Safe 'n' Sound, Part 1
Safe 'n' Sound.
By Wolfie Steel.
Part 1.
I yawn a little as I drive down the motorway, my destination, my cousins' place in Devon, my car trunk loaded with Christmas presents for her and her family, I realise with the yawn that I have probably been driving a little too long. My eyes suddenly catch sight of a sign that tells me that there is a motorway service area just two miles away, good that means that I can pull off from the motorway for an hour or two, get something to eat and drink, and maybe get a little bit of sleep.
A car begins to pull alongside me in the middle lane of the motorway, I can quite clearly see the driver is a Doberman, and quite a good looking one at that, it's just a pity that I won't get to meet the stud, oh well on with my journey.
Another car being driven at speed in the fast lane of the motorway, draws level with the Doberman's car, what happens next can only be described as the beginning of a horrific chain of events.
There is a loud bang to my right; I turn my head toward the noise just in time to see the speeding car lose control. The back end of the car snakes wildly, causing it to collide with the back of the Doberman's car, thus causing the Doberman's car to veer out of control in front of mine.
As if in slow motion, I watch with horror as the Doberman's car spears headlong up the grassy motorway embankment. At the top of the hill the car flips over a few times and then comes to rest on its wheels.
The speeding car that had caused the accident was now partly on the grassy embankment facing towards me. I sit there in shock for a few seconds and then I start to regain my composure, it's then that I look to the top of the embankment at the Doberman's car; I can see the first signs of smoke coming from the car. I pick up my mobile phone, but I realise that there is no time to call the emergency services, the Doberman's car is close to exploding, and I have to try and get him out, and fast.
Without a second thought, I quickly remove my safety belt and climb out of the car; I head towards the embankment and begin to scramble up the steep incline, being a wolf has its advantages. I get to the Doberman's car and it's now that I see the full extent of the damage, the roof is heavily crushed in, the driver's side door is badly mangled. I notice that the front windscreen is missing and so I climb up onto the bonnet and lean in through what would have been the windscreen, I can see that he still has his safety belt fastened and that the steering wheel airbag has deployed, that is going to hamper me a little.
I lie flat on my stomach and try to reach my arm in to get to the safety belts buckle, but I cannot reach it, Damn it all to hell, time for plan B, I extend a claw and begin to gently slice through the belt, all the while I'm thinking about the impending explosion, but I can't let this guy die, he has done nothing wrong to warrant it, the guy in the car that caused this accident, him I will be putting some major time into but that will come later.
I can hear the sound of sirens approaching and so I redouble my efforts to rescuing the Dobey. Finally I manage to slice the belt and release the Doberman from its hold, next and with a matter of some urgency, I push the now deflated airbag out of the way and look down at the Doberman's legs to see if they are trapped, merciful heavens the footwell is still fairly intact and hasn't trapped his legs.
I know that moving him now could make any back injuries so much worse, but I decide that he would sooner be in a wheel chair than in a morgue, and so I call upon every reserve of energy that I have and I gently start to lift the Doberman from his seat.
By now there is a great amount of bystanders watching my efforts, and the first of the fire crews are climbing the embankment to help with the rescue. Before they can get the cutting gear ready I have the Doberman almost out of the car, a fireman climbs up onto the bonnet next to me and helps me to gently pull the unconscious Doberman from the car.
The threat of explosion is now fading as the rest of the fire crews have their fire hoses trained on the wreckage. The fireman and I gently lay the Doberman on a flat area at the top of the hill, I look behind me and I can see that the Air Ambulance has landed in the field which is adjacent to the embankment. Two Paramedics are close to me and they are carrying a Back Board.
They start to gently slide the back board under the Doberman, once the board is in place, the two paramedics, the fireman and I all lift the board and begin the slow journey back to the helicopter. We reach the helicopter after a five minute walk and we slowly slide the backboard with the Doberman into the helicopter's loading bay.
With the Doberman secured inside the helicopter the two paramedics begin the journey to the local hospital. I feel a strong arm wrap around me as the shock of what has just happened finally hits me, then comes the voice of the fire officer.
"We need to get you down to the road ambulance and get you checked out; after all, we can't overlook any injuries that the hero may have sustained"
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An hour has now passed and after being checked out by the paramedics I find myself sitting in the back of a police car recounting the details of what led to the accident. I turn to one of the police officers and speak.
"What about the arsehole that caused all of this carnage?"
The officer winces slightly but gives me his answer.
"Oh don't you worry about him, we have found quite a few witnesses that back up everything you have told us, and how he was travelling way too fast when his tyre blew out, we have also done a breath test on him, and surprise surprise he is well over the limit, so it will be a long time before fresh air hits his fur again, now we have all of your details and you seem to have calmed down enough to continue your journey, so we'll let you be on your way, just remember, we will be calling for you when this goes to court"
I slowly exit the back of the police car and head back to my own car, I decide that I still need to take a rest at the service area, and I notice that the service area has a hotel complex built into it. I pull into the parking area and call my cousin on my mobile, I tell her what has happened and that I'm going to stay at the hotel for the night before continuing my journey.
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It is 9am the following morning, I decide to head to the service areas cafe and grab a little breakfast before continuing my journey to my cousin's place; I'm half way through my cooked breakfast when I hear the distinctive ringtone of my phone. I pull my phone from my pocket and looking at the display I see an unrecognised number; my curiosity is at its peak now so I decide to answer the call.
"Hello, my name is Officer Pete Daniels, I was one of the Police Officers that you spoke to after yesterdays accident, well the reason for the call is because we have done some checking into Mr. Tyler Hastings background and we can't find any next of kin, that gives us a problem, you see the injuries he received in yesterdays accident were fairly minor, a broken left handpaw and minor cuts and bruises, well an hour after arriving at hospital he regained consciousness, we interviewed him to see if he had any family and he said that there was no one, the thing is though, there is no reason to keep him in hospital now, so he needs someone to collect him and take care of him for a few days. I know it's quite a lot to ask, but as you were first on the scene, I was wondering if you could look after him for a little while."
I nearly drop my phone as I hear the words, it seems that I'm going to get to meet the Doberman after all, I quickly make my reply.
"Well Officer, I was on my way to my cousin's place in Devon, but I suppose I could make a detour to the hospital and take care of things there, but I will need you to make the hospital aware that I will be picking Mr. Hastings up"
The officer assures me that he will be calling the hospital right back to give them my information. I quickly finish my breakfast and then I run out to my car, once inside I type the hospitals address into my GPS and I begin my journey to meet the god of my dreams.
I eventually pull up into the parking area of the hospital, I climb out from my car and head into the hospital foyer, I head over to the reception desk where a female fox nurse looks up from her computer screen.
"Can I help you sir?"
I clear my throat and make my response.
"My name is Wolfie Steel, I was asked by the Police to come and collect a patient that you have here by the name of Mr. Tyler Hastings"
The nurse looks again at her computer screen and then a broad smile spreads across her muzzle.
"Ah yes, the officer in question, Officer Daniels, called us just five minutes ago and said that you would be coming, before I let you go to Mr. Hastings room though I will need to see some form of ID please"
I dig out my driving licence from my wallet and hand it over to the fox, she checks my photo and then hands it back to me, satisfied that I am who I say I am she calls one of the orderlies over to the desk.
"Toby, Mr. Steel is here to collect Mr. Hastings in room 212, will you please take him to the room and make sure that Mr. Hastings is ready to go"
The young Border collie nods his head and begins to lead me to room 212. After a five minute walk we arrive at the room, the Border collie knocks on the door and is greeted with a soft voice.
"Come in"
The Border collie opens the door and makes his entrance.
"Excuse me Mr. Hastings, the police managed to get in touch with the guy that pulled you from the wreckage of your car and he has agreed to help you out for a few days, well he is here now and is waiting outside the room"
The Doberman makes his reply.
"Please will you bring him in and give us a little privacy as I would like to thank the young man for saving my life"
The Border collie nods and then leaves the room, he then allows me inside. I shakily walk inside the room, the Doberman is sat on the edge of the bed, his left handpaw is wrapped up and he has one or two other bandages covering up some of the more noticeable injuries, but other than that and considering what he had been through, he was still looking pretty good. I stand there for a few seconds, he then speaks to me.
"You can come closer; I don't bite, especially when you are the guy that saved my life"
Again on shaky footpaws I walk closer to him, I now stand mere inches from him, he offers me his right handpaw, which I take into mine.
"Can I at least know the name of my saviour?"
I let out an audible nervous gulp as I make my reply.
"M....my name is W....Wolfie Steel sir"
A smile graces the Doberman's gorgeous muzzle.
"Tyler Hastings, it's a pleasure to meet you Wolfie, I want to thank you for both saving my life and agreeing to give me a helping paw for a few days"
I start to blush before I make my response.
"To be honest Mr. Hastings, I was on my way to my cousin's place in Devon to deliver some Christmas presents, so I would be glad of the company, then once that is done I'm pretty much yours to command.... I mean use.....damn I mean I can help take care of you"
The Doberman lets out a giggle as he stands.
"Something tells me that a certain Wolf is pretty nervous for some reason, maybe on our journey I will find out why, but for now, let's get out of here, hospital food is enough to put you into hospital so I want no more of it"
I lead the Doberman from the room and we head back towards the reception desk so that we can formerly complete the discharge procedure.
With the paperwork now complete we walk from the hospital to where my car is waiting, I unlock the doors and then open the passenger door for my new friend, I then make sure that he is strapped in and gently I close the door for him, and then I climb into the driver's seat and I begin to complete my original journey with one subtle difference, the journey will no longer be made alone, but none of that matters, all that matters to me is that the Doberman is Safe 'n' Sound.
I would like to dedicate this story to my new loving mate, Tyler Steel, who I love with all of my heart. Tyler you have made me a very happy wuff indeed.