Page 36 of Your Fan Forever
I reached for the branch. The end crumbled in my hand. I pulled more of it out of the ground. It caught and seemed steady. I wrapped it around my hand and gripped it. I slid down to my knees and slid down the side of the mountain. I had my whole weight in one hand dangling from this precarious branch. My arms outstretched to full length. My muscles stretched and tightened. My chest and neck muscles throbbed. My toe felt around and I made contact with Callie’s rightthigh.
“You got it. Place your other foot on the other side of her.” Preston pointed with the beam of light. I felt around with my left foot and only felt air. As soon as I looked up, the branch gave way. I dropped down next to myCallie.
“Baby.” I knelt down pushed the hair out of her face. I leaned over and placed my ear to her back. I heard her heart thump, but it was slow. “Callie. Wake up.” I whispered near herear.
“Don’t move her too much.” Prestonsaid.
“She didn’t land like this.” I said. The wound on her head came from a rock a couple feet to the left. It had blood on it. “I think she tried to move, but lostconsciousness.”
I took off my jacket and tucked it in aroundher.
“Here” Preston took his off and dropped itdown.
I ran a hand across her cheek. It was warm. I lay down next to her, and tried to keep her warm without movingher.
“Hang on, baby.” I whispered in her ear. “We're going to get out of here. Just don’t leave me. Not like this.” I blinked away the tears before theyfell.
I heard sirens in the distance. The guys from the house had arrived. They were tying ropes to the side of thedeck.
The adventure guy on the household staff, climbed down next to me with a first aidkit.
I scooted over to let him near her. He felt for a pulse in her hand and on herneck.
“Did she regain consciousness atall?”
“No.” He pressed on her neck and down her back. “I need your help. I want to turn her over, but keep her neckstill.”
“Okay.”
He gripped her face and neck. “Roll her slowly to theleft.”
I rolled her and couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. She looked so peaceful, sostill.
“Callie.” I leaned over and placed my head on her chest. Her heart beating against the side of my face stilled the panic in my soul. The idea of her not being okay and not coming home with me would break me. I reached out and touched hercheek.
“Noah.” The adventure guy said. “Wrap this around yourhand.”
He handed me some gauze. I didn’tunderstand.
“You’re bleeding all over your beautiful woman here.” He pointed at my hand on hercheek.
I had trailed a red smear across her jawbone. I looked at my hand and wrapped the gauze bandage aroundit.
“She’s going to be fine.” He said with more confidence than I could muster. “It’s probably the red hair.” He said as he rubbed his own fire red buzz cut. He had tied the other end of the rope into a knot and placed it over my head. “Put one of your arms through it. If I lose you down this mountain, she’s going to kick myass.”
Why did this guy have jokes at a time like this? I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything. Two paramedics appeared by ourside.
I placed the rope over my shoulder and let them work on myCallie.
All joking aside, I wanted to believehim.
