Run. Just Run.

Chapter 42

James quickly and very quietly opens the window. This will be their only way to escape. He looks out the window, and suddenly gets an idea.

"Ash." He whispers in her ear. "We're gonna have to climb down that tree. It's too high to jump without spraining an ankle or breaking something."

Ashley's eyes widen. The closest branch that is thick enough to hold her has to be five feet away from the window. She shakes her head.

"I can't do it, Jay." She whispers quickly. "It's too far. I can't reach it."

James puts his arm around her. "Yes you can, Ash. I'll go first."

He swings one leg over the windowsill and reaches as far as he can. He wraps his fingers around the branch, counts to three in his head, and swings out and grabs hold of another branch. He quickly climbs down the tree and then looks back up at Ashley.

"Come on, Ash!" He whispers as he waves his hand. "We gotta go!"

Ashley stares at the tree in front of her. She can't do this. She isn't tall enough. Then she hears shoes scraping on the stairs. Her heart pounds. She's gotta go now. She glances down as sees James standing far below her, and she quickly looks back up. She took a deep breath and leans forward.

"Come on!" James says hurriedly. "Just do it!"

Ashley clenches her teeth and reaches for the branch. It's a couple inches too far away. Without thinking, she just jumps forward and grabs onto the branch. Her arm catches, and a shooting pain goes through her shoulder. She winces and reaches down with her other hand and grabs another branch. Then she reaches for another branch, and a searing pain shoots through her right shoulder again. She involuntarily lets go to ease the pain. Then her left hand starts to slip.

"James!" She whispers loudly, panicking. "I can't hold on! I'm gonna fall!"

Her hand continues to slip, and suddenly she loses her grip on the branch. Then she's falling. Her heart speeds up and a wave of panic consumes her. She tries to clutch at anything around her, but her fingers grab only leaves. She's falling, and back first, so now she can't see where she's falling. Then suddenly she feels herself hit something, and a split second later she hits something else. She glances down and sees she's laying on top of James.

"Shhh!" He whispers quickly as he grabs Ashley around the waist and drags her up and around the corner of the house. They hear shouts from the room they were in less than a minute ago, then silence.

"Did I fall on you?" Ashley whispers in James ear. Just as she finishes speaking, they hear the front door slamming and voices coming around the side of the house.

"Shhh!" James says as he puts his hand over Ashley's mouth.

The voices come closer, and they can tell it's the two men that have been trying to find them. They seem like they're running, and suddenly James and Ashley realize they're coming around back to where they are! Where can they hide?