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Show 120. Then they were funneling into the bottom of the hill, still at full speed, the tube slithering from side to side in front of them. "Watch out!" Chic yelled as Gayle was thrown off. Stephanie felt JD brake the cat and turn sharply left so he wouldn't hit her. At the same time, the snowmobile lurched forward with a will of its own and Stephanie felt the sickening crunch as Chic's body was caught under the weight of the cat. He might have screamed, too, but she heard only herself as the machine turned on its side and spun them all out of control on top of one another. The next thing Stephanie remembered was Fred running toward them down the hill, shouting "Turn it off. Turn the key!" She raised up, hurting all over, feeling the side of one eye swelling, but knowing somehow that she was okay. She looked for JD. Beyond them to one side, Gayle was picking herself up, muttering something Stephanie couldn't hear over the sound of the engine. Then she saw JD, his back to her, down on his knees. At least he's all right, she thought. She scooped up a handful of snow, held it against the side of her face and got to her feet, just as Fred charged past her to turn off the cat. Then, suddenly, she realized JD was bendhg over Chic. And Chic wasn't moving. Before Stephanie could take a step toward them, she was surrounded. "Are you all right?" Carol Sue reached her first. "My gosh, you scared us!" "What was JD thinking about?" Laney asked. "My God!" JD's voice, shaking with panic, stopped all of them. "Chic's hurt!" There was absolute silence as everyone closed in around Chic and JD. Chic was unconscious, bleeding from his head. His parka was nearly ripped off and one leg lay out beside his body looking twisted and detached. Stephanie felt like she might throw up. "Look what you did to him!" Gayle cried, breaking into convulsive sobs before anyone else knew what to do. "Stephanie, apply pressure to this place on his head," Claudia had taken charge. "And somebody bring over those blankets. He's probably in shock." |