Obviously, Paris and Rhea decided to try for the key a second time. And just as obviously, they failed. But we figured out how to get out of the fog—which means there’s a way out of this, too.
Another shout sounds behind me, and I realize the plantgot Sullivan, too. Now, all six of us are wrapped up in vines and suspended several feet above the ground. Although, as I glance at Rhea—who also has a vine wrapped around her mouth and whose face is growing red because she is literally hanging upside down—I decide to count my blessings.
I may be several feet off the ground, but at least I’m hovering at a good angle, with my head several inches higher than my feet. I may not have any idea how to get out of this predicament, but at least all the blood isn’t currently rushing to my head.
“So, Rhea, are you pathologically unable to think of anything—or anyone—but your own ambition?” Arjun asks in a surprisingly conversational tone. “Because this is the second time you’ve gotten us into a mess because you just won’t stop and think for a second.”
Rhea’s eyes narrow and she tries to answer, but the vine across her mouth makes it impossible for us to understand any of the very angry sounds coming out of her mouth. I can’t say I’m sorry about that, considering I pretty much feel the same way Arjun does.
“I’m all for casting blame for this mess on to Paris and Rhea,” Fifi whispers. I’m pretty sure that’s because one of the vines is currently wrapped around her throat and she doesn’t want to upset it—a decision I absolutely agree with. “But can we come up with a plan to get out of here before we start yelling at anyone?”
“I’m not sure there is a plan,” Arjun answers as the vines undulate up and down, bending and stretching and turningus as they see fit. “I mean, besides wait for Dr. Minthe to figure out we’re missing and come save us.”
“But that means we’d lose!” Sullivan sounds horrified. “I’m not okay with that.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, we’re currently being held prisoner by aplant,” Arjun shoots back. “News flash, man. I’m pretty sure we’ve already lost.”
He’s got a solid point, but I’m no more ready to accept it than Sullivan. This is the first day of class—the first day. No way am I going to fail an assignment on the first day. I mean, hopefully I’ll never fail an assignment, but I’m definitely not going to do it today.
“We’ve got to be able to do something,” I tell them. “Because there’s no way I’m going to let the story of our first day at Anaximander’s end like this.”
As soon as I say the words, lightning crackles across the ground.
Rain comes pouring down in torrents.
Twigs, sharp as spears, fly through the air.
And somewhere deep inside myself, I feel a crack, a quake, a shift, that warns me something important is happening.
I just wish I knew what it was.
34.Don’t Snake Up on Me
FIFI SCREAMS AS THE LIGHTNINGsizzles along the grass right under us, but I’m more concerned about the small, sharp twigs currently flying in all directions. They aren’t big enough to do any real damage—I don’t think—but that doesn’t mean the thought of being stabbed by one or a hundred of them doesn’t freak me out.
“This is bad, Ellie!” Arjun shouts to be heard over the lightning and the rain. “We have to do something!”
“I know!” I shout back. The problem is, I don’t know what to do to get these vines to release us.
But then I realize that if I swing myself to the left just a little, I’ll be close enough to Arjun that I can reach out and touch him. And he can touch me.
As our eyes meet, I realize he’s figured out the samething I have. That we both have one free hand, so we can work together to pry the vines off ourselves and keep them from reattaching.
“Where do you want to start?” Arjun asks. And how cool is it that I have a friend who can read my mind? Or at least one who thinks a lot like me?
That’s never happened before.
“Your arm,” I answer, because three hands are even better than two. Once we get his second hand free, the rest of this should get much, much easier. “Can you swing toward me?”
“I’ll try,” he tells me, rocking himself back and forth several times before managing to fling himself close enough for me to reach the vine that’s wrapped itself around his wrist and forearm.
But it recoils the second I touch it. Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, except for instead of letting him go, it slides farther up his arm until it’s covering his elbow and bicep. And, more importantly, until it’s just out of my reach.
I strain a little more, determined to make this work. On the plus side, when I finally manage to stretch enough to reach the vine again, it doesn’t pull back any farther—probably because there’s nowhere for it to go. Instead, it twitches violently, shaking Arjun back and forth even as it twists his arm so much that he howls in pain.
“I’m sorry!” I cry out as my stomach plummets to my knees. Then I reach forward and grab on to the vine as tightly as I can.
It bucks against my hand, its whole length undulating asit attempts to hold on to him. But I’m determined, and I bury my nails in it even as I keep tugging as hard as I can.
