moment later Luke thought he heard a soft moan coming from the other side of the buggy. “Mary?” He headed toward the sound. When he reached the far side of the carriage, which the car lights didn’t illuminate, he saw Mary’s body pinned under it. He realized the horse had been jerking the buggy back and forth while Mary was pinned under it. What a strange thing that he had felt so strongly about releasing the horse before doing anything else.
Luke grabbed the sides of the carriage. Pain seared through him, and he fell to his knees. His right arm had no strength. Furthermore, it seemed to be draining his whole being of its power.
Staggering to his feet, he tried to think. The overturned buggy was angled toward the downward slope of the ditch, causing leverage and gravity to work against him. He squatted, placing his left shoulder under the side of the coach, and pushed with all the strength he could muster. The carriage didn’t budge. He was too weak to lift the weight off Mary.
Mary moaned. “Luke.”
He turned to see her reaching for him. He knelt, brushing back the tall grasses around her face. “Hold on. I’ll get help.”
He studied the fields and roads. The accident had occurred so far away from any main streets, no one would have seen or heard the collision. And no one would miss them for hours.
A gentle brush against his leg jolted his attention back to Mary. “Listen to me.” Her faint voice brought tears to his eyes. He bent closer, and she reached for his face. “I have loved you for as long as I can remember, Luke. We would have made a gut family, ya ?”
“Mary, don’t talk like that. We will make a gut family. You’ll see. I …” Luke wanted to promise her she’d live and all would be set right, but he knew better than to cross that line. It wasn’t within his power to make such things happen.
Caressing his face, she whispered, “Don’t you ever forget, you’re the best catch around. You’ll find someone else.”
“No. Do you hear me? I said no!”
Her hand fell from his face, and her eyes closed. He clasped her hand in his. It felt lifeless and cold.
“Mary?” He patted her cheek. She gave no response. He tried again. “Mary!”
He rested her hand across her chest. Swaying, he stood. After stumbling back to the car, he pushed on the steering wheel, hunting for the horn. When he shoved the silver metal piece, that awful noise blasted through the still night again. On the floorboard he spied a tiny blue telephone. After placing the man’s limp body against the horn, Luke headed for the passenger side. As he rounded the back of the car, he wondered if he would be able to figure out how to use the device. He’d seen people use cell phones but had never tried one. He’d only used a corded touch-tone twice in his life.
After opening the car door, he grabbed the phone. He moved in front of the headlights and pressed the thing to his ear. No dial tone. He remembered the day a couple of local firefighters had come to his school and, among other things, said that in an emergency a person needed to get to a phone and dial 911. He pushed those numbers. Each time he pressed a button, an odd electronic sound chirped. But no sound came out of the earpiece.
He gazed across the field, screaming, “Somebody help us. Please.”
Looking back at the cell phone, Luke saw the light on the screen go out. He put the device to his ear. Still no sound. He punched the buttons again. The numbers illuminated. Now the screen read 911911. He pressed every button, but nothing helped.
Luke tossed the phone onto the car seat. He stumbled back to Mary and sat on the dirt beside her. When he touched her face, it still held a bit of warmth. Stretching out his legs, he lifted her head and placed it on his lap. Feeling helpless, he brushed wisps of hair from her face. “I don’t know what to do, Mary. I’m so sorry.”
Drops of blood fell onto Mary’s head from somewhere. Luke wiped them off with
Luke grabbed the sides of the carriage. Pain seared through him, and he fell to his knees. His right arm had no strength. Furthermore, it seemed to be draining his whole being of its power.
Staggering to his feet, he tried to think. The overturned buggy was angled toward the downward slope of the ditch, causing leverage and gravity to work against him. He squatted, placing his left shoulder under the side of the coach, and pushed with all the strength he could muster. The carriage didn’t budge. He was too weak to lift the weight off Mary.
Mary moaned. “Luke.”
He turned to see her reaching for him. He knelt, brushing back the tall grasses around her face. “Hold on. I’ll get help.”
He studied the fields and roads. The accident had occurred so far away from any main streets, no one would have seen or heard the collision. And no one would miss them for hours.
A gentle brush against his leg jolted his attention back to Mary. “Listen to me.” Her faint voice brought tears to his eyes. He bent closer, and she reached for his face. “I have loved you for as long as I can remember, Luke. We would have made a gut family, ya ?”
“Mary, don’t talk like that. We will make a gut family. You’ll see. I …” Luke wanted to promise her she’d live and all would be set right, but he knew better than to cross that line. It wasn’t within his power to make such things happen.
Caressing his face, she whispered, “Don’t you ever forget, you’re the best catch around. You’ll find someone else.”
“No. Do you hear me? I said no!”
Her hand fell from his face, and her eyes closed. He clasped her hand in his. It felt lifeless and cold.
“Mary?” He patted her cheek. She gave no response. He tried again. “Mary!”
He rested her hand across her chest. Swaying, he stood. After stumbling back to the car, he pushed on the steering wheel, hunting for the horn. When he shoved the silver metal piece, that awful noise blasted through the still night again. On the floorboard he spied a tiny blue telephone. After placing the man’s limp body against the horn, Luke headed for the passenger side. As he rounded the back of the car, he wondered if he would be able to figure out how to use the device. He’d seen people use cell phones but had never tried one. He’d only used a corded touch-tone twice in his life.
After opening the car door, he grabbed the phone. He moved in front of the headlights and pressed the thing to his ear. No dial tone. He remembered the day a couple of local firefighters had come to his school and, among other things, said that in an emergency a person needed to get to a phone and dial 911. He pushed those numbers. Each time he pressed a button, an odd electronic sound chirped. But no sound came out of the earpiece.
He gazed across the field, screaming, “Somebody help us. Please.”
Looking back at the cell phone, Luke saw the light on the screen go out. He put the device to his ear. Still no sound. He punched the buttons again. The numbers illuminated. Now the screen read 911911. He pressed every button, but nothing helped.
Luke tossed the phone onto the car seat. He stumbled back to Mary and sat on the dirt beside her. When he touched her face, it still held a bit of warmth. Stretching out his legs, he lifted her head and placed it on his lap. Feeling helpless, he brushed wisps of hair from her face. “I don’t know what to do, Mary. I’m so sorry.”
Drops of blood fell onto Mary’s head from somewhere. Luke wiped them off with
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