The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan

Author:Darcie Chan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-05-18T04:00:00+00:00

“What the hell?”

The lights in the Wykowski household flickered. Ron Wykowski bolted up out of his recliner, nearly tripping over the extended footrest before it snapped back into the base of the chair. He punched the remote control in his hand to turn off the television. A tremendous crash sounded as if it had occurred right on the other side of the living room wall.

“Quick, get your coat. I think somebody had an accident,” Jean said, looking out the front window. She didn’t realize that Ron was already on his feet, pulling on his boots. “I can’t see far enough around the house from here, but I’m going to call for help. There might be people hurt.”

Jimmy and Johnny came tearing into the living room. “Mom, Dad, a police officer crashed outside!” Jimmy said.

“We can see the lights flashing from the window in our room,” Johnny explained. “I think it’s the Jeep from the department.”

“You boys stay inside,” Ron told them, causing a little of the excitement to leave their faces. He glanced down at his watch as he headed out the door. “Must be Leroy. Kyle’s not on ‘til eleven.”

Ron came trudging around the house just as Leroy pushed open the front door of the Jeep. The telephone pole in front of the Wykowski house was forced deep into the hood of the vehicle. No siren was sounding, but red and blue lights swirled and flashed atop the dashboard.

Leroy swung his legs out of the Jeep, tried to stand, wobbled, and collapsed into the deep snow just as Ron reached him.

“Leroy, can you hear me? Say something if you’re conscious.”

Leroy struggled to sit up. His face was reddish and rasped in a few places where it had met the airbag. “I’m dizzy. And my ankle hurts like a bitch.”

“Jean called for help as soon as we heard the crash. Should be someone here soon. Let’s get you up out of the snow.” He helped Leroy back into the front seat of the Jeep. “What happened? Did you hit ice coming around the turn?”

“Uh, yeah, I think,” Leroy said. “I tried to swerve the other way but the wheels wouldn’t stay on the road.”

Jean came breathlessly around the Jeep. “An ambulance is on the way. Are you hurt, Leroy?” she asked.

“Not bad,” he said. He appeared less dazed now, and began to sound more like his usual self. “Just my left ankle. I twisted the other one yesterday morning, and now this one. I may as well be a damned cripple.”

“Let me see,” Jean said. She squatted down in front of him and, as gently as she could, removed his boot. “Can you move it at all?” she asked, and Leroy gingerly rotated his ankle in her hand.

“Good,” she said. “Now see if you can push against my hand.” Leroy did this as well. Jean carefully felt all around his foot and then lowered it. “You’ve got good movement even though it’s a little swollen. I don’t think it’s broken, but you shouldn’t try to walk on it until you get it x-rayed.

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