“At least you don’t have claustrophobia. If I was left here by myself, I’d be a basket case.” She eased back. “We made a great team.”

“Yeah.” The girl’s eyes began to shimmer. “No matter what happens, I liked being your roommate.”

“The feeling is mutual.” She squeezed the girl’s uninjured arm. “Okay—let’s do this. As quick and smooth as we can.”

Kayla stepped up onto the two small platforms. Rocked back and forth. “They’re steadier than I expected.”

“That’s a plus.” She positioned herself behind the girl. “Remember, after I’m locked into position up there, hold the sleeping bag under my feet and push as hard as you can. I’ll push too. That ought to boost me high enough to wiggle out.”

“Got it. I’ll pass up your coat and boots after you drop the rope, once you’re out.” Kayla spread her feet and squatted while Cate sent a silent plea heavenward for assistance—and fortitude.

They’d need all the help they could get to make this work.

She took Kayla’s hands and positioned one foot on the girl’s thigh. Swung the other one up.

Kayla remained steady.

“On three. One . . . two . . . three.”

Cate followed the exact sequence she’d used on their first run-through.

The extra few inches did the trick. The instant her palms connected with the covering, she shoved sideways with all the force she could muster.

After a brief resistance, the cap slid off.

Kayla wavered, but Cate kept moving.

She pushed her arms through the opening, locked her elbows over the edge, and clenched her fingers around the rim.

“Cate . . . I’m slipping!”

“That’s okay. I’m solid!” She yelled as loud as she could. “Get the sleeping bag.”

The support beneath her feet vanished, and she sucked in a breath as the muscles in her shoulders and back stretched and the weight dragged on her ribs.

Seconds later, Kayla thrust the sleeping bag against her feet, forcing her knees to flex.

She straightened them and pushed. Tried to lift a leg up into the opening.

The space was too narrow to accommodate her upper body and a leg.

What to do?

She’d have to flop her upper body over the edge of the tube and wiggle out while grasping at anything on the ground that could provide leverage.

But her ribs weren’t going to like that.

“Cate?”

At Kayla’s alarmed call, she mashed her lips together and launched her upper body up, out, and over, her bruised ribs screaming in protest as they scraped along the rim.

Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang!

Bad as the pain had been the night of the attack, the pressure against her midsection as her upper body dangled over the edge was excruciating.

But the only way to alleviate the agony was to complete the escape.