As flying through the blue sky, 5,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean, 23-year-old pilot Mary heard the sound — a subtle change in the noise as the engines began to operate hard.

Her co-pilot, 26-year-old Thomas, heard it, too. They were just two young pilots, taking a short trip with no passengers. Then, without warning, the pilots lost power to the engines.

The next few minutes were in disorder. Nothing worked. At about 1,000 feet above the ocean the plane fell quickly, Mary made the last emergency call for help. “We’re 25 miles northwest of Kona,” she said to air traffic control. “We’re going down.”

Mary held the controls tightly. She knew the chances of survival were slim. “Just land as if you`re landing on the ground,” Mary told herself. As the plane rushed toward the ocean, she forced herself to imagine a runway (飞机跑道) spreading along the water.

Thomas and Mary were thrown forward violently. Thomas opened his eyes to wait for death. He realized that he was, unbelievably, OK. Mary was next to him, shocked and bleeding, but still conscious. She rose to her feet hard and felt the blood pouring down her face. “Get out!” Thomas shouted loudly. The water was knee-high inside the plane, and it would be flooded in moments.

Mary made every effort through the water toward the door, picking up two life jackets along the way. By the time she’d climbed out onto the wing, the water was covering the seats of the plane. As the plane sank, they jumped into the ocean. Within seconds, the plane disappeared from the surface.

The waves broke around them. Thomas and Mary had done the impossible by surviving a crash landing into the ocean. Mary, however, was frightened and started to cry. Thomas tried to calm her by making small talk.

“When will the rescuers get here?” Mary asked.

“They’re coming,” Thomas said.” We’re just going to be here.”

After a couple of hours, a plane appeared in the sky, circling the area.

But Thomas and Mary didn’t give up hope.

Leo Ajayi, aged 15, and Jim Green, aged 14, were good friends. Every autumn the two families would go together on a trip to the Rocky Mountains. This year, under the guidance of park workers, they camped on the hillside. After putting up the tents (帐篷), the two boys announced to climb Cathedral Mountain nearby on their own next morning and promised their parents to return before dark

Early the following day, the friends set off with a bag packed with food and water. Along the winding path, they admired a sea of colourful leaves spreading beneath their feet. As they got near to the top, the path was rocky and less-traveled. After three hours, they reached the top and enjoyed the beautiful view from the mountaintop. Lost in the breathtaking scenery, they felt refreshed from tiredness. How worthwhile the trip was

Having got enough rest, Leo and Jim decided to climb down. Suddenly, trouble began. On one very dangerous part of the mountain, Jim fell three metres off the side of the path. Leo climbed down to where Jim was and found him badly injured and not able to move

“Help!” Leo shouted. NO REPLY. “Help! Help!” Leo almost cried. But still no replies. “If only I had brought my mobile phone in the bag,” Leo thought, regretful and sad. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself down. Then he noticed Jim was bleeding. So he cleaned the dirt and blood from Jim’s face and hands, and then tried to help Jim stand up, but Jim’s right leg was hurting too much. They had to wait and hope that help would come. While they waited for help, Leo gave Jim his food and water and let him lie on his jacket. Leo used an extra shirt to keep Jim warm and they rested together against a rock. However, as darkness started to fall, the weather turned cold and windy and help still didn’t arrive.

Feeling low, Jim told Leo to leave him alone and go back himself.

Seeing this, Jim asked Leo to leave him alone again.

It had been a long, tiring day because Carl had driven for 12 hours without a break. “Ah, I can finally get home now,” the tired driver sighed. He crossed a corner and noticed a panic-stricken woman getting off a taxi with a child in her arms.

“What’s going on? Why is she shouting at the driver?” Carl wondered and slowed down near them. Carl was curious and got off the cab to find out what happened. Then he realized the woman was begging the driver not to leave.

“Hey, Miss! Why are you crying?” Carl saw her holding a little boy in her arms, who had difficulty breathing. Carl realized the boy was having a seizure (疾病的突然发作) and asked the woman to get into his taxi. “He’s having an attack! Please hurry up, Miss! We have to get him to the hospital!” Carl drove as fast as he could, praying not to get trapped in traffic.

The woman told Carl that she and her four-year-old son, Tyler, were returning from the park when it started raining. “I told the driver I would pay him once I got home because I didn’t have my purse with me. But then my son suddenly had a seizure, so I asked the driver to take us to the hospital instead. But he refused.”

“Don’t worry, Miss. I will get you to the hospital on time, alright?” Half an hour later, they arrived at the hospital. Tyler was rushed inside for treatment.

An hour later, the doctor came out and said, “Mrs. Thomas, your son is out of danger now. But it could have been fatal if you hadn’t made it here on time.” Mrs. Thomas immediately looked at Carl and joined his hands in tears, thanking him for saving her son’s life. Tears fogged in Carl’s eyes. He was glad Tyler was out of danger. Later, he dropped them off at home, and when Mrs. Thomas came out to pay him, he refused. “I have a policy. NO FARES for those making trips to the hospital!” revealed Carl.

18 years later, 66-year-old Carl booked a taxi to the hospital.

Carl was astonished. “Free trips to the hospital? But why?”