“Pick up the pace,” Kip called.
The flood waters were now knee-high. They put the boat into the water. The engines started with no issue. Joe navigated the boat around floating cars, outdoor furniture, awnings, building signage, among other things. The wind and rain lashed at them, creating street squalls.
Turning to avoid a floating object, Mark lost his balance, almost flipping from the raft. Kip managed to grab him. A set of hand signals established he was okay. Trying to yell over the racing winds was impossible.
The water levels were now up to the second floor on most of the homes where they were. Kip’s chest burned. What would he do if they discovered more trapped families?
Joe slowed down the boat to a speed barely able to move against the current of the water. Noah signaled the house. When the boat made it close to the home, Wes, Mark and Noah threw hooks into the roof, then scrambled up the lines to cut a rescue hole.
Using mini scuba tanks, Julian and Kip flipped into the flood waters and easily entered one of the second-floor front windows. In tandem, they did a right-handed swim until they found the attic stairs. Clearing what he thought was a rug, Kip realized it was a woman’s body. Pulling her free, they continued the ascent. They encountered an adult male floating face down in the water.
Kip’s heart ached as angry tears threatened.Why didn’t they evacuate?His head crested the water; the rafters of the roof were eight inches above his head. A plastic storage bin bobbed in the water. He pulled it close. Through the lid, he could see three tiny babies. Julian gave him two thumbs up.
Rain poured down on them, but Kip and Julian managed to wedge the bin through the hole. Wes slid down to them. “Where are they?” he yelled, referring to the parents.
Kip could read his lips. “Gone,” he said and signed.
The three men climbed back onto the roof. The plastic bin fit into the isolette—hopefully the double bin will protect them. As they pulled away from the house, Kip’s worst nightmare came true. A family with small children was huddled on a roof four houses away.
When Kip signaled for the pullover, Julian yelled and signed, “We don’t have the room.”
“We need to take the kids,” Kip yelled, signed and pointed.
As the rains poured, water filled the bottom of the raft, and they continued to ride the rapids. Joe brought the boat in. Kip beat Noah to one of the lines and scrambled up the roof.
The four crying children, looking like they were between ages one and five, clung to their panicked parents and elderly grandmother. Kip and Mark managed to get inflatable life jackets on them and lower the kids into the boat. Next, they lowered the three adults. When they started the trip, they only had room for two extra adults and the triplets.
Each adult praised the rescuers and the Lord.It’s who I am,he remembered telling Harper. A sense of peace filled him as he looked down at the overloaded raft.
He grabbed his knife and cut the lines securing the boat to the home. With that, the boat floated away, and with the weight, there would be no way for Joe to get close again. Over the wind, he could hear the screams of the parents, calling for him, realizing his sacrifice.
Kip watched the boat float into the depth of the waters. His last clear sight was Wes and Julian giving him a full salute.
* * *
Harper stretchedand looked at the clock. It was a little after four.
Seth slipped into her room. “You had a good nap.”
“I feel almost myself. Is that possible so soon after surgery?” she asked.
“You’re not ready to do sit-ups, but Hunt kept the incision small.” He smiled.
“Can I tell you something? I was never ready to do sit-ups before the surgery,” she giggled.
“Do you think you’re ready to lose the foley? And I’ll take away the IV drip, but you have to promise me you’ll drink,” he asked.
“YES!” She gave him a fist pump.
“I’ll get one of our female staff to pull the foley.” He turned.
Harper blew out an exasperated breath. “If I was a generic patient, would you do that? Do you know how many foleys I’ve placed and removed in men?”
“You win. Lie back.” Seth discontinued the fluids and removed the foley.
“I’m free.” She slipped her feet into her slippers. “How bad is the storm?”
“Made landfall around one, was directly over us at two. Power is out. Lots of flooding,” Seth said.
