Episode 6973

Extended Summary

Raffy wakes up and nudges Coco awake. They are unaware Ryder is awake also and comment on spending a long and boring night in a creepy house. Ryder says they should go, admitting it was lame. The girls are sorry it didn’t freak them out like he hoped, telling him about rats and spiders. Raffy suggests they take the escape tunnel out. She leads the way and Ryder follows, with Coco hanging back. Raffy touches a beam and it collapses in her hand, bringing the tunnel down. Coco calls after them. Meanwhile, at the Diner, Leah asks John and Marilyn if they’ve seen Ryder, explaining he didn’t come home. They tell her Raffy stayed at Coco’s so maybe he’s there. Leah decides to check the beach first and Marilyn sends John with her.

Raffy is lying unconscious on the other side of the cave-in, while Ryder is buried under debris near Coco. She wants to go and get help but he says the whole thing’s caved in. Her phone battery is dead and he can’t get to his phone. He tells Coco she needs to get the wood off him. Back in town, Colby and Dean meet up on the beach and joke about Colby’s poor surfing. Colby says Willow’s worried about Dean while Dean ribs him about Chelsea. Nearby, Leah and John phone Maggie; Leah puts it on speaker and Maggie explains Coco was meant to be staying at Raffy’s. They realise all three are missing. Colby and Dean overhear; Dean asks if there’s anywhere they could be staying and Leah suspects he knows something. He denies it.

Coco has managed to get Ryder free but he finds his phone has broken. He says their best bet is to get Raffy’s phone, which is lying by her. At the Diner, Marilyn and Justin try to call Raffy but don’t get any response. Leah and Ben come in, having also had no luck. Chelsea overhears and they give her the details of the three teens, explaining they haven’t been seen since yesterday afternoon. Ben says Coco’s never done anything like this and Justin says Raffy’s run away before but came back quickly. Leah suggests Chelsea talk to Dean, saying he’s been hanging out with Ryder recently and might know something.

Coco has stuck a stick through the cave-in and is trying to pull Raffy’s phone back through with it but has no success. Raffy stirs and they try to reassure her. Ryder decides to go and get help while Coco stays to talk to Raffy. Meanwhile, Colby has phoned McCarthy to offer help and runs into Justin. Chelsea also turns up and says Raffy took a sleeping bag and Coco took an extra jumper, suggesting they intended to stay out. A bus driver remembers dropping them off near Mangrove River. Justin asks if they’ve spoken to Dean and goes to check Mangrove River camping sights. Dean has driven to the house and takes a call from Colby, explaining he’s at the hideout in Simpson Lane and told Ryder about it. Colby says they’re on their way; Chelsea isn’t impressed that it’s River Boy business.

Ryder runs into Dean on exiting the house and Dean chides him for going there. Ryder uses Dean’s phone to call for an ambulance. They head down to the basement; Coco is unimpressed that Dean is Ryder’s idea of help, blaming him for them being there, but they promise her Colby and an ambulance are on the way. Ryder and Dean head to the other end of the tunnel, hidden under some metal sheets. Dean climbs down but finds that way is blocked off as well and he can’t get to Raffy. Colby and Chelsea arrive and are filled in. Raffy wakes, anxious, and Coco tells her not to move.

Chelsea says the SES are on their way but they’re not sure when and the ambulance won’t be able to do anything while Raffy’s trapped. They discuss the blockage and Chelsea decides to go down herself, since Raffy is in and out of consciousness and has a head injury. Ryder goes to collect Coco and takes her to the others. Chelsea climbs through the blockage and takes Raffy’s hand, guiding her to crawl back through. Ryder says next time he’ll let the girls choose the adventure. Dean goes down to help and passes Raffy up to Colby and Ryder, before he and Chelsea climb out. Coco, Chelsea and Ryder take Raffy round the front to wait for the ambulance, leaving Colby and Dean alone.

Dean is impressed with Chelsea and says they should collect the teens’ things. Shortly after, with everyone else seemingly gone, they reflect on being back at the house, with Colby recalling Dean used to hide from Karen there. He says he’ll see Dean at the hospital. Dean packs up the sleeping things in his car boot and looks around him with a hint of nostalgia.

Justin is with Raffy in hospital and says he’s let Tori knows she’s all right. Ryder and Coco come in and Raffy tells them she just had concussion and needed stitches. Ryder thinks the girls hate him but they say they agreed to go with him. Raffy thanks Coco for staying with her despite being freaked out. Leah and Marilyn arrive; John is parking the car. Justin goes to call Brody and Mason. Leah tells Ryder they’ll discuss his choices later but for now she’s just glad he’s safe.

Justin runs into Dean in the corridor; although Dean asks about Raffy, Justin lays into him for telling Ryder about the hideout and not saying anything sooner. Dean says he didn’t know they’d go there and it was just a hunch. Colby steps in to defend him and Justin leaves after saying Dean should stay away from the kids. Dean isn’t pleased with Colby and Colby also tears a strip off him, saying he should have thought before opening his mouth and could have brought the police into a River Boy hideout. Chelsea hears and is unimpressed with where Colby’s loyalties lie.