"Mister? Can you hear me?"
When he didn’t respond, she hesitantly felt his neck. His pulse was strong and he was breathing. She leaned forward, peering up at his face. His nose was bleeding and a trickle of blood oozed from his scalp. She probably shouldn't move him - not that it was an option anyway. He was a big man, broad of shoulder and maybe six-four. It was hard to tell with him slumped over that way. At five-eight, she was no shrimp - and she was strong as a mule to boot - but there was no way she'd be able to drag the man from the vehicle. She needed help. That thought frightened her worse than the cliff. The nearest phone was six miles down the road - in the opposite direction from home. Ma would be worried - and with good cause.
A deep moan interrupted her thoughts and the man turned his head. She leaned over him, her voice eager with relief.
"Mister, can you hear me?" she repeated.
His eyelids fluttered and finally opened. Huge pupils shrank away from gray-green irises in protest of the light. The eyes that focused on her face were blank for a moment, and then gradually gained comprehension. He lifted his head from the wheel, exposing an ugly purple bruise that ran from his temple down to one high cheekbone. His features were drawn and his skin looked sallow in spite of its dark weathered surface.
All these things she absorbed in an instant - and more. In spite of his balding head and miniature crow's feet, he was obviously a young man – a good looking one at that.
He tried to straighten and winced at the effort. He touched the bruised spot and moaned. "Where am I?" he asked in a weak voice as he groped for the release on the seat belt.
She guided his hand to the button. "You’re about thirty feet down in a holler. Are you bad hurt?
He released the seat belt and felt the bruised area again. "My head feels like it's exploding."
"You’ve got a real bad bruise. I reckon you got a concussion. Can you climb out of the car by yourself?"
He tried the door. "Jammed," he groaned.
"I know," she said, sliding off the seat to the ground. "You'll have to get out this side - but watch it. There's a cliff about three feet from the car." She waited for him beside the car. He might need assistance.