High Hopes Chapter 12 cont
Al checked his watch for the hundredth time. He could only hope that time would not run out for his friend before the rescue team arrived. The observer was tempted to pop outside and see for himself exactly where the search party was, but he was afraid that abandoning Sam for even a moment might allow him the opportunity for him to slip too far into the grip of the hypothermia.
At last Ziggy was telling him that it was light outside, and the team was well on the move.
?C?mon buddy, hang in there,? he encouraged, ?Not much longer now, pal. Talk to me, Sam. How?re you feeling??
Al had learned that he had to keep it simple; Sam?s genius mind was so much sushi at the moment. It was only his iron-willed determination to survive and even more, to keep his promise to get Becky-Lou out alive that was keeping the physicist conscious.
?My? body? feels? like? lead, yet? my?my head? seems? to? be? floating? weightless. Is? this? what? death? feels? like, Al?? Every hoarsely whispered word was hard won, and marked by a blink of concentration. The spaces between words were getting longer and longer.
?Hold on, buddy, don?t give in to it,? pleaded Al. ?You gotta fight it, Sam. Stay with me, now.? Al was gripping the hand link as if it were a rope he could throw to a drowning Sam. He willed the leaper to find the strength to survive.
?They?re almost here, Sam, time to dig out.? Al finally told his friend.
?C-a-n-?t? m-o-v-e.? It was all Sam could do to remember how to form words.
?You have to, buddy.? Al told him gently, but seeing that his friend was slipping into further unresponsiveness, he changed his manner. Putting on a stern expression, and pointing his finger for emphasis, he made his tone harsh and commanding, ?Come on damn it, move yourself, soldier, that?s an order.?
How many times had Al needed to apply tough love to pull Sam through a crisis? Too many, and should Sam survive this current ordeal, Al had little doubt that this wouldn?t be the last.
For a few moments more, Sam remained still, eyelids drooping, on the verge of giving in and passing out. If he was still breathing, his lungs were unaware of it.
Al checked his watch for the hundredth time. He could only hope that time would not run out for his friend before the rescue team arrived. The observer was tempted to pop outside and see for himself exactly where the search party was, but he was afraid that abandoning Sam for even a moment might allow him the opportunity for him to slip too far into the grip of the hypothermia.
At last Ziggy was telling him that it was light outside, and the team was well on the move.
?C?mon buddy, hang in there,? he encouraged, ?Not much longer now, pal. Talk to me, Sam. How?re you feeling??
Al had learned that he had to keep it simple; Sam?s genius mind was so much sushi at the moment. It was only his iron-willed determination to survive and even more, to keep his promise to get Becky-Lou out alive that was keeping the physicist conscious.
?My? body? feels? like? lead, yet? my?my head? seems? to? be? floating? weightless. Is? this? what? death? feels? like, Al?? Every hoarsely whispered word was hard won, and marked by a blink of concentration. The spaces between words were getting longer and longer.
?Hold on, buddy, don?t give in to it,? pleaded Al. ?You gotta fight it, Sam. Stay with me, now.? Al was gripping the hand link as if it were a rope he could throw to a drowning Sam. He willed the leaper to find the strength to survive.
?They?re almost here, Sam, time to dig out.? Al finally told his friend.
?C-a-n-?t? m-o-v-e.? It was all Sam could do to remember how to form words.
?You have to, buddy.? Al told him gently, but seeing that his friend was slipping into further unresponsiveness, he changed his manner. Putting on a stern expression, and pointing his finger for emphasis, he made his tone harsh and commanding, ?Come on damn it, move yourself, soldier, that?s an order.?
How many times had Al needed to apply tough love to pull Sam through a crisis? Too many, and should Sam survive this current ordeal, Al had little doubt that this wouldn?t be the last.
For a few moments more, Sam remained still, eyelids drooping, on the verge of giving in and passing out. If he was still breathing, his lungs were unaware of it.