In Your Embrace by Amy Miles Page B

light flickers all around her and she winces, her eyes too sensitive from the dark.  “I can see you,” Timothy calls.  “You’re about ten feet from me.”
    “Did you hear that?” she nearly laughs as she pats Justin’s shoe. “We’re almost here.”
    He doesn’t respond.  Hannah lifts her head.  “Justin?  Are you ok?”
    When he doesn’t respond again she taps his leg with more urgency. “Timothy, can you see Justin?”
    “Yeah,” he calls back.  This time there is an edge to his tone.  “He doesn’t look too good.”
    “I think he’s passed out!”
    Sweat and hair obstruct her vision.  She blows out through her lips, trying to clear the hair away.  Tears begin to moisten her lower lashes as desperation fills her.  “He’s too heavy for me to push on my own,” she calls out, lowering her head to rest upon her arms.
    There is a pause before Timothy speaks again.  “I know you’re tired and hurting, but do you think you can get him just a little closer?  I’ll meet you halfway and reach in to pull you both out.”
    Pastor Justin may not be a large man, but he is dead weight now.  There is hardly a half inch of space on either side to allow his shoulders to squeeze through.  If he gets twisted even the smallest amount he’ll get hung up.
    “I’ll do my best, but I’m getting really tired.  I don’t know if I’ve got much left in me.”  She can hear the weariness in her voice, the same weariness that makes her arms and legs feel like weights dragging behind her.
    “You can do it, Hannah.  You were strong enough to save Iris.  You were brave enough to enter this building, and you’ve gotten Justin this far.  I know you can make it a couple more feet.  I’m right here.  I’ll grab him as soon as I can reach him.”
    Spurred on by his encouragement, Hannah adju sts her grip on the pastor’s shoes and pushes.  Her elbows buckle and her ribs cry out in protest as she braces her feet against the sides of the tunnel and slides over shards of tile.  A growl rises from deep within her chest as she pushes again and again, moving them forward a couple of inches at a time.
    “You’re doing it. Just a little further,” Timothy calls down the tunnel to her.  All that matters is getting Justin to safety.  After that she can rest.
    She cries out as a teepee of rafters behind her collapse, sending a gust of brick dust into the tunnel.  “Hannah!”
    “I’m fine,” she coughs, wafting her hand to try to clear the air.
    “Oh, thank God!”  Timothy sounds weak with relief.  “You need to hurry. The storm is getting worse.  I don’t know how much longer you have.”
    “I’m trying.”  She pushes Justin again and the urge to scream in frustration over their slow progress nearly tips her over the edge. The light around her is brighter.  She must be getting close.
    “Timothy?”
    “Another few feet.  That’s all I need.”
    Nodding, Hannah screams as she shoves hard against Justin’s foot, digging deep within herself for a strength she know she doesn’t possess.
    “It’s just too far.”  At Timothy’s words Hannah feels all hope fade.    I can’t do this.  I just can’t.  Please help me.
    “Hang on a second,” he calls down the tunnel to her.  She waits, listening to her labored breathing echo around her.  “I’ve got some rope.  Tie it around his waist and we’ll pull him out.”
    The first two tosses fall short but the third is right on target.  Hannah twists and turns as she tries to tie the rope around his waist
    “I’m not very good at tying ropes but it should hold.”
    “Pull!”  She hears Timothy shout.  Hannah’s head falls to rest on her arms as she feels Justin’s unconscious form being pulled away from her. Her lower lip trembles with relief as tears well in her eyes and spill over. She is completely spent of strength and energy.
    “I’ve got him!”  Timothy shouts.  “Hannah, can you crawl to me now?”
    “I think so.