My Best Friend's Best Friend

Chapter 16: Rescue

Penny and Sam took off down the narrow, dark tunnel that cut into the wall of the mine. They wanted to run, but the ground around the tracks was jagged and unpredictable, forcing them to walk.

And they walked silently. They hadn't spoken directly to one another in ages. As worried as Penny was about Abigail, it was still unbearably awkward.

She wanted to force herself to speak, but Sam beat her to it. He cleared his throat.

"Uhh," Sam started, stepping carefully over a mess of coal and gravel. "Can we go back to normal now? I mean, you and me?"

Penny sighed in relief and smiled, although half-heartedly in the circumstances. "I think that's an excellent idea." Knowing Sam, that was all that needed to be said. Their friendship would recover in no time at all.

The tunnel wound about randomly and sloped up and down. Penny was just starting to worry that this wasn't actually a way out when they found themselves suddenly on the east side of town, near the blacksmith.

"Finally," Sam said. "Can you get Harvey? I want to go back to the top and make sure the way in is clear; the cave-in could have hit the entrance, too."

Penny nodded and ran ahead while Sam took off at a sprint up the mountain.

They would need more help than just Harvey. Penny pounded on the door to Clint's shop.

"We're closed!" Clint shouted groggily, but Penny kept knocking. Finally he swung the door open, and froze when he saw the state of her. She realized she must be an absolute mess.

"A cave-in—in the mines," Penny stammered. "Abigail's trapped. On the second level." She wasn't very coherent, but he seemed to understand.

"Let me get some tools and rope; I'll meet you up there," Clint said.

Penny nodded and took off for Harvey's clinic. Luckily, he had an emergency bell, or she never would have been able to knock loud enough to wake him all the way upstairs. She explained the situation quickly, and told him what she knew about Abigail's leg.

"Pierre—Pierre and Caroline," Dr. Harvey said, brow creased. "You'll have to tell them."

Penny knew he was right, but it was the encounter she dreaded most. She pounded furiously on the door to the General Store.

Caroline was at the door first in her nightgown, and she seemed to know instinctively what was wrong. "Abigail! Where is Abigail?"

Penny did her best to calm her. "She's going to be alright, she's just stuck. She's conscious, we just need help to get to her."

Then Pierre came up behind her, and Caroline burst into tears and clung to him. Penny explained from the beginning, and watched fear and pain wash over Pierre's face. Penny's heart broke for them.

As soon as they could manage, Pierre and Caroline followed Dr. Harvey up the mountain, and Penny glanced about the dark town.

The Stardrop Saloon was nearby, and Gus had always been reliable in a pinch. She ran over and Emily opened the door almost immediately.

"Penny! What in the world is the matter!" She looked up and down in concern at Penny's disheveled state.

"Emily. Is Gus still up? We could use another set of hands. Yours too."

Emily called for Gus, and Penny explained what had happened for the fourth, no, fifth time.

Gus started moving toward his back room. "I've got flashlights and lanterns in case of an emergency. Don't worry, Penny, we'll get them all out."