Page 78 of Peppermint Bark

My vision blurred … then I wasn’t on the mountain anymore.

“It’s too high up here,” I said, biting my fingernail. The ground spun as I looked down from the top branch. “I want to get down.”

“Is that a bald eagle?” Elijah asked from the next branch over.

I squinted. It was too small for an eagle. “No, red-tailed hawk.”

I made a face at him, like, ‘How could you get those confused?’ He grinned, that goofy look that told me that he knew it was a hawk but he was trying to take my mind off my fear of heights. His distraction worked: the fiery foliage stretched out in all directions, the nearby Adirondacks peaks dusted with snow. Elijah took a deep breath and I followed his lead.

I always follow his lead, just like Batman and Robin: Elijah was strong and I backed him up .. which is how we found ourselves in this tree.

“Are you two stuck up there like widdle kittens?” a taunt echoed from below. “Need me to call the fire department to get the babies down?”

I tightened my hold around the branch. Elijah snapped, “Shut up, Levi.”

“I didn’t think Maya would even make it halfway.”

I shrank as Elijah’s nostrils flared. He shouted, “Don’t call him that.”

Levi’s chest puffed. “How are you gonna stop me from up there?”

Elijah shifted to descend, ready to force Levi to apologize. As he rushed down, the tree branches tilted. A gust of wind blew, leaves abandoning their posts to fall to the ground.

From the house, a strong voice yelled my name in concern. Isaac sprinted across the yard, covering the distance in record time, just as Elijah leaped down from the bottom branch and tackled Levi, the two of them a heap on the ground wailing on each other.

Isaac pulled his brothers apart with practiced ease, holding each by the scruff of their collars, and scowled. “Talk.”

“Levi dared us to climb up, so we could jump between trees like Batman.”

Isaac’s head swiveled. “Seriously, Levi? They’re seven.”

“I climbed it at their age,” Levi skulked, like twelve was so old, especially compared to Isaac, who was practically a grown-up at fifteen.

Elijah whined defensively, “We’re not babies! We got up there just fine!”

“It’s not getting up that I’m worried about,” Isaac muttered.

“Can you hear me, darling?” A deep voice rumbled across the mountains. “It’s your — it’s Alexander. It’s two days after Christmas. You’re safe.”

“You alright up there?”

“Of course he’s not, the sissy,” Levi taunted.

From above, I watched Isaac grab the collar of Levi’s shirt and snarl, “Shut your mouth, I’ll deal with you later.” He shoved him in the direction of the house. Levi trampled away instead of staying to watch me panic.

Isaac hollered up. “Can you climb down on your own?”

I moved down a branch, heard a splintering sound, and quickly leaned back into the trunk, pulse pounding in my ears.

“You have two choices, buddy: climb down, or jump and I’ll catch you.”

“You’re on Whiteface Mountain, sweetheart, in Lake Placid. It’s perfect skiing conditions: sunny but not too windy. Can you open your eyes?”

I closed my eyes, which just made the wind feel stronger. Isaac was tall, but not nearly tall enough to reach the top of the tree.

“You can’t stay up there forever,” Isaac barked. “Climb or jump?”

“What if I fall?” I asked, hating how small my voice sounded.

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