Free Fabulous Five 030 - Sibling Rivalry by Betsy Haynes Page B

The stretcher
had a rounded bottom so it would slide easily on the snow and looked as if it
were made of fiberglass. Long handles stuck out in front.
    "Easy now," said one of the men. "Let's slide
him gently onto the stretcher."
    When they had moved Todd onto the stretcher, they strapped
him in tightly. Then they moved him out onto the slope.
    A shiver ran through Beth as she watched the ski patrol
ready themselves for the descent. What if the sled slipped out of their grasp
on the mountain? Beth soon saw she didn't have anything to worry about. One man
positioned himself between the handles at the front of the sled. Another took
hold of ropes at the rear. Obviously it was his job to keep the stretcher from
going too fast. The third ski patrol man positioned himself in front with a
large battery-powered lantern to light the way for the group. They slid Todd
over the ledge and began slowly working their way down the mountain.
    "Ready, Beth?" asked Marcel.
    "As ready as I'll ever be," she answered, gritting
her teeth.
    Marcel gave Beth directions and encouragement as she
side-slipped and snowplowed her way down.
    "Beautiful. You're doing great!" he called when
she parallel-skied down a particularly difficult slope.
    The ski patrol had already reached the bottom of the slope
with Todd when Beth and Marcel got there. Her parents were kneeling beside
Todd.
    Looking at Beth, her mother cried, "Oh, kids, we've
been so worried about you. We heard you had been found, but—" She broke
off, choking back tears.
    Beth ran to her mother and hugged her. "We're fine,
Mom. Todd hurt his ankle, but he's going to be fine."
    Mr. Barry squeezed Beth's shoulder while Alicia grabbed her
around the waist.
    "Bethy, Bethy, I was worried, too!"
    The ski patrol took Todd away to the first-aid station to
call a doctor. Mr. and Mrs. Barry hurried along behind.
    Brian came to Beth and hugged her hard. "Glad you're
back, squirt," he said, and kissed her on the forehead.
    Brittany had been hanging back, watching from several steps
away. Now she walked up to Beth. There were tears brimming in her eyes.
    "Beth," she said, her voice choking, "I can't
tell you how very, very sorry I am."
    Beth grabbed her sister and hugged her. "It's okay,
Brittany. It's okay."
    "I didn't know The Jaws of Death was in that
direction," Brittany continued, her words muffled in Beth's shoulder.
    "I know you didn't," Beth answered. "I never
really believed you did."
    Brittany pulled away, but clung to Beth's hand. "I was
so selfish," she whispered. "I mean, just because you're younger . .
."
    "Yeah." Beth sighed deeply. Brittany was finally
getting to the truth. "And not as mature as you and your friends,
right?"
    Brittany looked embarrassed for an instant. "Well . . .
I mean . . ." she fumbled. "Gosh, Beth, you know how you feel about
Todd."
    Beth was baffled. "What are you talking about?"
    "You hate hanging around Todd and the kids his
age," Brittany said.
    "That's different," Beth remarked. "Todd's so
. . ." She stopped herself from saying aloud the word she had been
thinking: immature. I don't believe it. Wow, she thought. I've been treating
Todd just as poorly as Brittany was treating me. And I thought I was the
only one being picked on.
    Beth looked up at her sister. "I don't really like it
when Todd tags along with me, or I get stuck with him. But you know what,"
she added around a baseball-size lump in her throat. "I'm glad the whole
thing happened."
    Brittany looked at her with surprise.
    "If it hadn't, I never would have found Todd,"
Beth explained. "Maybe no one would have found him until tomorrow . . . or
later."
    "You have a very brave sister, Brittany," said
Marcel, skiing over to them. "You should have seen how she had taken care
of her brother. If I am ever lost in the woods, I would not mind having her
with me."
    Beth smiled up at Marcel. It was wonderful to hear him say
so, but right now all she was thinking about was a hot bath. She was going to
soak for an hour