'We're arriving, señor,' said the helicopter pilot. 'It's down there, by that hill. I'll land as close as I can get. Time is going to be crucial.' The helicopter dropped down vertically and bounced once before finally settling on the grassy slope.
There were a number of people gathered about fifty metres further up the hill, and several vehicles: cars, police vehicles, two ambulances and a fire engine. It was otherwise a lonely spot, close to a country road; pleasant with green grass, trees and four or five wooden tables with benches for picnickers.
New Year is part of the Christmas holiday season in Spain, and in Andalusia, where the weather is often mild at this time of year, families will often head for the nearest countryside with a picnic basket and spend an afternoon in the fresh, clean outdoors.
The helicopter pilot jumped out and pulled open the side exit for me, and I jumped out immediately with my backpack and heavy canvas bag. I was not alone. Sunny, my 4-year-old golden retriever leapt out too, thankful to be out of that strange and noisy craft. However, I had another companion with a more complex name: High Degree of Articulated Freedom Robot. Naturally, you cannot use that name all the time when talking to an AI robot, so I had given her a shorter name - Heidi.
At my robotics company in Almeria, she had been my own creation, although a whole team of computer engineers had been responsible for her construction. Although smaller than a golden retriever, she looked like a dog in shape, so much so that Sunny, the golden retriever accepted her company even though a little suspiciously.
However, there was little covering the shiny, titanium structure, so she looked something like a yellow and silver dog skeleton. But she had two, bright, green and gold-coloured eyes, and there was a hook-like hand at the end of the tail - so she could hold firmly to any surface. She behaved like a dog too - the perfect companion: all obeying, fast and responsive with a strength far exceeding her canine friend, Sunny.
The three of us ran up to the large group of people gathered around the hole. I was aware there were television cameras on me, reporters with microphones wanting an exclusive. I ignored them, and they seemed to respect that. There was something that needed doing, and fast. However, all eyes were then on Heidi; nobody had seen anything like her before.
I was the first to speak.
'My name is Mike Finnigan, from Cyber Robotics. I've come to help. Who are the parents?' I asked in English as my Spanish was bad. A slim, dark-haired man stepped forward with his wife just behind. Their faces were full of worry, they had obviously been crying. He spoke in an English with a strong accent.
'I am the father. My name is Juan Fernandez. What do you want to know?'
'How long ago did your son fall into the hole?'
'That was about 11 o'clock this morning. It is now one o'clock.'
'Two hours. How old is he?'
'Carlitos is two and a half.'
I looked at the hole. It was what is called a borehole, an attempt at locating deep underground water for watering crops. This one was illegal. Unfortunately, the fool of the farmer who owned it had failed to block the entrance - and so close to a picnic site too. The problem was its width - only about 25 cm wide, no adult human could possibly be lowered down on a rope to pull the child up - they simply would not fit. Furthermore, the borehole was over 100 metres deep!
'Do you know if he fell head first or feet first?'
'I think feet first. I just saw him as he fell. He cried out.'
'Has there been any sound from the hole since?'
Juan Fernandez cupped his face in his hands and sobbed.
A large man stepped forward in fire brigade clothing.
'My name is Pedro. I'm in charge of the operation.' His English was also excellent. 'The father told me that after about five minutes his son, Carlitos, stopped crying and fell silent.'
So he didn't die on impact I thought to myself. He might have just passed out.
'How far down do you think he is?'
'We shone powerful torches down there and could see nothing. Then we lowered a camera down. We saw a bag of sweets, then earth at about 70 metres down. He's under that earth, señor Finnigan.'
That was too much for the mother. All of a sudden, she rushed forwards towards me.
'Can you do anything? Nobody knows what to do. We're helpless. Can you get my son out?' She looked down at Heidi and her metal frame reflecting the afternoon sunlight. Other eyes looked down too on this bizarre metallic thing and suspected what it was for.
'I'm going to try. I can't promise anything. This is Heidi. She's, er, it's a robot. I believe it can rescue your son. Do I have your permission to try, señora?'
'Of course, of course, but please be quick!'
Copyright © 2026 Practising English
All rights reserved
