An Inland Sea Part 2
Kyle jumped in and disentangled Travis from the huge tree branch that had hit him and pulled him under water, he was unconscious when he and Bill finally got him out of the raging river that had formed in the creek bed. The sluice gate was forgotten as they got him to the vehicle and lay him down on the back seat.
"Is…is he breathing?" asked Bill
"Yeah…he’s breathing…Bill are you able to drive?"
"I’ll drive," Bill said gasping and opening the front door, "is he just knocked out Kyle…I saw the branch coming but couldn’t get to him."
"I think that’s all, he’s had a blow and swallowed some water let’s just get him to the house…fuck a flood."
"I’m with you on that," Bill said as the old Rover sputtered and came to life. The road to the house was almost unrecognizable until they started up on the high ground where the house stood rain drenched.
Travis had puked up most of the dirty water by the time they got him in the house; he was semi -conscious.
"Oh my God!" screamed Jan
"He’s all right Jan…banged up a bit," Bill said following Kyle who was carrying him into the first bedroom they came to.
Jan immediately went to work pulling off his wet cold clothes and wrapping him in the comforter. Kyle brought her a basin of water so she could clean off his face and see where the blood was coming from.
"It’s not bad…anytime you get a cut on your head you bleed like hell," Kyle said leaning over her to see what was uncovered.
"He needs to go to the hospital," Jan said shakily crying.
"No way out," Bill said from the chair he’d fell into. "Roads are all flooded Jan."
Kyle turned around, "Bill are you all right…you probably need to go lay down somewhere…get out of them wet clothes."
"Yeah…well if he’s going to be okay I’ll do that," he got up slowly and moved into the hallway.
Jan asked Kyle what happened and he told her, "it was like it got a push from somewhere and came on real quick like…big damn branch broke off a tree somewhere, he went under and I went after him. He needs to wake up Jan."
"Travis…Travis," she called touching his face and holding a cloth to the cut on his head.
Travis moaned and coughed
"He’s likely to puke up some more river water; I’ll get some towels from the bathroom." Kyle offered.
"Travis…wake up…Travis," Jan shook him and lightly slapped his cheek.
"Oh…don’t," he moaned, "no…no." His arm came up reaching for the wound on his head.
"Travis, Travis look at me," Jan cried
Travis blinked his eyes several times before he focused on Jan. "Jan…wha?" he began coughing up more water and after the bout he lay back on the pillows awake now with a throbbing headache.
Kyle came back from his room with his medic kit and went to work on the cut on Travis’s head. It wasn’t bad; a gash and he soon had it cleaned and taped closed.
"I didn’t know you were a doc too." Travis said his voice a little raspy.
"Hell I’m everything didn’t you know that?"
"Thank you Kyle for what you did…you saved my life mate," Travis laid his head back gingerly on the pillow. "How’s Dad?"
"Jan’s gone to check on him, I heard a shower going a while ago, and I reckon he’s okay…tough old buzzard."
"He is that…I’d like to sleep," he said closing his eyes.
"I don’t think so Travis, you need to stay awake for awhile…just to make sure everything’s all right, you were knocked unconscious and that ain’t good mate."
"Well get my beautiful wife in here then…I’m tired of your ugly face," Travis smiled.
Kyle stepped out into the hallway, "Jan…he’s feeling better."
