Page 166 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

“Yes?” the ghost asked curiously.

“I must get up that tree,” she said.

Jackson turned to her, frowning. “You want to climb a tree?Now?”

“Jackson, look... look at the size of the trunk. And the waythe branches are jagged and slanting. I think there’s a break at the top.Please. I heard something about kids during World War II finding the remains ofa woman in a tree trunk.” She bit her bottom lip. “I’m trying to remember...Oh! It was in Worcestershire, in England during World War II. And it was an elmtree!” She smiled. “It might have even been this particularkind. Jackson, please, trust me. Give me a boost so I can grab thatbranch.”

“Angela, I can—”

“Come on, please. I can shimmy up the tree quickly. You cangive me a boost, but I don’t know if I can lift you.”

He shrugged, nodded, and walked over to her. “All right, atree trunk. Well, it can’t get much stranger.”

He gave her a boost, and she was able to hike herself up,grab onto another branch, and move higher and higher, finally reaching theplace where it appeared the trunk had been split.

It had been.

And there was a several-foot-wide opening that stretcheddownward about four or five feet. She carefully maneuvered herself around soshe could get a good grip with her legs around one of the sturdy branches andlooked down into the gaping hole.

Her heart slammed against her chest.

Because there was something there.

A man.

And she could only pray that he was still alive.

Chapter 8

“It’s him, I think,” Angela called down from thetree.

“Is he alive?” Jackson asked her.

“I don’t know for sure. I assume they just got him up hereand then let him fall into the tree,” Angela answered. “I’m trying to get anangle where I can touch him.”

“Just be careful. If you fall out of the tree, you’ll beseriously hurt,” he warned.

“You think?” She chuckled. “Seriously, though, I’m good.Don’t worry. I have strong legs, great muscles, and good balance,” she calledback.

He smiled. Of course, she joked. She did that sometimes whenshe was worried or nervous. But she was probably right. He honestly wasn’t surehow she did it between work, two children, and everything else, but she didmaintain an exercise regimen—though most of them did.

That strength and agility could mean the difference betweenlife and death, though no muscle in the world could stand against the lethalqualities of a gun.

“Careful, careful, careful,” he called.

She had managed to get herself into some kind ofpretzel-like position where she dangled over the hollow section of the tree. Hesaw her reach down, inching a little farther. And farther.

“He’s warm!” she shouted back.

“A pulse?” Jackson asked.

“I—I’m not sure. And I’m not sure how—”

“That’s okay. Reinforcements are on the way. Get back upsafely and hold your position.” He turned to the ghost, wishing at that momentthat the Colonel was still alive—flesh, blood, and muscle that could give himthe needed boost to grasp the first low branch on the tree.

“Jackson!” Thankfully, and in an incredibly timely manner,he heard a familiar voice. Turning, he saw that Mark, Colleen, and Red werehurriedly pressing forward through the trees to reach him.

“EMTs,” he shouted to Mark. “We need them over here now! AndI need a boost.”