11. Evie

eleven

Evie

Eleven, twelve, thirteen steps, and—

"Evie!" Jasper's muffled voice echoed from somewhere.

I checked in all directions and called back, "Jasper."

"Up here!"

Arching my neck, I nearly shrieked when I saw the size of the net dangling above my head. I immediately gasped and skirted to the side to take cover. I'd been in this movie before, too! There's always another net next to the first, and I wasn't going to wait around for it to scoop me up.

"Evie!" Jasper's voice grew more desperate.

"I'm still here," I called out, while peeping around the tree I cowered behind. "I had to get out of the way before I got scooped up, too."

"You must get me down before those pirates come back and find me trapped in their net. They couldn't be far, which means it won't be long."

"Oh yes." I scanned the area, looking for something to assist my mission, but nothing popped out. "In the movie, the hero climbed up his body and cut the rope with the knife he had in his boot. I don't suppose you have a knife in your boot, do you?"

"If I had one, do you think I'd still be hanging here?" Jasper's exhausted voice responded.

"Right?" I scratched my head, as this was a real conundrum. "Well, I have seen it play out in the more unrealistic movies that some cheeky monkey can come out to help untie you, but I'm guessing that's not going to happen, either—"

"—Evie, you're wasting time! You need to climb the tree and untie me. It's not that hard."

"Oh." My eyes did a once over the massive tree with prickly looking needles jutting out of the branches. "I could , but did you see how tall it is?"

"Of course, I saw how tall it is!" Jasper was loud, almost imperious. "I'm hanging upside down from it, Evie, please."

"Of course." My voice was a little woeful, as I needed to work on my bravery inflections, but I was still awfully exhausted. Careful not to trigger another snare trap, I selected my steps methodically. I'd never climbed a tree this size before, and I wasn't quite sure I had the arm span to reach all the limbs, especially the first one. It would be nice to have something to stand on to give me a boost.

Straining my eyes to search the terrain as far back as I could in all directions, I found nothing and resigned to the fact that I'd have to use my strength, and a good old-fashioned running start. I backed up several steps, making sure my path was clear. When I was a good ten steps back, I crouched down, and took off at top speed. Just when I was below the branch, I lifted one foot for a layup, reaching my arms high over my head, and I was swallowed up by a net and flung upside down. It was so slick it felt like a carnival ride, and I barely squealed. "Well," I called out after I confirmed with my eyes what I knew had happened, and the ground was a looong way below me. "I don't think that plan worked."

"Sure didn't." Jasper growled. "Why don't you just use the knife in your boot to cut yourself free?"

"Funny." I half laughed, as dread started to sink in. Up until this point, I was doing everything I could to pretend I was on a movie set and none of this was real. Now that I was hanging upside down in a tree, with no escape…reality was hitting me hard. "Jasper," my voice weakened. "I don't want to die."

"Me either," he grumbled.

"That's not your line," I teased back, trying to take my mind off our impending doom. "You're the hero. You're supposed to say, ‘Evie, don't worry, I'll save you!' And you're supposed to rasp it out, and not sound like such a weenie."

I thought he'd laugh, but I could understand how he wouldn't consider this a laughing situation. However, he did surprise me. In a firm voice, laced with empathy, he affirmed, "Evie, I'm not giving up. I'll try to save you."