From the rocks’ height, I could see a dusty trail on our drive-way, meaning cars were coming. It occurred to me that they would take John Jay. It occurred to me that I had to stop them. Quickly, I began scrambling down. Some distance from the bottom, I slipped. My fingers tried to grip, but my momentum was too much. When I hit bottom, my legs crumpled underneath me, but I forced myself up. My side seared; already blood seeped through my pajamas. But still I ran, and kept on running.
“Wait,” I screamed as the ambulance began to back up.
“Jill,” Mom cried.
The ambulance stopped. Men jumped out.
“I want my baby brother!”
“Jill,” Susie started, but I knew what she was going to say. I spun on her. My ankle seared. I reached to grasp it, but I fell, crying out.
[Excerpt Landslide]