Free Olivia's Mine by Janine McCaw Page B

asked
herself? Call it Mother Nature, call it fate…call it what ever you
want. Nothing prepares you for a loss as great as she was
suffering.
    Olivia sat her down and Lucy began rocking,
in a catatonic state.
    Frank went back outside. The tons of rock had
crashed down to the lower level campsite, taking Lucy’s home and
five others along with it, and reduced them to rubble. The thunder
was now silent. There was devastation everywhere. People started to
emerge into the street with candles.
    Akiko, who had been making her way over to
the hall when the rumble began, turned around and glanced towards
her home, where she was relieved to see Harry and Jimmy safe on the
doorstep. Their home had been spared. She must remember to burn
incense, she thought, in honour of the saving of her family’s
life.
    “We need blankets taken to the dance hall. Go
get them,” McMichael barked at her, and she was only too happy to
do so, to be of some assistance. She searched her mind for the
English words to say. “So sorry,” was what she was able to come up
with.
    McMichael nodded.
    “I want every man available to get his
flashlights and gear and assemble at the foot of the mine. Divide
up into crews of four. Do not separate under any circumstances. Go
up and down the mountain together. I want you to report the number
of injured people to your crew chiefs. I am going to ask you to
make a judgment that I hope I never have to ask you to make again
in your life. If they look like they are about to die, they
probably are. Leave them. If they are talking, in pain, but able to
move and speak coherently, leave them for now. Take the most
severely injured out first. Injured means alive, unconscious with a
pulse, turning blue, or bleeding severely.”
    He touched under his neck.
    “You feel your own pulse under your chin?
That’s what you’re looking for. If they don’t have one, they don’t
go. Now let’s get to it.”
    The men broke into groups and started to make
their way up the mountain.
    And like a moment’s rest from the tragedy
surrounding him, Frank came across an extraordinary site. There at
the base of the rubble, was Tan Chui, one of the immigrant workers
from longhouse six. He had come down the entire side of the
mountain inside a ball of debris. Like a massive snowball making
its way down an avalanche, Tan had tossed and rolled down to the
town. Frank glanced up at the distance he must have travelled and
shook his head.
    “Mr. McMichael, come see this. You’re not
going to believe it, but I think he’s still alive.”
    McMichael began to walk over towards Tan. He
touched his fingers to his neck again to remind Frank to check to
see if Tan were indeed still alive. As Frank moved aside some wood
and mud, finding Tan's head, then his throat, Tan let out a moan,
scaring Frank half to death at the same time. Frank quickly pulled
back his fingers from Tan’s throat.
    “I’d say he’s alive,” McMichael agreed. “Get
him over to the hospital.”
    Tan’s face was beginning to swell, his face
covered with lacerations. Pieces of wood and glass were embedded in
his forehead, which was bleeding profusely.
    “Should we move him?” Frank asked.
    “Well,” McMichael paused, “we really don’t
have a lot of choice, we don’t know how secure this area really is.
Clear the rubble from around him as best you can. Keep his neck
straight and slide that stretcher under him. It’ll take a few of
you to do it. That’s why I wanted you in fours. Get some cloth and
put some pressure on that forehead wound. Don’t worry, it looks
worse than it is. The head tends to bleed. That’s the least of his
troubles.”
    “Thanks sir,” Frank said.
    “No, thank you men. But that’s the only time
I’m going to say it to you tonight, so make it count for everything
you do.”
    Sarah Lieboldt crept up to McMichael. He
turned towards her. She was shaking, and white as a ghost.
    “What is it Sarah,” he asked, this time, with
patience.
    “I