Lena's River (7 page)

“I had a chance at an interview so I stayed overnight.
I needed a shower anyway. And Pascal needed a bath. He rolled in something
nasty the other day.”

“Oh yeah? So how did the interview go?”

“Pretty well, I…” Levi was interrupted by a commotion
outside and loud voices.

Lena opened the door and peered out into the rain.
“What’s going on ladies? Gina? Is Mary okay?”

“Lena, it’s Sala; she’s in trouble down at the river!
We need your help!”

Lena’s heart lurched in her chest. She jumped off the
stoop, under the awning and pulled her muck boots on, grabbing her rain coat as
she ran. Levi was right behind her as they followed Gina and Mary, who had hit
a full sprint towards the river path.

Lena felt her insides tighten.
Don’t panic, Lena.
We’ll get there in time and all will be well. Just keep your thoughts together.
Don’t panic; keep a clear head.
She could feel Levi’s heavy steps a few
inches behind her but she couldn’t run any faster without tripping on the roots
and branches that lay in the trail.

The river was not far off as the crows fly, but it
seemed too long for them to reach the edge of the riverbank and for Mary to
locate Sala in the water. She had slipped further downstream and didn’t seem to
be conscious.

“There she is! She’s wedged on that log jam. Oh thank
god her head is above water!” Mary’s face was white and her lips trembled.

Lena touched Mary’s arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Don’t
worry; we’ll get her out of there.”

Without any hesitation Levi and Lena started to wade
towards Sala. The current was swollen from the rains and running fast. Lena was
shocked at how much the water had risen in just a few hours. Levi reached for
Lena’s hand.

“Hold onto the sleeve of my jacket!” He grabbed a long
branch that floated by them in the water and used it to test his footing as he
went. As he felt with the stick ahead of him his foot slipped and he fell to
his neck deep in a churning, murky hole. Lena tightened her grip on his sleeve
and pulled him back towards her with a violent tug while Levi fought for a
foothold. She felt the muscles in her shoulder pull, and a hot pain cut through
her back, as she held onto him until he could get his feet under him.

“It’s no good! We’re going to have to get more help or
a rope! Lena shouted out; rain streaming down into her eyes. She threw up the
hood of her parka trying to see and the two of them inched their way back to
the shore and up the bank.

Levi bent over to catch his breath: “I agree. I have a
rope back at camp. I’ll run and see if I can’t find some other campers to come
help. Don’t try reaching her alone; it’s too dangerous! I’ll be back soon as I
can.”

Gina had Mary in a tight embrace. The two women stood
like ice statues with their eyes riveted on Sala’s motionless form which bobbed
in her yellow rain coat like a bulky, plastic duck on the water.

Lena tried to rotate her shoulder and winced. “We’ll
get her out, Mary. I promise!”

Mary shook her head and pressed her knuckles to her
mouth trying to control the sobs which escaped in bursts. “I never should have
let her go fishing this morning. I told her the river might be too high. If I’d
only come down here to check on her sooner!” Then she broke down again, her
shoulders shook under Gina’s tight embrace.

Gina held Mary’s head against her own: “Shush, Mary.
It’s going to be alright. Shh.” Gina stole a sideways glance at Lena. Her
expression was grim.

Lena kept careful watch on Sala just in case the wedge
of logs which kept her secured on the far bank broke loose. Once or twice it
appeared as though Sala stirred, moving her arm, but Lena couldn’t tell; it was
raining so hard – nothing was clear or distinct.

At last, they heard voices and the thud of men’s boots
running towards them. Off the trail came Levi followed by a man and woman who
looked to be in their early sixties. Lena recognized them as the couple in the
big RV down from her loop. Levi had a rope coiled around his shoulder.

Levi was out of breath and perspired from the run. His
expression was tight but he was all business: “We need to form a human chain.
I’ll go first with the rope. I’ll tie it around my waist so I can keep my hands
free. Lena, you follow me. I think we can reach her if we space out about ten
feet apart. Drape the rope around your arms like this.” Levi showed them how to
position the coil of rope just above the hips.

“I’ll move forward first but the rest of you step into
the river sideways like this...“ Levi showed them how handle the rope and how
to adjust their grip. “Okay, loop it one and half times around your forearms so
that your palms face outward. That provides stability for you and the person in
front and the one who follows you.”

Everyone nodded they understood. Lena held the slender
rope up while Levi fashioned a nautical loop around his waist, giving it a
couple tugs to make sure it was secure. Then she grabbed the rope behind her
and around her forearms, the way Levi had shown them.

“Are you sure this thing will hold, Levi? It seems
rather skimpy.”

“It’s strong and supple, trust me. And it has a little
give. This is what they use on sailboats.” Levi stepped into the river, focused
only on the task at hand. “Okay everyone take up the rope and leave about ten
feet between you. We might need to space out more if I can’t reach her.”

Bit by bit they all grasped the rope and took their
positions. “I’m taking one step at a time. Be sure your foot is secure in the
sand and gravel before you go any further. I’ll wait if you need more time.”
Levi moved like a snail through the strong current.

The rain had eased a bit but it was still hard for Lena
to see Sala with any clarity. She bit her lip so hard in concentration that she
could taste blood on her tongue. Lena looked back to see if the others were prepared
to follow. Gina, then Mary and the RV couple were in a staggered line behind
her; the older gent taking up the rear. No one said a word. Lena heard the
river pounding in her head as she waded deeper towards the floating form of her
friend.

I wish I had a good prayer to say right now
because, damn it, I’d say it. Even if was just a prayer to the empty sky.
Please let Sala be alive.

One slow, intolerable moment after another Lena inched
her way behind Levi. She watched him struggle for secure footing ahead and once
he slipped into the current. Lena pulled back with her leading arm and that
steadied him. Later, she couldn’t recall how they at last reached Sala. It all
was a blur in her memory. All she thought about at the time was the rushing
water, the roar in her ears, the insecurity of each step – as if the river
would tear off her boots in the current and take her with it downstream on its
journey to the sea.

But somehow Levi reached her. “She’s alive! But she’s
got a nasty contusion on her head. It looks like she might have lost some
blood.” And then began the ordeal of negotiating the river back to shore.

Lena helped him as much as she could but the pain in
her right shoulder was worse – hot streaks of pain shot through her with each
movement. Levi struggled with the dead weight and Sala was no small woman. Half
way back across Sala roused and moaned but then went limp again. The RV couple
had reached the bank and held the rope taught until Lena and Levi had cleared
the current. Then they all rushed to help carry Sala up onto the bank. At that
moment the camp host appeared with a ranger from the station in town.

“Hey there, we’ve got an ambulance on its way.” The
camp host was an older lady who walked with a hefty walking stick and a limp.
Lena had seen her off and on since they’d set up camp.

Mary had found a kerchief in her pocket to press
against the nasty bump on Sala’s head which still bled a bit. She wept as she
whispered to her friend. “It’s going to be okay, honey. Just hang in there.
We’re going to take you to the hospital.” She smoothed the wet hair back from
Sala’s forehead.

Sala stirred and groaned when Mary put pressure on the
wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

“The river is no place to be fishing in this kind of
weather.” The ranger said in a matter of fact voice. No one said a word. They
all just stared at him for a moment. “At least not in waders; you need a drift
boat for this current.”

At last the older man from the big RV pointed out the
obvious. “They’ll be plenty of time for a safety lecture later, ranger. Right
now where in the hell are those paramedics?”

****

Lena lay on a stretcher in the ER. She and Gina had
ridden with Levi who followed the ambulance to the hospital, which was about
forty minutes away. The pain in her shoulder had grown to epic proportions
after some of the adrenaline had worn away.

“You tore something for sure.” Gina muttered. “What a
disaster this day turned out to be.”

“At least Sala’s gonna’ make it. I was so terrified. She
was in the water for so long.”

“Yeah, they hopped right to it when they got there. I’m
glad for that.” Gina got up and paced the room.

“You go get something to eat, Gina. It’s going to be
awhile.”

Gina frowned, as if she wasn’t sure. “Yes, I believe I
will. I want to check on Mary too.”

“Yeah, let me know if you hear anything new. See you in
a little while.” Lena tried to relax. She attempted a few breathing techniques
she’d learned in yoga but the pain in her shoulder was like fiery darts
shooting all the way down her arm and up her neck.

Levi poked his head around the heavy door. “How you
holding up, Lena?”

“Oh hey there, I’m okay. How’s Sala doing, do you
know?”

“Haven’t seen or heard since they took her to X-ray.
They’re probably doing an MRI.”

“Yeah, wow she had quite the knock on the head. I’m
worried.”

“It will be okay.” Levi patted her uninjured arm and
stroked her cheek. “Can I get you anything? Did they give you any pain
killers?” He held her hand and sat down on a stool.

“Yeah, they gave me something. It doesn’t even touch it
though. That shoulder hurts like hell.”

Levi shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I feel responsible.
You likely hurt yourself when I slipped in the river and you pulled me back to
my feet. A sudden wrench like that can tear your shoulder up pretty bad. But, I’m
thankful you were there - I was that far from being swept downstream.” Levi
held his thumb and forefinger about a quarter inch apart to make a point.

“The whole thing was an awful nightmare. I’m glad I was
there too. Thank you for everything you did, Levi. You put your butt on the
line and saved Sala.”

“We all had a hand in it – literally. I so glad I came
back when I did and was there to help.”

“Well, you’re my hero.” Lena smiled at him with warmth
in her eyes.

“And you’re mine. We can be the two members of
a very
small mutual admiration society
.” His dark eyes sparkled.

“Okay, I guess that works.” She noticed that he’d been
holding her hand now for a long time and hadn’t let go yet. She liked him
holding her hand a lot.

Chapter Six

In the middle of the night Lena woke with a start.
She’d had a nightmare. She’d been dreaming about the river. In her dream she
had waded out into what seemed like a shallow area only to be surrounded by
deep, dark water rushing past. And as it rose, so did her panic. She shook
herself awake and sat up. As soon as she sat up, she sank back onto the pillow
with a groan. “Oh, crap, oh crap… that hurts!”

“Hey, take it easy. I think it’s time for more of your lovely
Lortab.” Levi flipped the table lamp on and sat up on the creaky motel bed
across from hers.

“I’m sure glad you talked me into getting a room for
the night.” Lena sat up with extreme care so as not to jar her shoulder which
the hospital had stabilized in a sling.

“Me too. I’ll be right back.” Levi headed for the
bathroom and was back in a moment with a little speckled pill, a glass of water
and a box of Wheat Thins.

“Are you sure your name doesn’t have R.N. next to it?
You seem a natural.”

“I’ve had lots of practice with care giving; just like
you.” He pushed the box of crackers her way on the nightstand. “Eat some of
those or that pill will make you nauseous.”

Lena nibbled on the corner of a Wheat Thin and
considered his comment. “Who did you care for?” Her interest was piqued.

“My little brother, but I will tell you about him
another time. Not right now.” Levi seemed firm on this so she didn’t pry any
further, but stuck this piece of information in the back of her mind.

****

The next morning they were late rising and it was
almost noon before they checked out of the motel and made it up to the
hospital.

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay another night?
That shoulder worries me. You’re lucky you didn’t need surgery.” Levi asked
before he left the key in the room.

“Nah, I sleep better in my camper. I’ll be fine.”
Besides,
I have an aversion to sleeping where hundreds of other people have slept. Ugh,
so disgusting.