Part two :) 

It is already nearing the next afternoon. Minho has been trapped in the well for over 24 hours. Which was never what anyone wanted. There had been lots of planning, and fences being taken down so that large machinery can be brought in. Minho’s aunt had never thought moving into a new home would result in this. A huge ground drill is being checked over and fixed together so they can make a large tunnel down parallel to the shaft. Jinki is ordering and organising at a very fast pace. He takes no slacking and even fired an employee who complained he wanted his breaks. But Jinki already knows that Minho had been down there for too long, and he needs to be the first Priority.

Kibum and Jonghyun are tired, but have not moved from their spot except for the odd toilet break. But despite other officers and paramedics offering to switch with them. The two are clear that they are not leaving. Plus Taemin needs their support and to leave him feels almost like a betrayal. Like Taemin they will not be going anywhere until the boy is out.   

Minho has been quiet and Jonghyun is a little worried.

‘Do you think he is okay?’ He asks Kibum who is writing down the update on the small boy.

‘All young kids nap don't they?’ The Paramedic speaks. And looks down at Taemin napping between the two with his bear cuddled tight. The child is covered in a large coat, a blanket, and a scarf his mother made him wear. They both agree it’s kind of cute to watch.

Kibum turns up the speaker, leaning as close as he can, and eventually a soft snore is heard. They know Minho must be exhausted because there was no way his position is comfortable and only exhaustion could allow him to sleep. He’s probably very dehydrated too due to lack of water. There was also the heated air keeping him warm, but that may result in dried skin. And yet needed, since Minho was in shorts and a T-shirt when he fell in. The lower he had fallen the colder it would be. The oxygen tanks are being changed every few hours to make sure he can breath. And after careful planning and discussion a soft dull light is now hanging down for him. They didn’t want anything too bright as Minho’s eyes would be very sensitive. And they didn’t want it to be too hot if he tried to grab it or worse for worse it breaks. But Minho is partly visible and thankful for the small light.  

The plan is now ready to begin, and the large mining drill is officially set in the right place. A hole begins to drill down an Jinki is observing it. At first the drill is just going through dirt and mud. That sprays and chucks parts around, enough that Jonghyun has to place an umbrella over the hole to prevent Minho being hit by big chunks or worse buried if it throws in a lot. But to cause stress, a problem arises the machine hits at something hard. Jinki has it lifted back out and drops down digging into the mud until he finds that there is old styled strong stone. He grumbles ordering the drill end to be dismantled and a blade to be replaced without a second thought, he orders for his personal shaper stone cutting blade to be fitted on asap, because Jinki is always prepared. He know what tools are needed.

As the new blade chips away, the ground shakes a little. It causes shimmering vibrations throughout the whole ground and Minho is quickly heard screaming and crying, he is utterly terrified.

Jonghyun and Kibum orders and pleads with them to stop a moment so they can calm him down. ‘STOP! STOP!’

Taemin is the first shouting down in support. ‘Its okay! Its okay!. Its okay’. He looks at the machine. ‘Dey gon get you out! Dey digging a hole now!’

‘I don’t like it!’ The child screams fearfully. ‘I don’t like it! Make it stop!’

‘Gon be kay Mino!’. The smallest child sniffles.

Jonghyun and Kibum sigh and join the boy. ‘It’s gonna be okay Minho!’.

‘Yeah once this is over we can get you out! We promise!’’

Minho is crying harder. He doesn't seem to agree. Taemin is tearing up because Minho never usually cries like this, he has never hear Minho so afraid before. He always put on a brave face. Minho’s fearful tears is heard by everyone from the speaker. Jinki has heard it too and walks over quickly kneeling down at the well.

‘Hey kid?’ He waits for Minho to calm down. ‘Listen. I know it’s scary and I know it’s loud. But I know that you are a brave, brave boy. But if you don’t let me do this. Then you will be stuck there forever. And I know you don’t want that.’

Minho has silenced, but sniffles can be heard.

‘If you let us dig. I will be down there and I will get you out. I promise you Minho. I will not leave this place until you are back up here with you best friend’. He smiles at Taemin. ‘Will you let me do this? Will you let me save you?’

Minho starts to cry again but that one word reply is enough. ‘Yes’.

‘You’re a good Kid. Be brave. I’ll see you soon’.

Jinki orders with a hand gesture and the machine starts digging again. Minho is heard crying again. But he isn't complaining. Once Minho is familiar to the noise, and the vibrations, he settles. Enough so that he falls asleep with his exhaustion again.

Taemin is also a little afraid by the noises of the machine as it echos from the well, and cuddles into Jonghyun. The officer smiles at his head. ‘You know your friend is a very brave boy down there? But you little man are very brave too!’.

Taemin nods ‘Mino strong. He strong and he show me and I strong too. He help me find stones.’ Holds one up that he spotted on the ground earlier. Then starts to cry quietly as he plays with it between his fingers. ‘I don’t like stones now’.he throws it away. Then crawling from the male's lap he leans closer to the hole. ‘Mino….Mino??’ He calls him for a while, and yet there is no response. He pouts at officer looking after him.

‘Maybe he is sleeping’ Jonghyun says. ‘It is nighttime’ he points to the starry sky. Taemin looks up and lets out a yawn, he climbs into Jonghyun’s lap and snuggles with his bear. ‘I sleep wen Mino sleep’. Jonghyun pets his head tucking the blanket over him. He glances at Kibum who is also sleeping.

The machinery isn’t so loud now that it is deeper in the ground. Jinki has mentioned that he needs to change the blade soon as this one is becoming blunt. The new one is on it’s way asap.

Before they realise it the night has come and gone. Minho has been trapped for 37 hours. After the changing of machinery and the day and nights staff switching places. Kibum knows that Minho will be very weak with his lack of fluids.

Jinki is now tired, and joins the small group around the well. Swigging down a bottle of water and watching Taemin support his friend as he talks to him about whatever he can. And he smiles at the boy who places his blanket over Jonghyun who has nodded off to sleep.

‘We are almost level with your friend Kid. Now I just gotta make a hole over to him and we can pull him out. . So it will take me a few hours to dig across sadly, but I will get him out. I have saved many many people and I will make sure that Minho is one of them’.

Taemin smiles for once, someone is being honest with him no fake promises of soon. Minho had said the noise was getting louder which was a good sign. But he also said his head hurt and he was very very tired. Jinki takes the quickest nap Taemin has ever witnessed and is straight back to work. Kibum is taking notes again. While Taemin is eating a sandwich his mother gave him and suddenly has an idea. He shouts down to Minho and tells him to open wide. Kibum looks up as he watches him throws a few tiny bread balls, half a sized down. As Taemin gives a warning when they are coming. Kibum jumps up in panic and leans over to see what happened.

‘Taemin you cannot do that!’ He scolds.

‘Why not!’ Taemin pouts.

‘Because if he chokes we cannot save him!’

Kibum seemed strongly worried about that. But a small thank you is heard from below, and even a yum of appreciation.The Paramedic sighs in relief. ‘Taemin I know he caught them in his mouth? But do you want him to die if it gets stuck in his throat! Please don't do it again. We have to be careful’.

Taemin pouts, he never expects Kibum to scold him. ‘But Mino best at catch food in de mouf’.

‘I understand’ Kibum half smiles. ‘But we cannot do that again.. Okay?’

Taemin nods sadly.

Kibum sighs but picks up his notepad. ‘Well on a plus side I can write he was able to eat something’.

---

Minho can hears loud sounds almost below him. As a hole being formed across is created. Eventually the small blade cuts through and Jinki knows he is in the well shaft. He reaches in his hand. Finding open air and relief sets in. ‘Finally’ he whispers. He just has to make the hole big enough to pull the child through now. Minho not realising that something is happening below him because the drilling is very very loud has no-idea how soon now he will be rescued.

‘Hey kid how are we doing?’ Jinki speaks eventually. Minho jumps but can’t really see below him. He is relieved to hear a voice this close. ‘You have been a brave boy. Well done!’

‘Can you get me out now?’. He asks.

‘I just need to make this hole a little bigger kid, gotta get a hole big enough to pull you through, but i’m almost there. So I just need to go grab something hang on.’ He shuffles pulling through a small cross shaped bar and places it between the shaft walls so if Minho was to fall he wouldn’t drop any further. Jinki had realised that he had already fallen a small fraction due to the vibrations. Jinki shuffles again so he is on his back and reaches his arm inside the well. He hears a scream of surprise when he manages to grab Minho foot.

‘Oh sorry! I just wanted to check where you are kid’. He feels the best he can around and tugs a little but Minho doesn't move much. Jinki pulls back his arm and shines up a torch trying to work out his position and lets out a small sigh.

‘Alright Kid i’ll be back.’

‘No! no! no! please don’t leave me! don’t leave me!’. The Boy begs. ‘I don’t want to be alone!’

‘Alright kid, i’ll stay a little longer’. Jinki remains on his back.

Minho sighs through his sniffles. He is so tired. So exhausted. But it’s nice to have company this close.  

‘So… how we feeling?’ Jinki asks to fill in the quietness.

Minho pouts. ‘I’m tired’ he whispers.

‘Tired? Okay well you’re gonna be okay, so just sleep for a bit and you’ll feel better’.

Minho hums. Closing his eyes.

After while Jinki realises Minho has fallen asleep, and he slowly moves back out. He tugs the rope to be pulled back up and as he gets up top he stretches. Kibum and Jonghyun are looking to him with hopeful eyes. They could hear Minho was talking to someone.

‘I made a hole through and have found him! There is a blockage so he won't fall further’.

Everyone smiles and some cheer. Taemin realises the response is good.

‘But I just need to drill a little bit bigger hole. I could grab his foot and pull on his leg, I managed to shine a light to see how he was stuck and in order to pull him out-’. He sighs deeply ‘I’m gonna have to break his leg… it -yeah that might sound painful- I know! I’m bound to end up pulling his hip out of his socket in trying. But if I don't he’ll be stuck there forever’.

Kibum nods. ‘Then you dislocate and break that kids legs and you pull him out. Because a broken bone may hurt but it can be fixed. And at least he’ll be alive and safe’.

Jinki nods. That was the approval he needed.

Taemin is looking at Jinki. Who bends down level. ‘I want you to do me a big favour!’ The boy nods. ‘I want you to keep telling your friend that even if it hurts, it’s okay. Because it gonna be painful getting him out understand? Be strong for him?’. Taemin nods. ‘Keep talking to him. Tell him to help me, so that I can help him out?’.

Taemin nods again. He trusts Jinki. With his small arms he hugs the man. ‘Pweeze save my fwend’.

Jinki smiles brightly. ‘I will have him up soon. That I can promise you’.The smile Taemin gives is enough to cause Jinki a moment of awe.

Kibum taps the elders shoulder and passes over a Jelly like substance ‘This should help Minho slide down’. Jinki laughs a for a moment and points to him. ‘Keep hold of it, you’re coming down with me!’

‘Down there!’ Kibum squeaks.

‘Yup down there. You’re the Paramedic!’.

‘Yeah! Well after this I quit!’

Jonghyun laughs into his hand.

…

Jinki has made the hole big enough now and once again on his back, his arm is in the well shaft as he reaches and tugs and pulls at Minho’s leg. Uptop Minho can be heard crying in discomfort.

‘Come on kid almost there’. He says. ‘Just a little more. I just need you to slip a little more!’.

‘Ooowwwh! No! No it hurts! It hurts’ he sobs.

Jinki pauses a moment. He knows, of course it would hurt. His poor hip had been pulled out of his socket twice. Jinki couldn’t bare his screams and kept putting it back in place. But because his body isn’t shifting Jinki knows that it’s only like torture to the child. Kibum is pointing the light at the hole ready and waiting for his patient.

‘His leg’ He whispers. ‘Break it!’

‘I really don’t wanna-’

‘Jinki! Break it! Break it and he comes out!’

Jinki sighs heavily he really doesn't wanna break his leg, he broke his once as a child and the pain was horrible. But he has no other choice now.

Taemin is up top shouting down support. Kibum passes him some more jelly and Jinki squirts the whole things out around the child. ‘Minho?’

Minho sniffles through his tears ‘Yeah?’

‘Do you trust me?’

Minho sniffles again. ‘Yeah’.

‘Okay- I want you to take a deep breath. When I count to three take a deep breath for me, say okay when you are ready?’.  

Minho hums as finally the moment has arrived. Minho is quiet, he knows he has moved a tiny bit, his arms have unwedged. But he is still wedged with his higher leg. He can feel pressure at where Jinki is pulling on his lower leg. ‘Okay’ he speaks.

‘Alright. Minho one… two… three!’

Everyone above the ground is silent. Everyone is listening. The parents, the police, the journalists. Everyone is holding their breaths. And Taemin flinches in surprise at a loud snap that echos up. Minho is heard sobbing harder, a scream of shock as his higher leg is broken, but Jinki finds minho sliding better down and finally Minho is being pulled through. His body is carried carefully through the hole above Jinki, who hold him securely. The boys face is dirty and covered in blood from a wound on his forehead. His eyelashes are dusty and his eyes are red. His lips cracked. And his arms are both covered in bruises, cuts, and sores.

He is crying from his pain, but also in shock because he cannot believe this is really happening.

He is finally free. Kibum cheers and shouts up the people above. ‘He’s out! We got him!’

A loud cheer of celebration echo’s from above.

‘Hey Kid, you’re okay now! You’re okay… you’re out!’’ Jinki smiles at him. And Minho looks down to him. His tears are still there, but he smiles a little.

Kibum pulls on Jinki’s legs to get him out of the side hole, and then places a plank board against Minho’s back and starts strapping him against it. Jinki smiles at Minho as he helps the paramedic keep him in place. The child who is still upset and crying from his broken battered body grabs at Jinki’s hand. Even if Jinki had just broke his leg and pulled his other leg from his socket. Minho was thankful, his eyes say it all.

‘You’re welcome kid’’.

Kibum is pulled up first with Minho within his arms, everyone is cheering for Minho. Taemin is happy to see Minho above ground again, who looks dazed and confused by all the people around him. He is rushed over to the ambulance where his mother and father jump in to follow after him. Jinki then comes up and Taemin budges past everyone to hug his legs. Jinki picks him up holding him to his hip. ‘Careful kiddo don’t want you falling down too’.

Taemin begins to sob. Hugging Jinki tight. ‘Fankyou’. He smiles with tearful eyes and eventually his mother comes to take him. Jinki waves him off and turns to Jonghyun who claps a hand at his back. ‘Good job caveman’.

‘Caveman?!’

‘You know the guy who does the caves saving! Caveman?’.

Jinki is too tired to argue. Jonghyun shakes his hand. ‘See you around’. Jinki nods and turns to his team. ‘Alright let's clear this all up. I need to have a good night's sleep.

~

Now in the hospital,three men are on their way to visit the small patient. After his rescue, Minho underwent 8 surgeries. Due to his leg being wedged above him. And after spending 53 hours with leg elevated above his head, gangrene had set in causing the loss of some toes. They had removed two and the others had lost their tips. There was a lot of damage to his leg. But Minho’s parents were only glad he didn’t lose his leg, which was now held into places with rods and nails. A long process of recovery was to follow. But Minho was just happy to be out of there. Though he admitted he didn’t remember so much as he was often asleep.

On arrival Minho seemed so Tiny in those hospital sheets. His leg all bandaged up and casted after another surgery. He has a big healing scar on his forehead, due to when the machine drilled causing the pipe to shake with vibrations, making the well shaft wall began to wear away at his skin. Which he had weakly leaned against during his naps.

He waves at his visitors upon arrival, face lighting up. Who greeted him with sweets and fruit. Taemin was sat at the end of his bed. Apparently he was staying there with Minho who had been afraid of sleeping, thinking he will be back in well when he opens his eyes again.

‘Hey kid’ Jinki speaks. ‘It’s good to see you again’.

“Thank You for saving me’.

‘You are very welcome!’. Minho smiles brighter and looks to the next person. He only recognizes the voice. ‘Jongun’ Taemin whispers.

‘Yup I’m Jonghyun, So you’re the guy we heard singing hey?’ Jonghyun grins. ‘It’s nice to see a face to the voice. I still have them songs we sung stuck in my head you know?’. Minho smiles brightly he enjoyed singing. ‘I liked your singing more’ he grins. Jonghyun blushes and waves a hand in embarrassment.

Kibum looks at his leg. ‘How is your leg?’

Minho pouts. ‘They took some of my toes. And it hurts a lot! Dr say I have to wait and then I will walk again’. Jonghyun coos and Jinki sighs. But Minho smiles at him and it lifts a heavy burden for hurting the child.

‘Well if anyone asks, just tell them that the two little piggies went on a date and haven't come back yet’.

Taemin and Minho giggle.

‘You have a very special friend Minho. Taemin here was there for you the whole time’ Jonghyun says ruffling the small child's head. ‘I hope you remain best friends forever’.

Minho smiles turning to Taemin whos looks back. ‘Taemin is my bestest friend in the whole world!’

‘Now that is very very very true’. Kibum agrees.

‘Taeme always be Mino friend’. The youngest grins.

Minho mother smiles. ‘Want me to take a picture? So he can remember you guys in years to come. I’ll take your details so you can hear his progress’. The males nod. And move to stand around the bed so she can take a picture.

‘Say Cheese!’

‘CHEEEEESE’ They chorus.

An Epilogue will come along in the next few days :) Please comment and let me know what you think :D GiGi