“No…,” Peter said defensively. “I’m just…I’m kind of scared of heights.”
“Don’t look down.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
“Dude, I’ll go first. All you gotta do is go about three feet on the roof and then bam, you’re at the tree, and it’s easy from there. Just do what I do. Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall. Come on!”
Peter looked back at his closed bedroom door. If Mom or Grandfather came in, he was busted for sure.
Dill must’ve known what he was thinking. “Lock the door, dude, and let’s rock and roll.”
“I could get in a
Dill shrugged. “It wouldn’t be worth it, otherwise.”
Peter took a big breath.
Peas, beets, and sauerkraut…bedtime at 9:45…and not being able to go anywhere or do anything.
Forget that.
Peter pulled on his pants, shirt and shoes, and locked the bedroom door.
Dill grinned and gave him a thumbs up. “You da man.”
The climb out on the roof was terrifying. Thirty feet down, the grass seemed to spin slightly in the moonlight. Peter started to get dizzy, but Dill held onto his arm the whole time. “Don’t look down, just grab the branch.”
Once he reached the limb, Peter hung on for dear life. Dill shimmied his way down like an expert until he reached the tree trunk, then hopped from branch to branch until he dangled only four feet off the ground. He let go, dropped, and rolled.
Peter took considerably longer, but he finally made it. His ankles and heels stung a little when he landed, but he was safely on the ground.
Dill slapped him on the back. “I take it all back, you’re no wussy weenie.”
“How do we get back up there?”
Dill pointed to a hole in the tree that made a perfect foothold. “I take back what I just took back. Don’t be such a granny, I got you covered.”
They kept to the shadows as much as possible, then bolted for the rose bushes and raced to the other side.
The air was perfumed with the smell of flowers and a touch of salt from the ocean. There was no breeze, though, and Peter couldn’t hear a single wave – only the chirping of crickets all around.
They walked about halfway between the rose bushes and the garden before Dill stopped him.
“Okay, this is far enough,” Dill whispered and sat down.
“But the garden’s still like fifty feet away,” Peter said.
“Trust me, man. If there’s something in there, we wanna get a good head start. Gummy bear?”
Dill produced a crinkled package. Peter took a couple of pieces and popped them in his mouth.
“Thas’ good,” he smacked. “I had beets for dinner.”
“Ugh. So was I right? Is he crazy, or what?”
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Copyright © 2008 Darren Pillsbury. All rights reserved.
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