Chapter Forty-one
Alex raced to Sam and hurled himself onto the ground next to him. He knew not to move the boy and shouted at Marion who was standing paralysed to the spot, phone in her hand and mouth wide open.
‘Ambulance, Marion, now!’
‘Of course, of course.’
‘Ellie, go get me some cold water.’
He didn’t know why he said it but it felt right, plus he needed to examine Sam and he didn’t want Ellie getting distressed and distracting his focus. He tentatively laid his hand on the boy’s cheek before preparing to check his pulse.
As his hand touched Sam, the boy batted his eyelids a little and emitted a small groan.
‘Sam, Sam, it’s Alex. Sam!’
‘Umhmmm.’
‘OK, good boy, don’t move. Don’t try to speak.
Brilliant, well done.’ Phew, he didn’t think his heart could have gone any faster.
Sam was conscious, that was huge. He tried talking to himself, stating the facts, keeping himself calm so he could be effective.
When he had seen Sam lying there, so still, he had immediately thought the worst had happened.
‘OK, I think you’re going to be OK, but we’ve got an ambulance coming just in case. ’
‘An ambulance? Awesome.’ The boy managed to form words but they were a little slurred. His usually pale face so white it was almost green.
‘Don’t try and talk, don’t move your head, just rest for a bit. I’m going to have a look at you, check for injuries. I don’t want you to move but do let me know if anything hurts.’
‘I flew.’
‘Yes, you did. You certainly did.’ Alex found himself laughing, if slightly hysterically, at Sam’s words.
‘Now is this sore?’ Alex asked.
Sam’s wrist looked remarkably swollen and he was amazed that the boy wasn’t showing any other signs of pain.
‘Everything’s sore, Alex. But I flew.’ And a beatific smile spread slowly over the small boy’s face as he lay otherwise stone-still on the ground.