HEROES

A short story by

K. Sue Collins, author of Catharsis

"You’ve got to jab the hook through the worm’s guts," Tim Greenly was instructing his best friend, Todd Walton.

Todd, a fellow thirteen-year-old, struggled to put the hook through the worm’s center. This would be a helluva lot easier if the worm was dead, Todd thought. Frustrated, he tossed the earthworm over the bridge railing. He pushed the fishing pole to the ground.

Ignoring Todd’s behavior, Tim cast his pole and the wormed hook into the water fifteen feet below. Todd didn’t even know what they were doing on this bridge on a Saturday afternoon. It was deserted. He wasn’t shy about voicing his disgust in today’s choice activity. "Don’t know why we just don’t use those featherly bait things."

"Because my dad has his lures under lock and key. He would notice if any of them were missing. I can sneak the poles out of the garage without him knowing. Besides the worms work just as good."

Todd was aching to question why then weren’t they collecting any fish. He propped his elbows on the railing. He stared into the black murky water below him. Wanting to dampen the mood even more. "What are we gonna do if we ever catch a fish? That water doesn’t look too clean. Don’t expect me to eat it."

"We aren’t gonna eat it, Stupid. We’re just gonna catch ‘em." Tim spoke with Huck Finn authority on the subject.

"Next time, I choose what we do," Todd announced. He took off his baseball cap and ran a hand through his hair. He placed his hat back on his hat. He stared at the water even more. God, he was bored. A car hadn’t bothered to pass them in over fifteen minutes. Nobody went down this road on a Saturday. Sometimes Tim could really pick them. "There hasn’t been anybody around this road in like half an hour."

Tim was focused on the activity. "That’s kind of the point. We’re all alone out here. Ain’t nobody here to bother us. We can do whatever we want."

"I wish there was some action around here."

The loud pop startled them both. Todd pushed Tim out of the way when the car came swerving at them. Two feet from the boys, the lone driver’s car crashed through the railing and took a giant cannonball into the water below. Todd caught a glimpse of the driver’s face. He was trying to keep control of the wheel as if twisting the steering would change the car’s course in mid-air. The impact was so forceful that the spray of water spat up drenching Tim and Todd.

Todd helped Tim up. Todd leaned over the railing. The car was sinking. "Whoa, did you see that?" Tim certainly had a grasp of stating the blatantly obvious.

The air bubbles were popping underneath of sinking vehicle. "What do we do?" Tim asked.

If someone was going to act, it had to be quick. Neither of them had a cell phone handy. There wasn’t anybody for blocks and blocks. The time it took to ride their bikes would be a waste. Todd took off his denim jacket and tossed it aside. He climbed to the top of the railing. Tim put his hand on Todd’s shoulder to steady him. "What do you think you’re doing?"

"What do you think?" Todd paused wondering if it was wise to dive into that water. Just how deep was it? The car was subsiding deeper, but with no great speed. He was pondering where or not to remove his shoes. Isn’t that what they do in the movies. They take off their shoes before they dive into the brackish water to save the victim. He threw his sneakers to Tim who stood there holding Todd’s sneakers and denim jacket. Todd hopped over the railing and squeezed his eyes when hit the water.

Todd opened his eyes when he was under water. The unclear water burned his eyes, but he swam over to the window of the driver’s side of the car. The driver’s head was resting on the steering wheel. The water was too unclear for Todd to know if he was unconscious. He pounded on the window. The driver slowly lifted his head. He turned his head and saw Todd floating near the car. Todd’s lungs were on fire. He was approaching a minute and a half underwater. Swimming was never one of his stronger points. The driver grabbed for the door handle. Todd reached for the outside handle. Todd blew out air bubbles as he pulled on the door. The air pressure was giving an inch. He was wasted. His body screamed for air. He floated to the surface.

Air never tasted as good as it did at this moment. Todd tried to brush the dirt away from his eyes. He needed Tim to help him. He looked up to the bridge. Tim was nowhere to be found. He squinted and saw that his jacket and shoes lay on the ground. Thanks a lot, Tim. Todd filled his lungs with the oxygen it needed and descended again. He kicked his feet to help him under the water. He landed at the driver’s side door. The driver was struggling with the handle again. Todd signaled for the driver to unroll the window. The driver wasn’t thinking clearly, he must have hit his head when the car collided with the water. He was slow to move. Todd was struggling to limit the amount of oxygen into his lungs. It had to last him longer this time. He couldn’t afford to go to the surface. Once the car started to let the water drift in from the window, it would sink faster.

The window was cracking at a centimeter rate. The water was flowing in. The driver was doing his best to lower the window. As soon as he could fit his fingers into the space between the window and the crack Todd did and pressed down on it. It was slow work. Time was approaching a minute and a half when it was lowered eighteen inches. The water was pouring in. Time had run out. It was now or never. The car had reached the bottom of the pond. Todd crawled in. He reached over the driver and unlatched the seatbelt. The driver was struggling to hold on to his breath. Todd yanked the seatbelt free.

Todd pulled his body through the opening. He reached through. He grabbed the driver’s hands. He hauled the driver out. The driver was holding on to Todd. Todd led him to the surface. They both gasped for air. The driver sank. He gulped air. Todd slipped below to hoist him up. Todd was deceptively strong for his age. The driver was conscious, but barely. Lucky for Todd he wasn’t Brando size. It is the natural tendency for the human body to be buoyant. The muddied ground was a hundred feet away. Todd kicked as hard as he could muster. The man held onto Todd’s back. He dipped Todd under the surface every five feet. He pulled himself up. Todd breathed a sigh when his feet could touch the muddy ground. The driver wrapped his arms around Todd’s throat. He was able to lift his head above the water.

Todd unknotted the driver’s hands from around his throat. He dragged the driver by the arms to the mud. Todd collapsed next to the driver in the grassy mud. "Hey, Buddy, are you okay?"

The driver wasn’t responding. Todd propped himself up. He shook the driver. He was lying face down on the ground. Todd repeated the question. "Hey, Buddy, wake up!"

He must have got water in his lungs, Todd reasoned. He positioned the man on his side. Todd pounded on the man’s back. He hit so hard it would leave bruises for at least two weeks. Then finally…the driver coughed up some nasty looking water. He began to breath. Todd lay down on his back staring at the sun.

The driver started to thank Todd. "Thank you son. Thank you so much." Todd shut his eyes. He said he wanted some action. This certainly was it.

Todd opened his eyes when he heard a familiar voice and footsteps coming towards them. "Over there, there they are."

Tim arrived on the scene with an uniformed police officer. The Police Officer started to talk into his walkie talkie. Tim ran over to Todd. "Man, are you okay?"

"Where did you get him from?" Todd motioned his head to the cop.

"I got on my bike the second you went into the water and I flagged down this cop. Pretty lucky, huh?"

Todd had to agree with him.

The police officer went over to the driver. "Are you all right, sir? This boy told me what happened."

The driver coughed a couple more times. "Yes, thanks to this young man." He patted Todd on the head. "I don’t know what happened, I think I ran over something in the road. The tires just popped and I started to skid. I nearly hit these kids, but they saved me anyway." The driver put his hand on Todd’s shoulder. "If there is anything in the world you need, Son, don’t be afraid to say so. I’m forever in your debt."

The officer turned to Tim and Todd. "You boys are heroes, how do you feel about that?"

"That’s awesome." Tim seemed happier than Todd was. Todd was still getting used to breathing fresh air. "See, Todd, I told you that this was a good idea."

Todd had to agree. This was by far the best idea that Tim had come up with. They were heroes for a day. They would never forget this.