Imagery Accident- Prompt 2

One Sentence Summary:

A two-year-old boy was resuscitated at a waterpark on Saturday evening by five
lifeguards.
One Paragraph Summary:
On a Saturday afternoon in late July, the attendance at a local waterpark was
extremely high. A two-year-old boy tumbled into the deep end of the kids park area, out
of view of his parents. A lifeguard noticed him a minute later, as he drifted at the bottom
of the pool. The boy was pulled from the water, and was not breathing but had a shallow
pulse. Rescue breathing was implemented, and nearly four minutes later the boys color
returned as water came rushing from his lungs out of his nose and mouth. He was then
rushed to the near by hospital, and monitored for the night. The five lifeguards who aided
in the rescue were regarded as heroes of the day.
Full Scene:
A girl with long blonde braids was struggling to kick in the four foot area, her
little floaties just keeping her lips above water as she shrieked to get away from her older
brother. He leapt onto her back, making her shrill cry raise a few octaves. I pried my eyes
away, feeling my hands go to my whistle. One more bought of horseplay and Id have to
let my whistle give its own shrill cry.
My eyes scanned through the rest of my guarding zone, and something neon
caught my eye. I squinted through the glare of the water as I cocked my head to get a
better look. It was a boy, at the bottom of the water, his skin nearly matching the grey
pool bottom and his neon patterned swim trunks flowed with the slight rippling of the
water.
My lungs burned as I let out a long whistle, something to alert the other guards
that something had gone horribly wrong. My body flew into the water, I was barely aware
of the stinging on the bottom of my heel as I sliced open my foot as I sprinted towards the
boy, diving into the water.
His skin was warm, a high contrast to the brisk water. His body didnt mold
around my arms as I plucked his tiny body against my chest. I forced my feet off from the
bottom of the pool, shooting the two of us up to emerge from the surface. I gasped for
breath, glancing wildly down at the boy. His eyes were closed, and his skin was waxy,
and looked like the color of my favorite faded jeans. I blinked away the water, forcing my
body to propel the two of us to the edge of the water.
As I laid the boy on the concrete, I got a better view of his small form. His lips
were swollen, his body completely relaxed and his skin felt almost slimy. Instinct put my
body on autopilot, and I watched as my fingers felt for a pulse, clenching onto the inside
of his bicep. I hadnt realized Id been holding my breath until I felt a thrum against my
fingers, and my lungs burned.
I moved above the boy, thrusting his jaw back and forcing open his airway. I knew
my fingers were clenching too roughly against his neck and jaw, but adrenaline was
pulsing inside my head as I put in the first breath. I could sense movements all around
me, but I could only think about one thing; the feel of his waxy skin and the gentle thrum
I had felt against my fingertips.

Allie! I glanced away from the small rise and fall of the boys chest as I forced
his lungs to breathe, as my friend Max passed me the oxygen hookup. I quickly hooked it
to the breathing mask, muttering my breath count as I focused back on his chest.
Sounds whirled about me; yelling and commotion that I blocked out, focusing
only on the rise and fall of his chest. Someones hand was on my back, and the count was
echoed around me. My heart was hammering, and I only wanted there to be some way to
get the boys heart beat to sound half as fast as mine.
His body convulsed, water starting to come spurting out of his mouth and nose. I
tore the mask from his face, hands rolling the boy to his side as water came out of him. It
seemed like there was enough water in him to fill the pool, and as he began to cough
without liquid we put an oxygen mask over his lips. His skin changed color rapidly, from
the pale blue into a clear white color, and finally pink reached his chubby cheeks.
His eyes fluttered open, and they didnt focus on anything as he glanced around. I
felt a sob wrack my chest as a small cry formed in his throat. It was weak at first, but
soon it fogged the mask, his wails audible over the commotion around us. His form
became blurred as I sat back on my heels, tears sliding down my cheek as I clenched my
fingers around his arm one last time, feeling the solid thrum there.
Slowed Down Version:
The sun beat down on the water park, the concrete burning and making children
scurry to get into the water. A long whistle burst through the air, and all lifeguards in the
vicinity glanced to see the commotion. A small boy was surfaced, with the first responder
quickly moving him to the concrete.
Maxs legs moved quickly, boosting him to the bag of rescue equipment then back
towards the child and the responder, Allie. As he dropped to his knees near the boy, time
seemed to slow.
There were echoed screams, directions being shouted by the head guard and the
sound of seagulls swooping in for a better look, crying about the commotion. The smell
of salt and chlorine was pungent as it clung to their bodies, and sweat tinted the pool
aroma. The cry of the count was so slow, their actions deliberate and precise as the
oxygen clicked into place, his fingers making the secure connection from tank to mask.
Fingertips moved the mask to the face, sliding over the soft cheeks as the grey
skin gave way to the tight fit of the max. The masks clear material glimmered against the
clammy skin. Almost all thought was lost between the lifeguards, instinct and constant
training guided their fingertips to securing the mask, and to resuscitating the boy.