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"How did I get this way?" |
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"I don't know, but you're going to be okay. Hear me? Now let's go home" |
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Suddenly he pushed her away, perched himself on his hands and knees and, incredibly, seemed to test the air with his nose. He moved to the edge and peered down. |
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"What? What is it . . . ?" |
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Terry moved to his side with the light. She aimed it down. Nothing but the empty rungs leading up and the black woods. |
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Matty looked out into the jumble of black trees. "He's watching us," he said in a voice barely audible. |
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"Smoke? Who does? What are you talking about?" Before her words were out, there was a rustling in the bushes. Feet on dry twigs and leaves. "Who's there?" Terry called out. |
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A flickering of lights through the brush. "Terry?" |
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"Calvin," Terry cried in relief. "It's only Dad," she said to Matty. |
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"No," Matty whispered. "Somebody else." |
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But his words slipped by her. A moment later Calvin and Mitch Tojian pushed their way to the base of TopTree. With them were two policemen. |
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"He's all right," Terry said. "He's fine. We're coming down." |
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The police stepped back from the tree. Whatever had distracted Matty in the woods had apparently passed. He swung onto the trunk and shimmied down. Calvin caught him at the bottom and hugged him. |
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Matty looked at the police. "Am I going to jail?" |
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"Of course not," Calvin said. |
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Dr. Tojian put his arm around Matty's shoulder. "You feeling okay?" |
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"Good, because I thought it might be a good idea if you came with me." |
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