Angels In The Snow

He kicked off the pair of loafers Bob had given him and ran towards the other side of the pier.

" Oh my God, Help!" Susan screamed, " He can't swim! . . . Help!" A group of people from down the boardwalk now realized there was a problem. One man ran towards the nearest lifeguard station as most of the others approached the end of the dock.

" Daddy! . . . Daddy! " Katrina cried, as she tried to climb from her wheelchair but failed.

Even though Susan, like her husband, could not swim; she climbed the railing and in a moment of pure panic, prepared to jump. She was startled as a shape crossed over in front of her. She was both horrified and grateful to see that the man, who had been opposite of them on the dock, had fearlessly lunged into the ocean.

His skin felt as if he had been stung by a thousand bees. And getting hit with a sledgehammer couldn't possibly hurt as much as his head did at this moment. Fortunately, he had thought enough to jump feet first rather than dive in. He looked up at the pier to orient himself and began to swim towards the man. By now Dave was face down and partially submerged. He appeared to be stuck against one of the pillars which kept him from sinking to his death.

Ray suddenly realized he was being carried directly towards him by a rather large wave. He tried to change his direction but the water's strength was greatly superior to his own. He could only try to cushion the blow by pulling his knees in and crossing his arms in front of him. Upon collision his knees and abdomen hit Dave but his arm hit the post with such force he could tell instantly it was broken.

Ray wrapped his legs around Daves lower body and tried to pull his head up out of the water. The pain in his arm was nearly unbearable and the current was too strong. No matter how hard he pulled he couldn't raise Dave's upper body from below the surface. The series of waves nearly pushed his own head under causing him to prop his broken arm against the pillar for leverage. Nearly twenty feet above, the bystanders could hear his scream of agonizing pain.

Perhaps it was the pain which caused it, he didn't know for sure, but in a moment of clarity he realized he could use the water's current to help him. For he had been pulling and pulling on Dave's body rather than trying to time his tugs with the reverse current. For every action, there is an opposite but equal reaction. Wasn't that how it went?

On the next wave he pressed against the body and held tight. Slightly after, he could barely feel the riptide pulling outward below him. He jerked back with everything he had in him and now, finally, Dave's head bobbed on the surface.

He quickly wrapped his good arm around him and as the waves pushed them against the pillar he yanked back with his arm. It wasn't the textbook way to do it but it was all he could do at the moment. He realized there was no way he could get him away from the pier against the strength of the water. Upon the fourth heimlich he noticed the man coughed up some water. He wasn't breathing, but it did give him some hope that his efforts weren't in vain.

There was almost a pattern with the waves now. They would get three quick ones, then a slight pause, then two slower ones. He managed to pull Dave's head back and pump two short breaths into him during the pause.

After what seemed like forever, he felt something grazing across his back. He looked upwards towards the yells of the others to see a lifeguard dangling on a rope a few feet above him.

" Put the harness on and tie it to the post!" The man yelled. It took a few seconds to sink in but he then got the message. Ray reached behind his back to find, what appeared to be, a rapelling harness dangling against him.

It hurt to put it on over his broken arm but he managed to do it between the slower wave cycles. The harness also had a length of rope attached to it which was about eight feet long. He tied this, as best he could, around the post. As he finished, the guard motioned for the others to lower the next harness.

" Okay, good job. Now put this one on him!" He yelled down while guiding the rope towards Ray. It took several cycles of waves to finish the task. While doing so, Ray paused a few times to breathe into Dave. He was nearly completely exhausted now. His legs and stomach were cramping and on top of the pain from his arm it was almost unbearable.

" Okay! Now release the clip holding the rope that's tied to the post." Was the next command. Ray did so and immediately felt the harness tighten as the group of rescuers on the pier reversed the electric wench of their rescue vehicle. Slowly the water increased in distance from him. He was now shivering uncontrollably, it was almost comical considering a few minutes earlier he had been hot.

He looked down to see the other man about six feet lower than himself. He looked pale and was hanging limp.He was sure his efforts were for nothing, the guy was obviously dead. As I was supposed to be . . . It could still be...All I have to do is release this rope somehow . . . there's no way they could get to me in time...Which clip will do it? . . . That must be the one . . . he thought as he reached for the main harness release.

Something was wrong! His arm wouldn't move . . . like it was frozen or something . . . but the water wasn't that cold, was it? . . . He couldn't have known how close to his own death he really was. The combination of the rescue, not eating for days and his weakened condition from the alcohol abuse had caused most of his body functions to shut down. His body was trying to conserve energy for vital functions such as his heart and brain. Motor control was considered a secondary system and no matter how much he wanted his arm to move; his brain refused to send the signal for it to do so.

He was becoming a bit dizzy now and he was just starting to make out the shapes on the pier as they pulled him over the edge of the railing. That fella there was the guy who gave him the harness . . . another guy looked like that kid running the milk bottle game . . . there's that other guy's wife who was screaming . . . and, what's that? . . . a wheelchair . . . somebody staring at me . . . a kid . . . a little . . . Oh My God . . . Kathy!

" I've missed you Daddy, you can rest now." He heard as the darkness overtook him.