Page 71 of Steadfast

“You’re just going to start in?” Paisley fired back, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “You haven’t even asked if Mia’s okay.”

“I’d already know she was okay if you hadn’t taken off without even asking me first,” she began to lecture.

“Oh, of course,” Paisley said, her mouth curling into a smirk as she glanced away. “It’s always about you and control—just like Mom.”

“Stop saying that,” Oakleigh was shouting now. “I’m not likeher. I’m nothing like her.”

The women were so entrenched in their heated exchange that they hadn’t even realized that the rain was coming down in buckets and a river of mud was now sweeping down the ravine.

“You’re afraud, just likethem,” Paisley went on. “You’re still a Davenport, Oakleigh, whether you want to admit it or not.”

Oakleigh felt as though she had been punched. Her little sister had once loved and looked up to her. When she looked at Paisley now, her expression only conveyed disgust.

“Um, hate to interrupt.” Mia’s weak voice echoed from down in the ravine. “Can we hash this out later?”

“There’s nothing to hash out,” Paisley replied, coldly. “I’m coming, Mia.”

“We’recoming,” Oakleigh corrected her as she shuffled down the sliding wall of muck. When she got to the bottom, water was already flowing around her ankles. From what Maeve had attempted to explain, Oakleigh knew they had only a short window before a torrent of water rushed down the mountain and swept through that part of the valley.

The quad must have rolled a few times as it lay upside down in the rushing stream and was spewing black smoke. Pushing aside the branches of prickly bushes, Oakleigh finally discovered Mia. She was covered in mud and twigs and nursing a swollen, black and blue ankle. When she knelt beside her in the rising water, Oakleigh wasn’t sure if she should start by hugging or scolding her friend—if they were even still friends at all.

She put her shoulder underneath Mia’s arm, hoisting her to her feet. “We’ve gotta get out of here.”

Mia put her weight on Oakleigh, who was already off balance due to the hefty weight of her soaked clothing. She stumbled, doing everything she could to keep from being pulled into the rushing water.

“Pais, I need your help!”

Paisley tramped through the bushes, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms. “Yes, Ma’am, at your service,” Paisley replied, her words dripping. “Whatever the boss lady wants, she gets.”

“Please, Paisley.” Oakleigh’s tone was now marked with desperation. Her sister had no idea they were in danger, and as she felt a surge of panic, she couldn’t have gotten the explanation out even if she tried. “I can’t do this without you.”

“I’m doing this for her, not foryou.” Paisley clarified as she waded to the other side of Mia and propped her weight underneath her shoulder.

In Oakleigh’s estimation, it was all taking too long. Looking at the steep cliff that lay before them, she wondered how they would ever climb to the top without breaking their necks.

When they arrived at the sharp incline, Oakleigh heaved a breath into her lungs. She used all her strength to avoid toppling backward as she struggled to find her footing in the slippery soil.

Their current plan would never work.

Oakleigh’s mind raced as she began to problem solve, and she remembered the satchel of tools on her quad. “I think I’ve got a bundle of rope.”

“Now she remembers the rope?” Paisley shook her head in disbelief.

Ignoring her sister’s attitude, she unfurled herself from Mia and planted her friend’s hand in the dirt. “Wait here, I’ll be back.”

“And just where do you think we’d go off to?” Mia gave her a slight smile.

Oakleigh remembered how much she admired Mia’s uncanny ability to bring a burst of optimism, even during a crisis.

It was time for action.

Oakleigh dug her hands into the sludgy dirt wall. Whatever sunlight had made it through the dark storm clouds had now dipped behind the distant mountain range.

When she reached the quad, Oakleigh unzipped the satchel. Grabbing the flashlight and the bundle of bright yellow nylon rope, she felt every inch of her tired body ache as she ran to the edge of the ravine. She stationed herself in the mud and anchored her feet on the heavy sandbags. Tying one end of the rope around herself, she tossed the other end over the side.

The water below was rising quickly, and even more was on the way down the mountainside.

“Got it!” Mia’s voice echoed up.

---