Leftover Baggage from Llanview

16

Dorian:

Starr stays in our car with Hope and calls nine-one-one while Blair, Kelly and I race over to the lakeside in the wind.

"She's not only in danger of drowning, but of hypothermia," I say fearfully. "Not to mention her lupus."

"I'd say this lake is about seven feet deep," Blair is the calmest of all of us. "Since I'm the tallest, I can go in first...Kelly, you can hold me feet and Aunt Dorian, you can hold onto Kelly's feet."

Blair takes off her watch, necklace and earrings, tossing them onto the ground. I also take of my necklace and watch.

Kelly isn't wearing any jewelry, but she takes off her jacket.

"How are we going to break into the car?" Kelly asks.

"I think there's a jackhammer in the trunk," I say.

I run back to the car and fumble around until I find what appears to be a tire jack and a hammer. They'll have to make do, so I run back with these.

"Stand back..." Blair smashes the back window with the jackhammer.

It takes several smashes until the glass on the back window is in pieces.

Kelly flattens a few jagged edges to make sure they don't pose too big of a laceration hazard.

"I'm going in..." Blair scales the hood while Kelly grabs her feet.

I feel my breath pull as Blair submerges into the dark water with Kelly's head and shoulders vanishing into the water as well...I'm holding onto her sneakered feet, trying to will my hands not to start trembling.

I'm pulled over the trunk myself, feeling the cold dampness seep over me...all I see now in the dark is the outline of Kelly's legs and feet. I close my eyes as my face gets closer to the water.

I do start shaking in both fear and the cold wetness, especially when my blouse pushes upward and my bare stomach is in contact with the cold metal of the trunk and a bit of water splashes on me, but somehow, I'm able to keep a grip.

It seems like hours and I begin to fear that Blair, Kelly and Marty will end up drowning, but after what feels like all night, there's a lurch and Kelly pulls back, forcing me back.

I slide off the trunk and backward into the muddy earth with a muttered, fearful "Shit..."

But I still am able to keep hold of Kelly's feet with one hand. Kelly and I both land in the wet ground.

I'm immensely relieved when I hear an ambulance siren approaching.

"Blair...?" I call.

A bulky shape slides off the side of the trunk and Kelly and I both shout in relief to see Blair besides the car holding Marty's limp form.

"She's unconscious, but alive," Blair gasps once she spits out water and catches her breath.

Immediately my doctor's medical training springs into gear and I check Marty over, laying her on the grass.

She's breathing, but in slightly shallow breaths and her pulse, while steady is slightly weak. Her body temperature is dropping, a danger sign of hypothermia.

I do CPR until her breathing and pulse gradually return to normal. I'm relieved when I hear the ambulance pull onto the road and the approach of paramedics.

Kelly waves them over. As Marty is being loaded into the stretcher, she partially comes to, mumbling a few things that make no sense.

I'm a bit nervous to see that her pupils are a bit dilated when they shine a light into her eyes.