Before Wesley left, Hartwell reminded him, "Be careful!"
Wesley nodded. "Don't worry. I'll bring her back safe and sound."
Staring at his retreating figure, Hartwell had mixed feelings about this. 'I know he cares for Blair a lot. Why does he keep pushing her away?'
After half an hour, Wesley's phone buzzed. He stopped to drink some water, and then fished his phone from his waterproof holster. It was a WeChat message from Blair.
A myriad of feelings welled up in Wesley when he read it. He didn't reply to the message, but instead picked up the pace.
On his way up the mountain, he met quite a few rescue workers and tourists, but Blair was not among them.
As time went by, the four people that had come with him descended the mountain once more, bringing some tourists they had saved with them. Still, Blair was nowhere to be found.
The rain was beginning to ease off, which made it a little easier.
When Wesley located Miller, the water was already chest-high.
The rescue workers had to use flotation devices to continue their operation. Miller and his colleagues were stranded where the flow was sluggish. Therefore, two rescue workers were able to lead them to safety and wrap them in dry blankets.
Wesley scanned the crowd carefully, but Blair was not among them.
His heart started racing wildly and he couldn't help but blame Miller for not having taken good care of her.
Wesley moved forward cautiously, and to his surprise, he spotted two figures on a huge stone, blocked by a tree.
Judging from their slim figures, he could tell they were two girls. They were hugging each other to keep warm.
One of them was wearing a pink coat and leaning on the shoulder of the other girl. Wesley couldn't see her face clearly and was not sure if that was Blair.
Even though he had not seen her for a long time now, his heart told him she must be Blair.
Wesley scanned his surroundings. It wouldn't be easy to get to her. The current of the flood had developed whitecaps, pushing a mass of deadly debris with it. If the current didn't catch him, the debris would surely crush him, carrying his battered body away.
He called two rescue workers over, who were busy saving Miller and his colleagues. In ten minutes, they were at his side. They also saw the two girls. One of them shook his head. "We can't get there. The going is too treacherous. You don't want to get caught in that. Let's wait a bit for the rain to let up. That might let things slow down and you'd have an easier time of it."
Wesley's eyes darkened. "Wait a bit?" he asked.
"Yeah. It's courting death if we try to get to them."
Wesley's eyes were as cold as ice. "Don't you see that they don't have much time? If we keep waiting, they'll die of exposure."
Before the man could finish speaking, Wesley took the rescue equipment away from him and told the other rescue worker,
"You! Come with me!"
"Yes!"
With a bullhorn, the man instructed the girl beside Blair to fasten the rescue rope to the big tree.
Blair seemed to have passed out. She lay huddled up on the rock and didn't respond to their requests.
The girl took the rope hesitantly, but with some prompting, she tied the rope around the trunk. A little more instruction via the bullhorn, and she had the clamps and carabiners fastened. After the rope was secured, Wesley and the rescue worker fastened their harnesses to the rope and made their way to the rock, suspended above the roaring floodwaters. They'd set it up that way so they wouldn't have to be caught in the current; they'd be hanging above it. They inched closer and closer.
Excited, the girl pulled Blair's arm and yelled, "Hey, wake up! We're being rescued! Boo…hoo… We're safe now."
Upon hearing that, Blair struggled to open her eyes and saw a rope tied to the tree near the rock. Two people were in harnesses, suspended from the rope over the surging flood. They were carefully making their way to their position. The rain was still heavy, and her eyes were blurry. She couldn't see their faces, but she was sure the man in the front was Wesley.
She tried her best to sit up on the rock. Color drained from her, and her face was as pale as a sheet. Staring at the man, she flashed a happy smile. 'It's him! My superhero comes to my rescue.
I have no regrets!'
Suddenly, her eyes dulled and she almost blacked out. But luckily, she bit her tongue and shook her head to keep herself lucid.
She had never expected that they would meet again in such circumstances—she would be in danger, and he would save her. 'Geez! I must look like something the cat dragged in. Will he hate me more, seeing me like this?'
Wesley could tell that something was not right with her as she was having trouble keeping her feet on the rock.
Her perfect fair skin was covered with mud, and there was even a green leaf stuck to her forehead. Her pink coat now looked like a grey one thanks to the rain. Wesley's heart ached at the sight of her. How he wished he could pull her in his arms and console her right now! A girl like her should be loved and protected.
When he was about three meters from the rock, he shouted, "Blair, I'm here. Just hold on!"
'Just hold on? I want to, but I'm really exhausted. It's been hours. I'm wet, I'm cold. It's a miracle I'm still awake, ' Blair thought with a bitter smile. She had thought that the girl had a stronger physique than her. But when Wesley and the rescue worker arrived, she passed out.
Blair reached out her hand in an attempt to grab her, but she failed. She could only helplessly watch as she fell into the water. Luckily, Wesley was fast enough to grab her and prevent her from being swept away in the current. He passes the girl to the rescue worker and went to help Blair.
When Wesley pulled her into his arms, Blair felt this was the happiest moment of her life. She cradle his neck and buried her face in his arms. Her face and forehead were burning hot, which made him frown. 'She's got a high fever!' he thought.
"Wesley."
"Hmm?"
"You're holding me so tight I can't breathe," she murmured.
Wesley loosened his grip a bit, but Blair still felt she couldn't breathe. "Wesley," she called out again.
"Hmm?"
"I thought I'd never see you ever again." Her teardropa fell on his chest. They were so hot his heart stung.
Wesley lowered his head and kissed her wet hair, his eyes full of affection. "Don't be afraid. I'm here. You're safe now."
"Hmm…" His embrace was the safest place for her.
The rain finally stopped, but it still wasn't safe. He rigged a second line with the help of rescuse workers on the other side. He set Blair up with a harness, and had the workers pull her along the line. Wesley followed. After what seemed like an eternity, Wesley finally reached the river bank. When they were both safely on the other side, he took Blair in his arms.
When people on the bank took Blair from Wesley, he tripped in the mud. He staggered and failed to steady himself, falling into the water.
Pwolw exclaimed and Blair turned her head to look at Wesley. She happened to see him being carried downriver before vanishing beneath the tide.
"Wesley!" Blair yelled hysterically, feeling devastated.
