Free The Number 8 by Joel Arcanjo

around below he couldn’t. The other passengers were piling through now ignoring the one at a time rule. They made a circle around the scene watching closely, unable to help.
    Finally the old guy surfaced. He had gotten Viktor’s foot free and took his weight from Dante.
    “Kid, run and get help. I can’t feel a pulse but I’m gonna perform CPR. If worst comes to worst we will have to drag him out of here ourselves. Go!”
    As Dante made a full three-sixty he heard the old guy say, “Somebody help me move him to the flat surface over here…”
    Dante just started running as fast as he could, which wasn’t fast at all because he was in waist-deep water. But he kept going. He pumped his legs hard. He reached the back of the cave and there was a shriek from behind him but he didn’t turn, he knew who it was.
    “Through there and right at the end!” the old guy instructed.
    There was a tunnel at the back and finally it got shallow. He could really stretch his legs now. He was ghosting through the cave at top speed. But as he ran strange things began to enter his mind.
    “What if I get bitten by an eel right now?! Then, I might not make it out of the cave on my own and certainly not back. Viktor will be dead and the old guy will almost certainly kill me too,” he thought. But it didn’t matter because his legs were still moving.
    Finally he saw light. There was a rocky section which was on an incline. Just beyond was the exit. It was a large oval-shaped hole big enough for a couple of cars to pass through. Just beyond that he saw the old guy’s son so he just started screaming. He wasn’t saying real words but it didn’t matter because it got the son’s attention.
    “What the hell’s happening?” he yelled.
    “Guy…down…maybe…dead…help!” Dante said trying to get all the words out but having no wind left in him.
    But luckily the son understood. He was on his phone instantly calling the emergency services. But Dante didn’t know what to do. He could run back and let them know that help was on its way or stay here and explain to the arriving EMTs what had happened so as not to waste any time determining the injuries. He chose the latter.
    Dante scaled the rocky incline trying his hardest not to slip. But there was moss on the rocks, his legs were exhausted and he was trying to climb way too fast. His right leg buckled and his knee collided painfully with the edge of a rock. He grimaced but righted himself and carried on climbing. It was a mixture of adrenaline and purpose that stopped him screaming in agony.
    Finally at the exit Dante rushed over to the old guy’s son who was off the phone now.
    “What the hell happened?” he asked nervously.
    “All I know is that he trapped his leg under water and it looks like he drowned. I’m not sure if there’s any other injuries right now.”
    “Have you been in situations like this before?”
    “Once or twice.” Dante undersold it, but this wasn’t the time.
    They paced nervously for a minute in complete silence. Then, in the distance they heard chatter and splashing. As they came into view Dante saw four guys holding Viktor. His beard was matted and his long, unruly hair covered his face. The old guy was walking backwards and had a hold of Viktor’s head and neck which he was trying to keep very still. It made sense for him to be at the front because he knew the route and where all the dangers lay. Asmir was at the back holding the feet and shouting out directions. That also made complete sense because he had the biggest mouth on the bus. Two other guys held each side. Two could’ve moved Viktor easily but it seemed they had opted for four because it allowed them to step up the pace.
    The old guy’s son went to a spinal stretcher which was attached to the caves exit. He and Dante grabbed it and made their way down the rocky hill to give it to his father who was waiting. Dante and the son were ready by the time they arrived. They had positioned it so