Verity pointed below them. ‘Just there. What do you think his chances are?’ she asked.
‘Difficult to say. He’s lucky he landed on a ledge. Follow me, and mind your footing.’
With his bag in one hand and using the stretcher to help him, Pete carefully climbed down the cliff path towards Sam. Verity was right behind him carrying the blankets. When they reached the ledge Sam was bent over Jimmy. His jumper was lying over the dog and he was frantically searching on his phone.
‘You aren’t going to get a signal down here,’ Verity said gently.
Sam looked up. Verity noticed how pale he looked. ‘Can you help him? he’s still breathing but very slowly.’ There was urgency in his voice.
Verity laid a hand on Sam’s arm. ‘We’re going to do our very best.’
‘Thank you.’ His voice faltered as he stepped to the side. ‘The daft bugger chased a seagull to the edge and the ground gave way beneath him.’
‘Just try and keep calm. He’s still with us.’ Pete looked back to the top of the cliff. ‘We need to get him back up top but first we need to get him onto the stretcher.’
Verity nodded and unfolded the stretcher. Thankfully there was enough space to lay it down flat. Pete crouched by Jimmy’s shoulders. ‘Verity, on a count of three, can you carefully lift his legs?’
She nodded.
Pete slipped his arms under Jimmy then looked towards her. ‘One…two…three…’
In one movement they lifted Jimmy onto the stretcher. Pete fastened the top strap whilst Verity secured the bottom one.
‘He’s not just a dog. He’s my life.’
‘I know,’ replied Pete. ‘I understand. Now, are you able to lift the bottom end of the stretcher?’
Sam nodded and they were soon on the move, Verity bringing up the rear.
As the evening wind pushed lightly against them, their steps were in sync and they moved briskly towards the surgery.
‘There are some electric fires scattered around. Put them on low, we need to keep Jimmy warm. You’ll also need to disinfect the table and set up one of the large crates with blankets,’ Pete instructed as he and Sam carried the stretcher through the door and placed it on the table. Jimmy’s eyes were droopy and the rise and fall of his chest extremely slow. Before removing the stretcher from underneath him. Pete pointed to the white scrubs hanging on the back of the door. ‘Get those on then sterilise your hands.’
Verity did exactly what Pete said and he did the same. Sam was standing at the side of the table clutching Jimmy’s lead in one hand and slowly stroking his head with the other. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have let him off the lead up there.’
‘He wouldn’t be the first to chase a seagull near the edge of the cliff and he won’t be the last,’ said Pete, kindly.
Verity pointed to the table in the waiting room. ‘There’s strong sweet tea in that mug and a whisky in that glass. You’re likely in shock and it’ll take the edge off it.’
‘You found my whisky then?’ asked Pete.
‘You vets are all the same. Always a bottle of whisky stashed in the cupboard in the main desk.’
‘That’s because the veterinary assistants usually drive us to drink… But you never know when someone might need it and this is definitely one of those times.’
Sam’s eyes didn’t leave Jimmy. ‘Come on, buddy, you can’t leave me. Everyone leaves me,’ he murmured.
Verity touched Sam’s shoulder. ‘We’re going to do our very best.’
Pete looked towards Jimmy then at Sam. ‘I’m sorry, Sam, I’m going to have to ask you to take a seat in the waiting room.’
With tears in his eyes, Sam kissed the top of Jimmy’s head. ‘Do not leave me, I love you.’
They watched Sam leave the room and swig back the whisky. Verity closed the door.
‘What are our chances here?’ she asked in a whisper.
‘We can only do our best and hope it’s enough. But he’s lucky that ledge broke his fall. My guess is that he’s landed on his back end and that leg is definitely broken. It just depends how broken. Let’s get him some pain relief and sedation and get him X-rayed.’
