Chapter 428
The official rescue team sent us a young instructor to teach us the dos and don’ts of the rescue mission, how to protect ourselves, and what to do during an emergency. Then, he distributed
all of us some tools.
“The front line is installing lights now. However, please be careful. Tell us right away should a problem arise. Don’t act alone. Your reckless decision might complicate the whole operation. To avoid further complications, you must do your job well and proceed with caution.”
As the mudslide took place during the summer break, there weren’t a lot of people at school. There were only 11 students who were staying for a summer art camp, the principal, four teachers, Colin, and the woman who was leading the volunteer construction work. In total, they were 18.
It wasn’t a huge number. But locating 18 individuals within a muddy mass spanning 500 square feet wide and four feet thick was a challenging task nevertheless.
Black sand was everywhere.
The mudslide took place more than 48 hours ago. The water in the mud traveled downward, leaving the sand on the surface hard and tough. Digging through it was very difficult.
There were no excavators. It’d take a very long while to dig out the sand by hand. I felt despair, and my heart ached.
I cried as I cleared the sand with a spade.
The professionals continued to excavate the disaster scene while we could only stay behind
them to clear the sand. I was the only woman on the scene. The head of the rescue operation prohibited me from joining, but I stubbornly insisted. I believed that helping them would
allow me to find Colin sooner.
What was the purpose of traveling there if I was only allowed to sit on the sideline? I had to do something for Colin.
I was given the task of bagging the sand dug out by the man before me. Then, I would carry the bags of sand on a wheelbarrow to discard them.
Within half an hour, my arms were so sore that I could no longer feel them. I fell several times, injuring my face. Felix and Winston told me to rest somewhere and let them handle the hard labor.
But I wouldn’t have any of that. Stubbornly, I continued to bag the sand with my shovel. When I could no longer lift the shovel, I bagged it with my bare hands.
In my mind, I believed that if I continued digging, I would find Colin eventually. He was
probably waiting for me in a safe corner inside the school. And I was going to save him.
It had been two days, and I hadn’t been able to reach Colin. I didn’t know if he was dead or alive. He had no food and water. He was walled in by sand, feeling despair and fear. Any one of these things was enough to drive someone crazy.
With how slow the operation was progressing, when would the victims be rescued?
I prayed that Colin was safe. I prayed that everyone was safe.
Colin, wait for me. I’m here to save
you!
Noticing that we were still 60 feet from the classroom, I wondered if we could change the rescue tactic.
“Professor King, if we can estimate the position of the building entrance and all of us dig together to create a tunnel that leads to the classroom, will that be more efficient than our current strategy?
“When the mudslide took place, the kids were having a class. The teacher and the principal must be close to the classroom.”
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