Free Golden Paradise (Vincente 1) by Constance O'Banyon

rockslide.
    Amid pain and fear, Valentina felt herself being tossed about as if she were no more than a rag doll. She rolled and slid down the mountainside, until finally she came to a halt at the bottom of a deep, craggy ravine. Valentina found to her agony and dismay that she was being pressed between the buggy and a wall of solid granite.
    At first, Valentina's senses were dulled with amazement that such a freak accident could happen. Gradually, she became aware of the pain that shot through her leg every time she tried to move. In the distance, she could hear the horses thrashing about and knew they had been injured and were in pain also. Between big gulps of air to keep from fainting, she tried to call out to Santiago to see if he had been injured. No sound would come from her throat; the inside of her mouth felt like cotton.
    "Senorita," she heard his voice coming from somewhere out of the fog. Wetting her lips, she tried to answer but could only moan.  "Answer me if you are able, Senorita Barrett," Santiago yelled.
    Strangely enough, the fog seemed to disappear in one great swirling tide, as if it had been sucked up into giant lungs. Valentina's eyes slowly adjusted to the dimness. She reached out her hand when she saw Santiago making his way down the slope toward her. Her eyes moved up the ravine and she could see the wheel marks where the buggy had left the road to slide down into the gully.
    By the time Santiago reached her, she could see the concern mirrored in his eyes. "Can you move, senorita? Are you badly hurt?"
    "I seem to be pinned against the rock, Santiago," she managed to say in a painful whisper. "I do not know if I am badly hurt."
    The buggy had turned over and its wheels were still spinning in the air. The back part was pressed against Valentina so tightly she could scarcely breathe. Santiago leaned into the buggy, pushing against it with all his strength, but it did not budge a fraction of an inch. His expression was troubled as it became clear he could not free her. Removing his poncho, he placed it between her head and the hard stone, hoping to make her more comfortable.
    "I cannot move the buggy, senorita. I am going to have to go for help."
    Valentina's heart pounded with fear and her mouth felt dry. "Must you leave me all alone?"
    "It is the only way. I cannot free you by myself. The ranch of Don Alonso Vincente is no more than five miles' distance. I will go quickly there and enlist his help to free you.
    For the first time Valentina noticed that Santiago's right pant leg was blood soaked. "Santiago, you have been hurt yourself. You shouldn't walk on that leg until you have had medical attention."
    "It is nothing, senorita. The wound looks worse than it actually is. I hardly feel any pain." In spite of his brave denial, Valentina noticed the grimace of pain that moved across his face when he spoke. "I will leave the canteen of water with you, senorita. Before you have had time to miss me, I shall return."
    "How many bullets do you have in the gun, Santiago?" Valentina asked. She could still hear the horses' agonized cries of pain. His eyes followed hers up the slope. "I will put the horses out of their pain," he agreed to her silent plea. "Take comfort that I will soon be back with help."
    Feeling as if she had been abandoned, Valentina watched helplessly as Santiago made his way slowly up the slope. She wished she dared call him back. She had no way of knowing how badly Santiago was injured, and she prayed he could make it the five miles to get help.
    After Santiago had disappeared, Valentina held her breath. She cried out when she heard the two shots, realizing he had mercifully put the horses out of their misery. Afterward, an eerie quiet settled over the land. Valentina was sure there had never been such a silence. Even the wind had died down; not a needle stirred on the pine trees.
    Searching for a more comfortable position, Valentina tried to shift her weight, only to find she could not