Chapter 89 Rescue
My eyes welled up with tears. These hard-earned money saved by Nathan through frugality means a lot to us, and the insurance policy signifies something I am well aware of. At this moment, holding the insurance policy and bank card, a few simple pieces of paper in my hand feel as precious as gold, weighing heavily in my palm. Katniss, upon seeing this, was already squatting on the ground, covering her mouth, unable to hold back her sobs.
But seeing these things, my mood seemed to ease a bit, because there was no suicide note. As long as there was no suicide note, there was still a glimmer of hope. What if the insurance policy and bank card were just temporarily left at home by Nathan for safekeeping?
That night, Katniss and I had a difficult time. Neither of us slept, waiting for time to pass. The storm outside gradually subsided, and my anxiety grew.
Early the next morning, the storm had lessened significantly, with only a light rain falling. The weather conditions had reached the standard for launching a rescue mission. Katniss, the representative from the power company, the fire rescue team, and I gathered on the banks of Frostfall River.
For this rescue mission, the fire brigade deployed four rescue boats, each filled with all the necessary rescue equipment. Eagerly, we set off, the boats running at full throttle. The bow of the boat cut through the river waves, splashing water onto us, soaking our bodies, but the speed of the boat did not diminish.
"Dad, please be safe. If anything happens to you, I'll be to blame." I silently prayed in my heart, clenching my fists tightly, my gaze fixed on the direction of N-013 Serenity Bay Isle.
As time passed, Nathan's location on Serenity Bay Isle finally came into view, and excitement surged within me. At that moment, I even wanted to jump off the boat and swim over. I hoped Nathan wasn't on Serenity Bay Isle at that moment, and I hoped even more that he had gone out on a trip to relax.
The boat finally docked at Serenity Bay Isle, and I couldn't wait to jump off and run in the shallow river water. Katniss also followed me off the boat. Seeing the situation on the island, I felt a slight relief in my heart. Despite the rising river water, Nathan's house was situated on higher ground, so it seemed unlikely that his house had been submerged by the river.
We ran through familiar paths, grass, and trees. The closer we got, the more excited I felt. The grass had been flattened by the strong winds, and some trees had been snapped in half. Some of the wind turbines on the island had lost their blades.
"No, please no," but when we arrived at Nathan's house, we all stood there in shock. My heart sank into the abyss, and my mind went blank as I stood there, taking in the scene.
Where Nathan's house once stood, there was now only a pile of rubble. The house had completely collapsed. A wind turbine blade, broken off by the strong winds, lay on top of the debris. It was unclear whether Nathan's house had collapsed due to the strong winds or being struck by the giant blade.
The wind turbines on the island were large, with each turbine having three blades, each measuring 120 feet in length. The imported turbines from Solsticea cost $1.5 million each, while the domestically produced turbines cost $1 million each. The Solsticea turbines generated the most electricity, producing $0.8 worth of energy with each rotation.
It was the firefighters who first reacted and quickly rushed to the scene with equipment to start the rescue operation. Due to the massive turbine blade on top of the rubble, there was a fear that Nathan might be trapped underneath, posing a risk of further injury, which severely hampered the progress of the rescue operation.
We couldn't determine how long the house had been collapsed. The longer it took, the more dangerous it was for Nathan. At that moment, I stopped thinking and started digging frantically with tools, swinging my arms like a madman, seemingly never feeling tired. Katniss also joined me in digging.
As time passed, and it was unclear how long it had been, the firefighters took turns to eat, and the rescue operation continued without pause. We avoided the broken turbine blades, and the first location we dug was where Nathan's bedroom was. Finally, after moving the beams, we saw something we dreaded.
Nathan lay there covered in dust and mud, his face pale. Due to the rain, the mud on Nathan's body had turned into sludge. There was a visible wound on his head, indicating he had been struck by something. Blood seemed to have flowed a lot, forming a pool on his head.
Fortunately, at the moment the house collapsed, the falling beam blocked Nathan's position, creating a relatively safe zone. This was the silver lining in the unfortunate situation.
When Nathan's figure was revealed, the accompanying medical staff quickly rushed over to examine his condition. Watching Nathan's pale and bloodless face, the prominent wound on his head, his soaked clothes, and his mud-covered body, I struggled to control my body and mind. I couldn't afford to pass out at that moment; Nathan needed me.
Katniss was already sitting on the ground, crying uncontrollably. It was then that I truly understood the meaning of heart-wrenching sorrow. Katniss's tears were truly heart-wrenching.
"Father had an accident, and the daughter-in-law is crying so heartbreakingly. Even a biological daughter may not be as devoted. Having such filial son and daughter-in-law, how fortunate." The accompanying medical staff tried to console me and Katniss. Seeing Katniss crying so heartbreakingly, the female doctors couldn't help but sigh.
At that moment, I had bitten my lower lip until it bled. I could taste the salty liquid flowing into my mouth. I knew it was blood.
The medical staff and firefighters carefully lifted Nathan out and placed him in a sheltered area. The medical staff began the most basic examination on Nathan with their equipment.
"The patient has lost consciousness, but there is a faint heartbeat, although very weak. The heartbeat could stop at any moment. The patient has a severe head injury and needs urgent medical attention at the hospital." After a brief examination, the medical staff quickly informed me and Katniss.
Nathan was already middle-aged, and after enduring the storm on the small island for so long, with a head injury, it could be said that Nathan was on the brink of death. However, there was still a glimmer of hope. I helped the now sobbing Katniss up, as the rescue team prepared to take Nathan back to the city hospital.
On the same boat, I, Katniss, and the medical staff sailed back to the city hospital with Nathan lying quietly in the center of the boat, his face covered in mud, wearing an oxygen mask. Katniss, who had stopped crying, now sat quietly, watching Nathan with eyes filled with self-blame and guilt. Occasionally, she bit her lip tightly, showing her extreme remorse.
At that moment, I suddenly noticed Nathan's right hand firmly tucked into his shirt. After all the commotion, Nathan's hand had not slipped out of his shirt. Could there be something in Nathan's right hand? I tried to pull Nathan's hand out of his shirt, but his body had stiffened, perhaps even in death, he was protecting whatever was in his hand. It took a great effort, but I finally managed to retrieve Nathan's right hand from his shirt.
As I pulled Nathan's right hand out, I finally saw what he was holding onto so tightly. At that moment, Katniss, who had just stopped crying, also saw what Nathan was clutching. She froze for a moment, then turned slightly, hiding her expression from me. However, her trembling shoulders betrayed her emotions. Despite her efforts to control herself, I could see her gripping her own hand so tightly that her fingernails were digging into her flesh. She was struggling to contain her emotions.
After a while, Katniss turned away, seemingly composed. But her bitten lip and hands, now covered in her own blood, revealed her inner turmoil. It was evident how painful it was for her to see what Nathan was holding in his hand.
At that moment, my emotions were complex. I didn't know how to feel because Nathan, even in death, held onto and protected something in his hand, which turned out to be the pipe Katniss had given him on his birthday.
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