Page 46 of Midnight Secrets

“Yeah.” Tipping my head, I studied the way it fell. It wouldn’t be so simple as picking it up and putting it on its wheels.It wasn’t like a bike. The ATV weighed probably five hundred pounds or more.

After shutting it off, I moved to the rear of the machine and grasped the cargo frame with both hands. My hope was that I could lift it high enough she could slide her leg out.

Instead, she let out a sharp cry of pain and waved me off. “That’s not going to work. Lifting like that just puts pressure on my ankle. There’s rope in my pack. Rig it to your ATV and use it to pull mine upright.”

Angles and attachment points ran through my mind as I dug out the rope. The line probably needed to be attached low so it would roll up onto its wheels instead of just sliding over the ground.

“You doing okay?” I asked as I made a loop with the rope and attached it to the machine’s frame at the front and rear. “There’s some pain medicine in the first aid kit.”

“You’ll have it off me before it can take effect. I’m fine.”

She said that, but I could see the pinch to her features. I just hoped the pain didn’t mean something was broken.

Once I had the rope tied to her ATV, I repositioned mine and attached the line to the back.

“Put this on.” I walked over and picked up her helmet, handing it to her. “Just in case a piece breaks off and flies back at you.”

She took it and slipped it over her head.

I headed for my four-wheeler, glancing back as I reached the machine. “You ready?”

Giving me a thumbs up, she flipped down the helmet’s visor.

Slowly, I throttled up my ATV, taking the slack out of the rope. The angles looked right, so I gave it more gas. It slid forward a few inches, but then the tires bit into the ground and it began to tip upright.

Keeping steady pressure on the line, I gave the ATV more gas and slowly tipped her four-wheeler onto its tires.

Claire scooted away from the machine but stayed on the ground.

I shut off my ATV and removed my helmet, returning to her side to crouch next to her. “How’s it feel?”

“Sore.” She tugged off her helmet, letting it fall to the ground beside her as she winced.

“Can you move it?”

She bent her knee, then flexed her ankle. A hiss escaped from between her teeth. “I think it’s okay. Just sore.”

I tipped my head and arched an eyebrow. “That didn’t sound like it felt okay.”

“It’s not crunchy feeling. It just hurts.” She held up a hand. “Help me up.”

Standing, I reached down, grasping her upper arm and her hand. With a little hop, she made it to her feet.

“Take it easy. If it hurts, don’t put weight on it.” I steadied her with a hand around her waist.

Tentatively, she put her foot down. A slight grimace covered her face, but she didn’t cry out or pull it up again.

“I think it’s okay.” She shifted, putting more weight on it. “Just sore.” Pulling back a bit, she took a step. Her grimace deepened, but she took another.

“Okay?”

“Yeah. I think so. It’ll probably turn pretty colors and be painful for a few days, but I think I’m all right.” She turned toward her ATV. “Let’s see if this thing is okay.”

I helped her to the machine, and she sat down on it, starting it up. It sputtered to life, hiccupping a bit before settling into a steady rhythm.

“It sounds all right,” I said.

Her head bobbed. “Yep. Can you hand me my helmet?” She pointed to it.

---