by Paul Gait
‘Brilliant. Yes that’s it,’ Joe said joyfully. ‘That’s his ring tone.’ Joe rushed over but stopped short as he remembered the collapsed excavation. ‘Oh my God, he’s going to be very lucky if he has survived under that lot,’ he said dramatically. ‘Yes, that’s where the JCB was,’ he recalled. ‘Look at the mess I made moving it away from the hole. Shit. I might even have killed him sending more soil down there.’
‘Now come on. We don’t know for definite he’s down there yet., It might just be his phone,’ the Fire chief said quietly.
‘Well, there’s the top of the ladder. He probably used it to climb down,’ Joe pointed out.
‘We need to shore up the hole before we start doing anything. That soil is very loose. Have you got anything we can use?’ he asked Joe.
‘Yeah, over there by that shed. There should be some props, boards and a trench support,’ Joe said pointing towards it.
‘Thanks. That’s the number one priority, then. Shore up the hole.’
‘Frank…Frank…are you down there?’ Joe shouted at the pile of mud.
Frank had been drifting in and out of consciousness for some time as the air in his cocoon became heavy with carbon dioxide. However, he surfaced from his ‘coma’ as he heard his name called.
‘Am I dead? Is that you mother?’ Frank called, his voice hoarse from several hours of unanswered yelling for help.
‘Frank,’ Joe called again.’ Are you OK?’
Clarity of thought overcame Frank’s lethargy caused by his cramped ‘imprisonment.’ He suddenly realised it was not a dream. It was not his dead Mother’s voice. The pain across his chest, in his leg and around his back reminded him he was very much still alive.
It was his partner calling him. ‘Joe, Joe, I’m down here,’ he croaked. ‘Joe, I’m down here…’ he repeated. ‘I’m trapped. Help me, please.’
‘Frank, if you can hear me, I have the fire and rescue service with me.’ Suddenly the volume of Joe’s voice increased, the fire service having given him a megaphone to use. ‘CAN YOU REACH THE LADDER AND KNOCK ON IT TO LET ME KNOW YOU’RE OK?’
Frank struggled to move his arm through the dirt and pushed his hand forward until he felt the hard metal of the ladder. And with great effort, he balled his fist, flexed his wrist and hit the aluminium strut several times.
On the surface all had gone quiet as they waited expectantly for a response.
‘Clang, clang.’
A loud cheer went up as they heard the faint response.
‘Oh thank god,’ Joe said almost reverently. ‘Quick, he’s alive. We need to get him out. Now.’
‘That hole is pretty dangerous. The side could go any minute,’ The Fire chief cautioned.
‘Come on,’ Joe urged. ‘We haven’t got a moment to spare. He’s been down there for several hours now. The mud could be suffocating him.’
‘Listen, before we do anything, we need, props, excavation gear, a rescue tender, floodlighting and an ambulance,’ reasoned the Fire chief.
‘We can’t afford to wait for all that. This is a race against time if we’re going to bring him out alive. Bugger it. If you’re not going to do it, I will.’ Joe stood up and moved towards the top of the ladder.
As if to emphasise the gravity of the situation, the edge of the hole, where Joe had moved to, started giving way and sent another miniature earth slide into the hole.
‘Keep away from the edge of the hole until we’ve got something to stand on,’ the Fire chief told everyone. ‘He’s lasted this long. We don’t want to be the cause of his demise now.’
‘What an idiot!’ Joe declared, putting his hands to his head.’ I should have realised he was down there when I came back to site. Instead of bollocking him, I could have rescued him hours ago. Oh what a prat! Why wasn’t I more observant?’
‘No good blaming yourself Sir. That won’t help. What’s your partner’s name?’
‘Frank, Frank Schmidt.’
‘Unusual name!’
‘Yeah, I think his father was German.’
‘FRANK, FRANK CAN YOU HEAR ME? MY NAME IS PAUL. I’M THE FIRE CHIEF HERE. WE’RE GOING TO GET YOU OUT. YOU’LL NEED TO REMAIN QUITE STILL WHILE WE’RE MOVING THE MUD AND DIRT…BUT WE’LL HAVE YOU OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE…CAN YOU HEAR ME?’
‘Clank, clank.’
‘Good…Can you drive the JCB, Joe?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Why don’t you help the firemen bring some planks over here? That’ll keep your mind occupied.’
‘Yeah OK. Good idea.’ Joe dragged himself away from the hole and ran back to the JCB, got the keys out of his pocket and fired it up. He drove to where the shoring gear was and the firemen quickly loaded large planks into the bucket.
‘There you go boss. Here’s the floodlights,’ said another fireman placing a tripod upon which were surmounted several halogen lights. ‘I’ll just switch them on,’ he said running back to a generator that he’d unloaded off the fire engine.
As the lights shone into every crevice of the hole, the Fire Chief was able to fully assess the task. ‘Christ what a mess…it’s a bleeding miracle he hasn’t already suffocated. Can we get some air down to him?’ he asked, looking at one of his team. The other nodded. ‘There’s a gap by the side of the ladder, look. Strip one of those Breathing Apparatus packs down and let’s blow some air down to him.’
‘OK skip,’ the other responded, and set off to the Fire engine to undertake the necessary mods. As he did so, another vehicle arrived.
CHAPTER 26
‘Oh well talk of the devil. Here’s the Specialist Rescue Unit,’ the Fire chief said looking, towards the approaching vehicle.
Doors slammed as the team exited the vehicle and the Leader was directed to Paul who was still assessing the rescue options by the hole.
‘Well, what brings you guys here so quickly? We’ve only just put the request in. Are you telepathic?’
‘No, we were just returning to base when we heard your call. So what we got Paul?’ the newcomer asked, gazing into the hole.
The fire chief gave the newcomer a quick update. ‘Trench collapse, one man trapped, but still alive.’
‘Have you made contact?’
‘Yes. He’s got a mobile but it doesn’t appear he can use it…but he can respond by tapping on the ladder. So communication is difficult.’
‘Is there any way of getting a pipe or something down to him?’
“Yeah. We were just going to start putting some air down to him. There’s a gap by the side of the ladder there. Look.’
‘Good. I was thinking of something else.’
‘Such as?’
‘If we can get an optic fibre camera, phone or microphone down to him, we can better assess his situation.’
‘This is why we need you with your specialist stuff.’
‘Ok. I’ll just brief the team and be back asap.’ The Rescue Team chief made his way quickly back to his team and briefed them. They immediately jumped into action and started unloading the necessary gear.
Frank’s spirits rose as the end to his incarceration appeared to be in sight. But the bad air and increased pressure on his chest was making him feel even more light headed.
Unable to take deep breaths, he was on the border of consciousness when he became aware of something clanking down the side of the ladder sending small showers on dirt on top of him. Suddenly, a small beam of light probed the blackness.
He heard a hissing noise. His oxygen starved brain equated the noise to a snake and he went into a mild panic. Trapped as he was, he struggled to move his face away from the source of the hiss.
Then a voice above informed him, ‘FRANK, WE’VE LOWERED A PIPE DOWN TO YOU WHICH IS PUMPING COMPRESSED AIR TO HELP YOU BREATHE. ARE YOU STILL WITH US?’
Clank, clank.
He relaxed as much as he could.
‘YOU SHOULD START FEELING BETTER,’ the voice continued encouragingly.
Frank tried to take deeper breaths and noted his re
spiratory rate was slowing.
On the surface the rescue team had powered up the camera probe and monitor.
The voice from above informed Frank that they were also sending down a camera which had a built-in microphone to make it easier for them to hear him. He knocked the ladder twice to confirm he understood.
Slowly they threaded the probe down the side of the ladder where the air pipe had previously been fed. The operative was closely watching the ghostly image of the infrared camera on the monitor screen as it progressed deeper into the hole. Suddenly its progress into the void stopped.
‘It’s jammed.’
‘OK. Pull it out and try again,’ the Chief directed.
Underground, Frank was spitting loose dirt from his mouth as the operator tried several more times to dislodge the jammed probe, before they eventually saw something.
‘Hold it there. Just swivel it around. There look, we’ve got an ear.’
Joe, standing nearby, stared at the monitor anxiously. ‘God is it attached?’ he asked apprehensively.
‘Yeah, don’t worry. We ought to be able to talk to him now,’ the rescue team leader replied.
‘Frank, Frank can you hear me?’
‘Bloody hell. No need to shout. That’s right by my friggin’ ear,’ Frank replied indignantly.
The Fireman quickly adjusted the amplifier volume and gave Joe the thumbs up.
‘Frank are you OK?’ he repeated much quieter.
‘Just deaf in one ear,’ came the quick reply.
‘At least he hasn’t lost his sense of humour,’ the fireman observed. ‘Frank, are you injured anywhere?’
‘I don’t think so. Although my leg’s at a funny angle, but I don’t think it’s broken.’
‘OK, that’s good news. Before we can rescue you, we need to shore up the hole then we can start removing the earth…are you able to hang on?’
‘No I’m dying for a piss.’
‘Well, I think that’s the least of your worries. Are you sure about any other injuries?’
‘Only to my pride…can’t you get a move on. What’s the time?
Nearly six thirty. Why?’
‘Bloody hell. I got a date at seven thirty.’
‘Looking at the task we have here. I don’t think you’re going to make it.’
‘Sod…Is Joe there?’
‘Yes.’ He’s by the side of me.
‘Can he let Liz know that I’m otherwise engaged. Tell her I haven’t stood her up on purpose. If he goes through the pub, the Landlord knows her number.’
‘Yes sure. He’s nodded that he’ll do that. No need to worry. Your love life is still intact.’
‘Thanks,’
‘We’ll pass down a tube so you will get some water. Can you breathe alright?’
‘Yeah but whoever you’ve got blowing air down to me, tell them they’ve got halitosis. It stinks.’
His comments signified a bright moment of relief. His ability to talk humorously spoke volumes for his state of mind. ‘‘Ok, we’ll tell them.’
‘There is one thing you ought to know though.’
‘Yes, go ahead.’
‘I’m leaning against a large bomb.’
‘What did you say? Can you repeat please?’ the Fireman requested looking puzzled. I thought you said…a large bomb.’ The team on the surface looked at each other in horror.
‘You heard me correctly. One of Hitler’s sleepers…or it was until I tapped it with my JCB…I thought it was a pipe.’
‘What do you mean sleeper?’
Every time I move, the bloody thing starts ticking. I think it’s grumpy at being woken up.’
‘OK Frank, hang in there,’ the chief said, gesturing to the team to back away.
‘I’m hardly going anywhere,’ Frank replied casually.
The teams on the surface made a hasty retreat away from the hole. The camera operator joined a longer length of optic fibre cable to their link with Frank.
Frank could hear the vehicles moving.
‘You guys deserting me?’ he asked, concerned that he would be left alone.
‘No Frank. We’re just taking a few precautions and calling the bomb squad.’
CHAPTER 27
The atmosphere between William and Liz was tense. William was desperate to make up for his violent outburst and Liz was still not sure that she was doing the right thing by going to celebrate Frank’s birthday.
She was thinking about texting him to say she couldn’t make it then remembered that she had put her mobile on charge just before she went off to work at the pub.
She switched it on and it immediately bleeped with an incoming text message. She read the screen.
It was from Frank. ‘Enjoyed the kiss, look forward 2 more 2nite. See you at 7:30. LOL Frank XXX’.
She blushed and looked over her shoulder furtively to make sure William hadn’t seen it. Perhaps she would go after all she decided.
‘Is everything OK?’ William probed, ‘You seem a bit distracted.’
‘No…no…it’s just that when I left you earlier you were a bit…umm.’
‘Down. Yes I know and I’m sorry for being such a miserable arse. I’ve given myself a good talking to and I’m nearly back to my usual self,’ William reassured her.
She went into the bathroom.
‘Do you want a cuppa before you shower?’ he asked her.
‘No thanks I have to meet my lift for 7:30,’ she called from the bathroom.
William desperately wanted to follow her and shower with her as they normally did on his return from a tour. But he judged that he would only make matters worse so turned on the television instead.
The local news was showing a breaking story of a trench collapse, but he channel flicked and found an episode of the Simpsons and decided the light humour might buoy up his low spirits.
He went into the kitchen to make himself some tea. He heard her move from the bathroom and go into the bedroom. He so desperately wanted to watch her dress.
However, a message ‘pinged’ into her mobile and he thought he might have a valid reason for gaining access into the boudoir.
‘Oh I suppose she will probably want to read the message,’ he thought.
As he retrieved the mobile from her handbag he spotted the birthday card and the M & S bag containing the lacy black underwear.
‘I wonder whose birthday?’ he thought, looking at the card. It had a cartoon digger on the front and the driver was showing ‘brickee’s cleavage’ with the words, ‘nice backhoe.’
He glimpsed into the paper bag, ‘Oh nice,’ he said, admiring the scanty underwear. ‘She’s obviously saving these for later. Perhaps I’m in with a chance after all.’
He picked up the phone and started to take it to her in the bedroom when he spotted the brief message alert, headlined on the menu screen.
Intrigued he went back into the kitchen and completely out of character he decided to search the message options. Fortunately the phone wasn’t PIN protected, for, in spite of his continued nagging about safeguarding the phone with a password pin, in case it was stolen, she still failed to do so.
The sender of the message showed as ‘George pub boss’. The message read ‘Frank can’t meet you tonight. Will explain later. Joe.’
William was puzzled by the message until he scrolled backwards and forwards through the list of other messages. When he saw the texts between a person called Frank and Liz, he became very angry.
‘What the! Bloody hell. She is having an affair after all. The bitch.’
His hackles rose more and more as he read each message and reply. He was devastated to discover that his wife was apparently cheating on him.
His usually calm and controlled mind went into overload. In his fragile mental state he felt the pressure building in his head. He wanted to explode and race into their bedroom and confront her.
At that moment he heard her coming from their bedroom. Like a guilty child caught with his hand in the sweet jar, he was
n’t sure what to do, whether to hide the fact that he’d looked at her messages or accuse her outright. He decided to put the phone back into her bag and wait.
‘Oh, by the way your phone bleeped earlier. I think you had a message.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, as she fished in her handbag and picked up the phone. ‘Oh It doesn’t look like I’ve got a new one. It’s not highlighted as being unread. Are you sure?’
‘Perhaps it’s from Frank.’ He glared at her.
She coloured. ‘Frank? Who do you mean Frank?’ she bluffed, clutching the mobile to her chest as if trying to hide its secrets.
‘Don’t try that. You know very well who Frank is… I wasn’t born yesterday. The one with the gold bracelet who unblocks drains isn’t he? What have you been up to?’
Liz was flustered by the sudden exposure of her strange relationship.
‘I…well…he…umm is somebody that came into our pub…and I bumped into him at the rugby club dance. I went there with Mel. Apparently he plays rugby there. There is nothing in it, honestly. He likes to chat up women that’s all. He’s all mouth and trousers. There is nothing going on. It’s all one sided,’ she rattled out nervously.
‘Oh I see. So, ‘Enjoyed the kiss, look forward 2 more 2nite. See you at 7:30. LOL Frank XXX’, means nothing does it?’
‘It’s his birthday and I…’ she started to explain.
‘Yes, I saw the birthday card. So was the underwear to impress him too?’
‘No of course not,’ she lied indignantly.
‘Enjoyed the kiss!’ he persisted. ‘Frank can’t make it tonight.’
‘You have no right to look at my messages,’ she shouted furiously.
‘Don’t change the subject. If you’d have protected your phone with a pin like I told you, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. And you could be carrying on with your cosy little affair and I would be blissfully unaware. Be sure your sins will find you out,’ he shouted, standing up and walking towards her.