Going Home

Part 54

Finally Josh looked up and saw Grace beginning the decent. Hoping to God someone competent had control of the ropes he watched as she slowly made her way down.

Robert was also watching Grace descend the cliff from above. He knew she was trained to do these things just like Josh but knowing and seeing were two different things. She looked so small climbing down the cliff face. He really liked Grace, she seemed perfect for Josh. She was intelligent and caring but she was also calm and competent and from what he’d seen she wasn’t intimidated by him in a way he imagined some people would be. Robert was glad Josh had found someone so lovely to share his life with.

Minutes later Josh was relieved as he helped Grace out of the harness and released the rope for the stretcher, spinal board and brace to be lowered. As Josh waited for the equipment Grace walked over to Maddie. Crouching down she smiled at the little girl “hi I’m Grace, has Josh been looking after you?”

Turning his head at the question Josh frowned at her.

Giving him a cheeky smile Grace looked back at Maddie, “we’re going to have you out of here in just a minute.” Then looking back at Josh, Grace watched as he took the rope off the stretcher and spinal board. Bringing them over to Grace he looked at her “ready?” Nodding, Grace took the neck brace from him and turning back to Maddie fitted the brace around her neck chatting to her all the while to keep her relaxed. Then they put the spinal board under the girl and lifted her with care onto the stretcher. Carrying the stretcher over to the ropes Josh attached it and called up to the top “okay we’re all set here.

Robert waved that he had heard and said “right Josh.”

Looking at Maddie, Josh asked “you ready?”

Fear was visible in Maddie’s eyes but showing she had guts she said “I think so.”

Seeing her uncertainty Josh said “don’t worry they’ll pull you up carefully, just stay still.”

Stepping back Josh called “okay just take it slow.”

The stretcher began its ascent back up the cliff and as they watched from below Josh reached out and pulled Grace close. He kissed her head.

Wrapping her arms around him Grace closed her eyes and took a deep breath, glad that it was a good outcome. 

Going Home

Part 53

Some minutes later Josh heard another vehicle arrive and guessing it must be the ambulance he stepped back again and looking up waited for some movement. But after a few minutes he wondered what the hell was taking so long. Impatient to get moving he called out “Grace?”

Straight away Grace appeared at the edge. “Yeah Josh, we’re just working out what we’re going to do.”

“Well I’ve got a suggestion how about getting us out of here.” Josh said with irritation.

Grace frowned. “Josh, the problem is neither of the ambulance officers have done any climbing and as you know it needs two people to move Maddie. The rescue guys are out on another call and as Margaret said we were here they decided to leave it to us rather than have us wait. So I guess I’m coming down, but I’ll have to fill them in on what to do with the ropes. So hang on.”

“Well hurry up will ya?”

“I’m going as fast as I can, take it easy.”

Sighing Josh frowned as he considered this development. He wasn’t happy about Grace climbing down with someone who was inexperienced in charge of her rope but apparently they didn’t have much option and he had faith in her ability. So taking a deep breath and trying to be patient Josh waited.

Going Home

Part 52

Standing and moving back so he could see up the cliff Josh called out, “Grace is Dad there yet?”

Hearing Josh call him dad Robert had trouble keeping his emotions in check. It had been so long since he’d heard it. He turned his head away from Grace until he could get himself under control.

 Looking over the edge Grace called back “yes he’s here. How is she?”

“She seems okay actually, no broken bones as far as I can tell. But we’re going to need a rescue litter, a spinal board and a neck brace just in case. Can you call and see how far away the ambulance is?”

“No worries Josh, hang on.”

Robert, who had managed to compose himself, took the phone Grace handed him and called Margaret to find out how long they have to wait. While Robert was on the phone Josh called out again, “hey Grace, can you throw down a blanket?”

Calling back “sure” Grace moved over to the ute Robert drove and finding the blanket Josh had asked him to bring, she carried it back to the cliff.

“Here you are Josh” and throwing it down watched him catch it and head back to lay it over Maddie.

Robert hung up and called out to his son “Josh?”

Standing up Josh stepped back again so he could see the top of the cliff “yeah”

“They are at the farm so they should be here in about ten minutes.”

“Right.”

Stepping back to Maddie Josh crouched down again “okay Maddie we are going to get you out of here soon.”

“How?” Maddie asked with a worried frown.

“Well they’ll lower a stretcher and a brace to go around your neck then we’ll get you pulled back up the cliff.”

But Maddie wasn’t sure about this, it sounded scary to her. She just looked at him.

Seeing the concern on her face Josh tried to reassure her “don’t worry you’ll be perfectly safe. You can’t fall. And it’s the only way to get you home. Your Mum and Dad are really worried about you.”

After a few minutes silence, finally Maddie spoke, “you sure I won’t fall?”

Josh smiled “absolutely Maddie. I guarantee it.”

Searching his face for a minute Maddie agreed. In a quiet voice she said “okay.”

Living La Dolce Vita

Amalfi Coast

© A Product of Silence

Day 12 of our tour of Italy involved a trip from Rome to Sorento for a one night stay. The scenery as we wound our way along the Amalfi coast was absolutely breathtaking. Just before lunch we stopped at the picturesque hillside village of Positano. Our coach was unable to navigate the narrow winding streets so we were transported to the centre of the sleepy little village by minibus. 

Positano

© A Product of Silence

Searching the streets for a place to eat we were having no luck until we met a local who spoke some english. He lead us down to where Positano meets the sea where we found a beautiful little beach and sitting nearly right on the sand an idyllic open air restaurant. The food was amazing and it was a lovely sunny afternoon in the most beautiful setting. It was like something out of a movie. I don't think I'll ever forget that lunch in Positano. Afterwards we did some shopping in the little stores on the climb back up to the bus. 

Le Tre Sorelle, Positano

© A Product of Silence

Continuing our trip, we arrived in Sorento at 6pm. The traffic on our way into town was horrendous as was the garbage lining the streets. That part of Italy was in the middle of a major garbage strike that had been going on for some time. When we finally reached the hotel we found it was probably the worst of the trip but we were so tired by then it didn't matter much. After tea we walked into the centre of Sorento for a look around and a little more shopping. 

Going Home

Part 51

As Robert arrived at the edge of the cliff he could see Grace standing looking over the edge but there was no sign of his son. Pulling up next to the bikes Robert got out and walked over to Grace. As he did he spotted a rope tied off to a near by tree and could see that Grace had hold of one end. The other end of the rope ran over the cliff and quickly assessing the situation Robert asked “is he down yet?”

Turning her head Grace smiled at Robert then turned back to look down the cliff “not quite.”

Robert peered over the edge and could see Josh working his way down. Margaret had told him about what she had seen Josh do but her description hadn’t done it justice and Robert was glad he got to see first hand just what his son was capable of. Once more he was impressed.

As he watched Josh reached the bottom and disconnected the rope.

Walking over to Maddie Josh bent down next to her. She was lying face up with her eyes closed and she was sobbing. As he bent down Josh said in a quiet voice “Maddie, my name is Josh and I’m going to get you out of here. Can you open your eyes for me?”

Maddie opened her eyes and looked up at him.

“Are you hurt any where Maddie?” he asked.

She didn’t answer but moved to try and sit up. Jerking forward Josh held her down with a firm but gentle hand “you need to stay still Maddie. Are you hurt any where?”

Looking at him, a tear running down her face, Maddie said  “my head hurts and my knee.”

Inspecting her knee Josh could see a graze but can’t feel any breaks. Checking the rest of her, yielded the same result. Amazingly she seemed fine, no broken bones, just a bump on her head and a few grazes.

Looking at her Josh said “okay sweetheart we’re going to get you out of here.”

Going Home

Part 50

Grace nodded and started her bike. 

Ten minutes later they spotted another old mine shaft and stopping their bikes went to take a look. Squatting, Josh shined the torch down the shaft. He gauged it to be about thirty feet deep and he could see water glistening in the bottom. But there was no sign of the girl. So getting back on the bikes they resumed their search. A couple of hundred meters further on Josh signaled for Grace to slow down, he remembered that the land falls away there and there is a steep cliff face that drops about twenty feet before leveling off again. Getting off the bikes Josh and Grace scanned the land below. But walking along the cliff face they could see no sign of anything until Grace spotted a small shoe just below where she is standing. It looked to be in good condition. Grace called out “Josh over here” and began to search the land below. 

Josh ran over.

 Grace pointed to the shoe “it’s has to be hers, it hasn’t been out here long. But I can’t see her.”

Josh looked around “maybe she didn’t go over, she might have just lost her shoe.”

Grace turned her head and looked at him sadly.

Josh nodded “yeah I know, wishful thinking. But where is she.” Then suddenly Grace spotted a foot and pointing she called out “Maddie”

There is no response.

She tried again, “Maddie” she called and as they stand quietly they hear a moan. Looking at each other they breathe a collective sigh of relief. Then Josh grabbed the phone while Grace talked to Maddie. “Maddie we are coming to get you okay? Just stay still.”

When Josh got through to the farm, once again, it was Margaret who answered. “It’s Josh we’ve found her. She’s alive but she could be hurt. It looks like she fell about twenty feet down a cliff face.”

Her hand on her chest Margaret sighed then turned her attention to practicalities. “Where are you and what do you need your father to bring?”

Josh gave his mother their location and a list or requirements then added “you’d better get an ambulance out.”

“Okay Josh I’ll send your father now and then I’ll ring them.”

Josh said “right” and hanging up and he got to work.