Ginny was curled into a small ball. The windmill’s blades swept frighteningly close to her huddled body. The platform was barely wide enough to hold a single man. Since Ginny’s prone body took up most of the space, Emily remained on the uppermost rung of the ladder.

Reaching out, she touched Ginny’s trembling arm. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

Ginny lifted her head, revealing a tear-streaked face. Her skin pale and lips blue, she looked cold. Her eyes were glazed with fear and exhaustion.

The lantern flickered, and the light went out, thrusting them in darkness. Kicking herself mentally for not thinking to bring matches with her, Emily set the lantern on the corner of the platform. Cast into darkness, she forced herself to breathe and took Ginny’s icy-cold hand in her own.

“Okay, now move toward me. Keep your head down.”

“I can’t. I’m scared.”

“I’m right here. Just move slowly, and I’ll help you down the ladder.”

“No!”

The child was clearly petrified, and Emily couldn’t blame her. She was scared too. In the last few minutes, the wind had grown stronger. The windmill shuddered, and the paddles over their heads turned faster. The whirring of spinning blades sounded like the flapping wings of a giant bird ready to carry them off.

They needed help, but Emily didn’t dare leave the child by herself. However, if they stayed, Ginny could well freeze to death. And Emily didn’t want to think about the possibility of her falling. It was a long way to the ground.

“I’m letting go of your hand. Just for a moment. Don’t move.” She pulled her hand away and untied her shawl. The wind threatened to rip the wrap out of her hands as she held it toward the girl.

“Ginny, put out your hand. I want you to take my shawl and wrap it around yourself the best you can.” She waited for Ginny to reach for the offered shawl. “Do you have it?”

“Yes.”

“Hold on to it tight. It’ll help keep you warm.”

“I-I wanna go home,” Ginny sobbed.

“I know, dear heart. I want to go home too.” Never did she think to call the ranch home, but tonight, there was no place she would rather be.

Emily tried to think what to do. She didn’t want to leave the frightened child on that dangerous platform, but she needed to get help—fast!

Hearing Ginny’s sobs, her heart went out to her. Poor thing. “What are you doing way up here?” she asked. Perhaps if she distracted Ginny with silly talk, she could earn her trust. “Who do you think you are? The man in the moon?”

“I-I-I wanted to touch the sky,” Ginny sobbed.

“You don’t have to climb up to touch the sky,” Emily said. “The sky reaches all the way to the ground. You can touch it from here, there, everywhere.”

Ginny’s sobs subsided. “What about the stars and the moon? Can those be touched from the ground too?”

“I’m afraid not. They’re too high.” Emily tried to think how to explain the heavens in a way Ginny could understand. It was hard enough for a sighted person to grasp such vast distances. “No ladder in the world is high enough to reach the moon, let alone the stars.”