“I think they are breathing, but very slowly. Please hurry.”
Vanessa felt a pang of urgency. “Okay, Lily, stay with me. I need you to stay calm and keep talking to me. Can you do that?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Lily whispered, her voice still trembling but gaining some steadiness from Vanessa’s calm demeanor.
“Good girl. Now, can you tell me if there’s anyone else at home with you?”
“No, it’s just us,” Lily replied, sniffing as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Mom’s at work. She usually comes home later.”
Vanessa nodded to herself, keeping a steady line of communication with the little girl while glancing at the screen in front of her. The emergency response team was already en route, but every second felt like an eternity. “Lily, help is very close now. Can you see the ambulance coming?”
