing, as far as a name, that came to mind. 

“…flyboy!  Check the back seat!  There’s a kid wedged behind the driver seat!” I yelled frantically as I pointed over to the car then glanced back at the guy-who unmistakably was gazed directly at me.  

What the hell was he waiting for, just make a move.  I continued to fight for his attention as assistance steadily built from the crowd.  In a matter of seconds the crowd was chanting ‘check the back seat.’  I was astonished when our make-shift hero didn’t react.  I draped my arms over the railing of the bridge in disbelief as I watched a hero become reluctant to do any saving.  It took me a second to realize that he wasn’t waiting to check the car he was planning against the train.  He couldn’t do two things at once.  He needed assistance.