Save her.Save myself.
I still don’t have a visual on her.I see nothing butblowing snow.
I hear a single splash.
“What’s your name?”
“F-f-f-f…”
She’s just in front of me.I slow, knowing that she’s probably holding on to the edge of the remaining ice shelf.The last thing I want to do is knock her underwater.
This ice isn’t going to hold.I prepare myself for the likelihood of a water rescue.
I refocus on the next step.Just that.Nothing more.
A gray shadow appears in front of me at eye level.It’s her.
“I see you.I’m almost there.”I make sure my voice is even and steady.I can’t give her a reason to panic.“Reach out over the ice.I’ll grab your hands.Talk to me so I can follow your voice.”
“I can’t move.”
“You’ll move or you’ll die.Stretch out your arms.”
“I…I…help.”
My gloved hands smack against soggy waterproof fabric just as she begins to sink.I clutch at the sleeves.“Can you hold on to me?”
“Can’t.”
This is gonna be a shit show.
I can only do what I can do.
Continue the mission.
Save her.Save myself.
I push up on my toes, bend my spread knees, and slide back.
I hoist her sopping, heavy body onto the ice.Oh, this poor girl.She’s still in her helmet, dark hair plastered to the side of her face.
Her four-wheeler must be at the bottom of this lake.
And it must have happened just moments ago because she wouldn’t be alive if any time had passed.Even so, I’m probably too late.
“Don’t move.Lie perfectly still.You’re a ragdoll, understand?Widen your legs if you can.Here we go.”
Toes, knees, heave.Toes, knees, heave.Weight spread evenly.Motions smooth.As few pressure points as possible.Keep moving.
Toes, knees, heave.
She’s motionless, just like I asked.But I can’t tell if that’s because she’s cooperative or that she’s stopped breathing.But I can’t perform CPR until we’re off this ice.
I keep going.I should be hitting land.It should be just behind me.
I get no warning.
I move by pure instinct.
