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The spring pole system, anchored with a triple-wrap of steel cable, sprouted from a crossbeam even with the loft floor. The attached industrial-size spring looked like it came from a garage door. A well-worn rope hooked to the spring, and ended with a frayed, chewed up double knot that swung slowly back and forth.
September checked below. Steven and Tracy sat beside Willie who kept a firm grip on Kinsler's collar. The little dog appeared recovered, and September didn't want to tell the boy Kinsler could still collapse. All near drownings needed follow up medical care, but at this point, that was the least of their worries. She still hadn't a clue how to get Lenny up into the loft. Concentrate on those you can help.
The two girls pushed one of the floating bales directly beneath the suspended rope while dragging the metal horse panel grid behind them. September knew the panel only weighed about fifteen pounds, but the eight-foot-by-fifty-inch dimensions made it a pain to manipulate. It'd make a keen ladder, though, something all the kids could climb. They'd hoist it up with twine and secure it to the crossbeam, once they got the twine up to September.
"Nikki, stay low on the bale. Help steady it for Melinda." The older girl wore Boris Kitty like a stole, and his tail thumped with agitation. September didn't blame the cat. If she had a tail, it'd be bottlebrush with fear.
Melinda carefully stood on the floating bale, directly below the spring pole rope. The kids had already threaded one end of the twine through Boris Kitty’s collar. Melinda grabbed the end of the swinging rope, using it to steady her own balance, and then held it next to her neck. Nothing happened.
"What'll I do now? He won't go." Melinda peeled the cat off her shoulders with one hand, and tried to hang him onto the rope. He twisted and clawed at her shirt.
"No, don't try to force him. It has to be the cat's idea." September watched in horror when the girl lost her grip and Boris Kitty fell into the water. The current immediately whisked the feline toward the swirling exit. "The twine, catch the twine." September prayed the collar wouldn't give way. Many cat collars break away, for safety reasons, so a cat wouldn't catch on something and strangle.
Nikki caught up the end of the long spool of twine they'd gathered, and towed the hissing cat back. Before she could collect his furious form, he clawed his own way onto the floating straw bale, shook himself and each foot in turn, and leaped for Melinda's pant leg.
She squealed as he climbed her body, scratch graffiti testament to his displeasure. This time Boris Kitty didn't stop at Melinda's shoulders. He spat in her face, paw-clutched the rope she still held steady in one hand, and scaled it quicker than a furry Tarzan, the lightweight baling twine trailing from his collar.
"It worked. Now what?" Nikki stood in the water beside the bobbing bale, and grabbed the other side of the metal grid.
The soaked cat, met by Shadow's inquisitive nose, smacked the dog soundly and streaked across the loft floor. Shadow started to follow. "No, Shadow. Wait." Cowed, he did as she asked. September wanted to shout with joy, but still needed to retrieve the hissed off cat and collect the twine. He'd vaulted to the top of a stack of wardrobe boxes stored in one corner.
The cat ignored her. Shadow whined with concern as September walked the balance beam to reach the other side of the barn. "Hey there, Boris Kitty. Can I call you BK? What a brave cat, and such an athlete." She crooned to him and avoided eye contact, crossing to him in a curving pattern. One wrong move and the spooked feline might self-launch into the rafters, destroying their plans.
But for once, luck was a lady. BK ignored her to studiously groom away water from his soaked fur. She picked up the trailing end of the twine, and collected it hand-over-hand as she approached the cat until able to untie the string from his collar. He purred his forgiveness. "Aren't you a handsome, brave fellow?" He mewed, head-bumped her hand, and returned to his tongue bath.
Shadow woofed and pranced where he waited on the far side of the loft. September planned to set up the makeshift ladder on the far side, but time had run out. She'd need to tie it off on this side, and quickly.
"Girls, weave twine back and forth through the end of the grid. Do it now." She watched impatiently. "That's right. Now tie it off. A couple of knots are fine, I'll do more once it's up here. Y'all lift and support the bottom, feed it up as I pull from this end."
They lifted and all eight feet of the flexible fence snaked out of the water. September gathered the twine into a pile beside her. "Good, good, now hold it steady while I secure the top."
The makeshift ladder wasn't ideal but the best she could do. September wrapped twine around the crossbeam, through the wire grids and back again, doubling and tripling the strands. The kids watched from below, finally understanding what she had in mind. This side of the barn actually worked better, because a double tier of straw rested directly beneath the panel making the first step up an easier reach.
They heard the roar when the dam broke. The surge of water rocked Nikki and Melinda's bale, and the girls shrieked. They clung together when the straw surfed backwards. It smashed into the other bales where the other children perched.
"Hang on. Everyone, stay together." September watched helplessly as the bales lifted in the sudden swell. Shadow rushed to her side.
The flood uncorked the SUV from the bottleneck at the barn's doorway, bulldozing it away. Lenny's straw bale, closest to the exit, bobbled and twirled. Steven lurched; his tablet flew from his hands and landed between Lenny's legs, startling the small orange cat that still nestled on Lenny’s chest.
Steven grabbed for Lenny's sleeve, but missed, slipped, and pitched into the water. Steven never made a sound, but his mouth opened in a shocked "o" of horror. He dog paddled to keep his head above water, but the current battered him like a cat playing with a mouse.
“God, no!”
When September screamed, Shadow pressed hard against her side. She hugged him tight and trembled, but her muscles refused to obey the mental command to go after the boy. Save him, save Steven. It's what any normal mother would do.
Shadow stared into her face, gently licked September's tears, and pulled out of her embrace. He whirled, and without hesitation, Shadow dove off the loft floor into the water below.
September screeched as her dog—her heart—disappeared beneath dirty swirls of water. The water depth had risen past his shoulders, running so swiftly it easily knocked him off his feet. She leaned forward, staring, ivory knuckles clutching the edge of the loft.
She couldn't catch her breath. Her hands, feet, even her legs tingled. September willed Shadow to reach Steven. Her pulse drummed so loudly in her ears, it out-shouted the flood.
He lunged, snapped and snagged Steven's jacket. Shadow’s grip swerved the boy's trajectory enough to lob Steven against Lenny's floating bale. Steven managed to claw a grip into Lenny’s bale strap with frantic fingers.
The bale bobbed, dipped, and disappeared out the barn door with the two boys, Shadow helplessly swept in its wake. As if to underline the blackness of despair, the overhead floodlights sputtered out.
