Rescued by a Highlander(65)

She tugged on the rope and yelled to Alex. “Ready, Alex!”

Alex motioned to the men, “Slowly!”

As soon as Maddie’s feet left the ground, her entire body swayed. Fortunately, Emma was small enough she could hold her around her middle and still grasp the rope with her right hand. Emma wailed at the movement and Maddie was forced to grab the rope with her left hand to steady them. Stabbing pain gripped her, but she refused to let go. Just a little pain, she chanted in her mind. She could bear it until Emma was safe. They continued moving up slowly, the pain in her arm relentless. She tried different positions but nothing helped.

An image of her mother singing helped her to focus, but she couldn’t remember her face. She switched to Alex, recalling how he had held her while she cried out her pain. She pictured his face and thought of everything she loved about him, remembering how he had cared for her on his horse when they had rescued her. She heard her name again and opened her eyes, discovering they were almost at the top.

“Stop, Alex, stop!” she yelled. “We will not be able to fit together.”

“Hand her up and I will grab her,” he shouted.

She found a wedge for her foot and pushed with all her strength. Alex reached in and plucked Emma from her. He handed her out as the crowd cheered. Moira rushed over and grabbed the child, sobbing as she rocked Emma back and forth.

Alex turned back to Maddie and noticed her arm.

“Maddie, your arm,” he whispered. He spotted the sweat across her face.

“I know, Alex. I think it is broken.”

“It must pain you. How can you hold Jennie? She is much heavier.”

“I know, but I can do it. We have no choice!”

He turned to Robbie. “Pull her out!”

“Nay,” she yelled. She wedged her foot in solidly.

Alex held his hand up to motion the men to stop.

“Maddie, I cannot allow you to do this. We will dig the hole wider.”

“And the dirt could bury Jennie. We have no choice. You clearly cannot fit in here. If you do not agree, I will let go of the rope and jump down again, but I risk breaking my other arm. Please don’t force me to do that, I have to get Jennie out. She is hurt, we cannot wait!”

They glared at each other until Alex turned and motioned for the men to lower her down.

“What is it, Alex?” Robbie asked with Brenna and Brodie behind him.

“Maddie’s arm is broken.”

Brenna gasped. “How can she carry Jennie out then? Jennie is much heavier than Emma.”

“You are about to witness just how strong my Maddie is. She can do it.”

When Maddie reached the bottom again, she adjusted her arm to relieve the numbness. She attempted to awaken Jennie, but without success. Running her fingers across her head, she judged the bump to be no larger, so that was good, or so she thought. She tied the rope around her waist as tight as possible. Her left hand did not want to cooperate, but she did the best she could. Losing control and falling while she carried Jennie was not an option. She gathered Jennie up in her right arm, fighting her dead weight. She stumbled a bit until she regained her balance with the extra weight. If Jennie had been any bigger, she would not have been able to manage her.

Finally settled, she shouted up to Alex.

“Are you ready, Maddie?”

“Aye, but go very slow to start. I have to balance her. She is very heavy for me.”

Alex shouted for the men to pull. She swayed and almost lost the wee one, but was able to hang onto her. As they ascended, the tie around her waist began to slip.

Halfway up, Maddie yelled, “Hurry, Alex, the rope has loosened!”

Alex hollered at his men to go faster. Brodie’s face appeared next to Alex’s.

“Brodie, be ready to grab Jennie when they get close. I will grab Maddie. Her arm will not hold out for long.”

The tie gave way and the full force of their weight fell on her left arm. Maddie groaned at the severity of the pain, but managed to hang on to Jennie and the rope. She somehow wrapped the rope around her upper arm and shoulder for extra support, her whole body screaming at the added stress. Clutching Jennie tighter, she realized she was losing control and screamed, “Alex!”

Alex could see the strain in Maddie’s face. Bracing her feet on the walls of the narrow hole, she managed to keep from falling.

“Hold on, a few feet more and we will have you both. Hang on, Maddie!”

Brodie reached in, grabbed Jennie and yanked her out. He fell backwards on the ground with Jennie on top of him, yet she still didn’t awaken. Alex had held his hand next to Brodie waiting for him to clear with Jennie. As soon as he reached in, he attempted to grab Maddie’s shoulders, but her left hand was no longer able to hold her weight, forcing him to grab her upper right arm gripped tight on the rope. Maddie almost twisted sideways as the rope, still partially wrapped around her left arm, held it at an odd angle. Maddie flailed and sobbed at the same time, fighting for her life.