Chapter 17: CPR

Blake knew Calvin would react this way and said helplessly, “The road footage shows Alfi fell into the river to pick something up. He’s been drowning for a few minutes. No other cameras are at the scene, so I don’t know how he’s doing. Don’t worry. I’ve called the firefighters. They and I will be right over.”

Calvin braked hard, nearly hitting the greenbelt. His vision blurred, and he felt as if he were being strangled, unable to breathe. He remembered his cousin entrusting her son to him before she died; her only wish was that Calvin care for him. He then floored the accelerator and sped to the location Blake had sent him.

“The kid’s face is livid from the cold. I think he’s beyond saving.”

“I feel sorry for him. He’s so young, and he drowned. How sad his family will be?”

“Hasn’t the ambulance arrived?”

“I just called. The road ahead is restricted; the ambulance won’t arrive for another thirty minutes.”

“I also called the emergency number.”

On the riverbank, bystanders surrounded the boy, chattering incessantly. Stephanie and Lawson finally broke through the crowd and saw Myrna pressing hard on the kid’s chest, drenched and seemingly oblivious to the onlookers.

“What is she doing?” Stephanie asked, curious.

Lawson saw that Myrna knew first aid and was surprised. “She’s performing CPR—a type of first aid.”

Stephanie was annoyed when she saw Lawson staring at Myrna. She pouted and muttered, “When did Myrna learn this? She didn’t just learn it from TV, did she? The kid is so young. We should wait for the doctor.”

Lawson also thought Myrna shouldn’t recklessly rescue the kid, as she wasn’t a doctor. She wouldn’t be able to explain herself if anything happened to the boy. He lifted his chin slightly and pulled out his phone. “I know people who work at Melcester General Hospital. I’ll call them to get them here now.”

Hearing this, the bystanders looked at him in shock. Melcester General Hospital was well-known among hospitals in nearby cities; patients waited a long time for treatment, and ordinary people couldn’t easily meet the doctors there.

An old lady praised Lawson, “Young man, that’s very kind of you!”

Stephanie felt honored to be at Lawson’s side. Only Myrna felt the crowd was too noisy; irritation filled her fair face. Her clothes were still dripping, her long hair plastered to her shoulder, and her wet shirt clung to her neck, revealing the bloody scratches the boy had left. Her fair face and the blood made her look striking.

She pressed on the kid’s chest for a long time, but he couldn’t cough up water, and his breathing was weakening. She took a deep breath, realizing she couldn’t just save a corpse. She didn't hesitate to take a small bag from her purse and opened it.

“What is that?” Stephanie asked, pointing at what Myrna had taken out.

Some bystanders also noticed and recognized what Myrna held. “It seems to be medical equipment.”

“Medical equipment? What can she do with it...?