A Waterfall Wish Read online

  A Waterfall Wish

  Anna Samuels

  Chapter 1

  A holiday

  The cabin was perfect and the scenery idyllic. A little slice of heaven, I mused, smiling to myself as I wondered around my abode for the next week. I had travelled to North Wales alone and was only now settling in to my two bedroom, wooden log cabin which I had rented for a break. I was in dire need of some time to myself and wanted to visit all the places my Grandmother had talked about so many years ago. I had come to her birthplace in order to investigate my roots and enjoy the places she had listed as her favourites before she died.

  I sighed as I walked to the lounge. It seemed like so long ago that I had been on my own and in peace and quiet like this. The silence was almost deafening and yet I liked it. I felt I needed it.

  Prior to coming away, I hadn’t been experiencing the happiest of lives. With the breakdown of my relationship affecting me badly, I had decided to take action and move myself away from the situation; albeit it temporarily. At least this way, by the time I got home, she would be gone. Problem solved. I didn’t want to be there to witness it or have to deal with more arguments before she finally left.

  I sank down onto the plush sofa. My head hurt from thinking too much. I lay back so that my whole body stretched along the sofa. I tried to calm my breathing, relax myself but it wasn’t happening. My mind was full and busy and it simply wasn’t meant to be.

  Getting to my feet, I decided that exercise was the thing to do. I needed to exhaust my body and then my mind would rest. After grabbing my bag, I locked the cabin door and headed down to my car. I would go for a walk at the nearest waterfall. My grandmother had talked about one certain waterfall nearby highly. I would go there, I decided.

  The drive to the waterfall car park took less than five minutes. It was found through numerous country lanes and off the beaten track. The sat nav was accurate though and sure enough, I pulled into an empty car park and saw the sign in Welsh which meant waterfall. I climbed out and headed for the style. The beginning of the walk was pleasant and I made my way along a stony path which was beautiful either side. Forested woodland spread out to each side and I smiled, feeling content.

  As I rounded the bend, I stopped in surprise. The easy, stony path which I had been travelling on now stretched downwards…steeply. The angle of the drop was sharp and I looked down at my little slip on shoes doubtfully. I hadn’t come very prepared, I mused. Still, I would venture on I thought. I had made the effort to come this far so I was going to keep going.

  I almost tiptoed down the incline. Slow progress was made as I went down the path towards the bottom. The walk required concentration but was still pleasant because the view around me was idyllic. Towering trees and leafy branches, a mass of colourful bluebells to my right and a squirrel rushing up a tree trunk to my left. This was nature at its best, I considered, and the reason I had come. I wanted to see and experience everything my grandmother had and this waterfall had been one of those things.

  When I made it to the bottom of the incline, the path rounded sharply and I made my way along it. It led me to a flight of wooden steps next and I frowned in confusion. Somehow, I hadn’t expected such a walk to the waterfall. I had expected it to be easy and it was surprisingly long and required effort. With a mental shrug of my shoulders, I climbed the steps and then followed the path further. That led me to two more flights of wooden steps, put into this hillside by humans so that people could visit and enjoy the wonderful sight of a natural waterfall.

  I was puffing with exertion by the time I made it to the top of the third flight of stairs. Then the path narrowed and I could hear water. I was getting near. I followed the now muddy path and could see the stream to the left of me. I felt excitement suddenly. I was almost there!

  I walked on and carefully navigated the tree roots which were exposed in the mud. I walked and walked and then finally there it was. I gasped in pleasure. ‘Oh wow!’ I exclaimed, even though there was no-one else there. ‘That’s beautiful!’

  It truly was a magnificent sight. A cliff of craggy rock stood before me with the most picturesque waterfall falling from it. The pitter patter of the water reaching the stream was calming and I smiled happily. No wonder my grandmother had loved it here. It was wonderful.

  I thought back to the conversation I had shared with her so many years ago. She had told me about coming to this waterfall as a young girl and how she would paddle in the stream and play with her brothers and sisters. She told me that she had once thrown a coin in the waterfall and made a wish. The wish had been granted and she had believed that the waterfall was somehow slightly magical.

  I reached into my purse and found a coin. I chose a new £1 coin which had only just come out. It was shiny and sparkling; brand new. It seemed the right one to throw.

  I stepped up to the edge and looked into the waterfall. I then thought about what I really wanted from life…love. I threw the coin, right into the waterfall, and wished-for love. Then, I stood there, listening to the water and enjoying the quietness of the place. How long I remained there I couldn’t say…I was simply enjoying the moment, and I didn’t feel any urge to leave.

  Just as I was considering making my way back and psyching myself up for the tough walk to the car, I heard something which made my blood run cold. A sudden, piercing screen filled the air. Birds shot from the branches and flew up into the sky afraid. I whirled around and felt panic set in…what on earth was going on? Was I in danger?

  A thousand thoughts ran through my head. There was a murderer on the loose, I was about to be killed was the main one. My heart was racing now and I didn’t know what to do. I was in mid-flight mode when a new sound reached my ears.

  ‘Help!’ a woman’s voice called, agonised and pitiful.

  I gasped, and began hurrying back along the path I had followed.

  ‘Help!’ she called again, her voice crying.

  I could hear pain and I was suddenly not afraid of monsters in the woods. Someone needed my help and I was going to do anything I could to be there for her.

  I made my way down the mud path at a run this time. When I reached the first steps, I had to hold on as my heart was running a mile a minute. When I reached the bottom of the second steps, her voice was louder. I was almost there, I knew it.

  ‘Help! Oh, someone please! Help me!’ she wailed.

  ‘I’m coming!’ I yelled. ‘Hang on!’ I shouted.

  I hurried, knowing she needed someone desperately. When I rounded the next corner, and reached the top of the next flight of steps, I saw her.

  I had to stop and swallow hard for a minute. She lay at the bottom of the steps; she had clearly fallen. She was wide-eyed and awake but it was her position which bothered me in that instant. One leg was twisted awfully. It was in the most horrible position. It faced the wrong way and the bone protruded from her leg. She was bleeding. There was no time to waste. I ran down the steps in a sprint.

  ‘It’s okay,’ I told the woman when I reached her side. ‘I’m here now, I’m going to help you.’

  Her eyes stared at me widely, and although she was awake, I saw that she was in such pain that she was struggling to cope.

  I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone. I rang 999 only to hear ‘no signal’ in my ear. I grunted in frustration.

  ‘You won’t get…signal out…here,’ she told me brokenly, her voice quavering.

  ‘Okay…well, I’ll just have to get you out of her myself then,’ I said, with determination in my tone.

  ‘How?’ she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

  ‘I’ll carry you,’ I told her.

  ‘You’re…you’re smaller than me,’ she replied quietly, her eyes wide and afraid.

  �
��I’m strong,’ I promised her, ‘and I’m going to get you out of here.’

  ‘Just go…get help…I’ll be…okay…’

  ‘No, there isn’t time…I need to get you to hospital as soon as physically possible. Right, come on…what’s your name?’ I asked her.

  ‘Nikki,’ she replied softly.

  I smiled at her, and held her eyes. They were a beautiful, clear green. ‘Well, Nikki…let’s get you out of here.’

  Chapter 2

  Hospital

  ‘How?’ she asked, frowning.

  ‘I’ll have to carry you…’

  ‘The hill…it’s…so steep!’

  ‘I know…we’ll just have to take it bit by bit. Right, how shall I carry you without hurting you?’ I asked, quickly going through the options mentally.

  ‘I, uh…my leg,’ she said pitifully.

  I nodded, but remained calm. ‘It’s broken, Nikki…we need to avoid touching it…and I need to lift you too. I’m thinking fireman’s lift or like a baby. Fireman’s lift would be better for me but like a baby would probably hurt you less so we’ll do that.’

  She looked up at me with sorrowful eyes. ‘It’s too far.’

  ‘No, it’s not, Nikki. Will you stop being so damn negative and help me out here! I can do this! But you need to play ball!’

  She looked at me surprised.

  ‘So? Are we doing this?’

  ‘Yes,’ she nodded. ‘I’m sorry.’

  I smiled at her, trying to convey confidence when I had no idea if I could do what I was telling her I could. ‘No worries…right, put your arm around my neck…we’re wasting time.

  Getting Nikki into my arms was no easy feat. Although slim, she was taller than me and therefore heavier so I had to lift more than my own body weight into my arms in front of me.

  Adrenalin was running through my veins through and I knew the seriousness of the situation we found ourselves in. With no signal and no-one else around, I was responsible for getting this woman to safety. I was going to do everything I could to ensure that happened.

  I heaved her up and lifted her. She cried out in pain as her leg was moved but I ignored it, I had to.

  ‘It’s okay, Nikki. We’re on our way now…’ I puffed as I made my way along the path.

  The flat ground wasn’t too bad but as I rounded the corner to the beginning of the steep stretch ahead, I felt panic begin to fill me. My back was already aching intensely and sweat was covering me already. The woman in my arms was moaning in pain and crying as I put one foot in front of the other and plodded on in determined fashion. Try as I might, a little way into the hill, I felt like I was ready to drop.

  My breath came in short, sharp pants and my arms burned with her weight. I trembled as my muscles objected to carrying such a heavy load.

  ‘Put me down if you want,’ she murmured quietly.

  ‘No, no,’ I managed, ‘it’s lucky you’re in such…good shape,’ I breathed, ‘otherwise…we might…not have…managed this!’

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ she began brokenly and then as I looked down into her eyes, I saw then roll back into her head into a dead faint. Panic filled me and I lowered her down onto the path as gently as I could. I then cupped her head and lifted it so she was propped up a little.

  ‘Nikki! Nikki! Wake up! You need to wake up! Nikki! No sleeping now! You hear me! Open your eyes!’ I ordered.

  Her eyes fluttered open and then her face crumpled with the pain once more. A long moan and then scream came out of her as she battled to cope with what I imagined was awful, distressing pain.

  ‘Nikki! Stay awake! We’re getting you out of here.’

  I bent forwards and somehow managed to lift her up and over my shoulder. She moaned and then went quiet as I got her into this new position. With her weight distributed better for going uphill, I marched forwards, panting with exertion and super-human strength seemed to fill me as I walked to the top of that hill. When I reached the top, I almost couldn’t believe it. I had done it! I had actually done it! I kept going and all the way to the car park I was congratulating myself. It was only when I reached my car that I realised she had gone quiet and there was no moaning. I fumbled for my keys in my bag on my side and then unlocked it clumsily. Then, heaving with effort, I eased her onto the back seat to lie across the length of the car.

  She was still out cold when I eased her leg in, being careful not to touch it low where the break was. I lifted her thigh and eased it in. It was then that she woke.

  ‘We made it?’ she asked, drowsily.

  ‘Yeah! Now do me a favour and stay awake, Nikki! I need to get you to a hospital!’

  ‘What’s your name?’ she asked softly.

  ‘Sarah,’ I told her, smiling. ‘My name’s Sarah.’

  I drove swiftly, navigating out of the narrow bends of the country roads and glancing at my phone on the passenger seat, waiting for signal. As soon as I got one bar, I pulled over and googled the nearest hospital. As soon as I had a postcode, I programmed the sat nav once again and we were on our way. I thanked the powers that be that we were so close to medical care. The hospital appeared to be just ten minutes away. I would get Nikki into capable hands as quickly as possible.

  ‘Okay, we’re nearly there!’ I told Nikki as I drove fast and a little erratically.

  ‘I…’ she murmured.

  ‘You hang in there, Nikki! We won’t be long and then they’ll help you,’ I promised.

  ‘Tired…’ she murmured.

  ‘Don’t go to sleep yet,’ I told her. ‘Just hang in there, Nikki. Just two minutes more,’ I told her as I looked at the clock. It read eight minutes. I breathed deeply and pressed the accelerator down even more.

  I raced to the hospital and was surprised not to be stopped for dangerous driving. Nonetheless, I made it in about four minutes and pulled straight into accident and emergency where the ambulances pulled in. I pushed the door open and let rip.

  ‘Help! Someone please help me!’ I called desperately.

  Immediately, the two paramedics who had been frowning at me ran over. I quickly explained my situation and they took over in an instant. Before I knew it, Nikki was out of my car and being rolled into the hospital on a stretcher. Once she was gone, I was left standing there shaken and confused. It had all happened so quickly and was now suddenly very overwhelming.

  ‘You’ll need to move your car, Miss,’ an older paramedic man said to me then.

  ‘Oh yes…yes of course.’

  ‘There’s parking that way-so you can wait for you friend,’ he informed me.

  ‘Oh right…thanks,’ I nodded, turning to look in the direction he was pointing.

  He was right, this man I didn’t know. I needed to wait for her. It was the right thing to do.

  I climbed into my car and went to park my car. I then made my way up the lift in the car park and straight to accident and emergency. When I got to the waiting room, I suddenly felt unsure of my next step. I couldn’t go to reception as Nikki had only just arrived. There was only one thing left to do. I would wait.

  I took a seat in the waiting room and tried to calm my racing heart. What a nightmare, I mused. My mind quickly recapped everything that had just happened and I felt amazed by the events of the past hour. It was nothing short of incredible.

  I sat there for the best part of an hour feeling like a spare part. I deliberated what I should do and wondered whether I should just go back to the cabin. My strong sense of right and wrong took over though and I decided to stay.

  After about an hour and a half, a man came out in a doctor’s uniform and stood in the waiting room calling a name.

  ‘Sarah? Sarah Knight?’ he called.

  I looked around for this woman with my first name.

  ‘Sarah?’ he called again.

  I didn’t know what possessed me, but I stood up and walked towards him.

  ‘Hello,’ I said as I approached him.

  ‘Ah, Nicki’s partner?’ he asked.

  M
y eyebrows rose involuntarily but I nodded, without talking.

  ‘Come this way please.’

  ‘Thank you,’ I said, falling into step behind him.

  The doctor led me into a side room and shut the door.

  ‘How is she?’ I asked as he turned.

  ‘She’s okay…she’s stable. We’ve ensured she’s comfortable and now we’re just waiting for an opening for her operation.’

  ‘She needs an operation?’ I asked, stunned.

  ‘Yes. There are two very significant breaks in her leg. She will need it operated on and re-set. She’ll be in plaster for at least six weeks.’

  ‘Oh…’

  ‘We think she may have hit her head when she fell too so she can’t be left unsupervised. She was most upset when I told her she wouldn’t be able to leave without a guardian. We thought she was here alone, you see…then she told us that you were here waiting.’

  ‘I, uh yeah…I thought I would just wait to be called,’ I murmured confused.

  ‘Well, she wants to see you.’

  I nodded. ‘Of course.’

  ‘I’ll take you to her now,’ he smiled.

  ‘Thanks,’ I replied and followed him out of the room.

  He led me down a maze of corridors and finally we reached a small ward where there were four beds. Behind one set of curtains, I finally saw Nikki. She was sat in bed with her leg all packaged up in what looked like massive bubble wrap.

  ‘Hey!’ I smiled warmly.

  ‘I’ll leave you two too it,’ the doctor said smiling.

  ‘Thanks for your help,’ I told him gratefully and then watched him leave. I wanted to talk to Nikki but not where he could hear me.

  When he was out of sight, I turned back to Nikki and smiled at her. She smiled back and for the first time in a long time, I felt my stomach tense with a strange sensation. Her smile was gorgeous and had just hit me in the solar plexus in the most surprising of ways.

  ‘You look a lot better,’ I told her, heading to sit beside her bed.

  ‘Thanks,’ she smiled, ‘my heroine.’