IS IT SAFE TO LOOK AT THE MOON?

Long Ago, In the Mountains (Continued)

"Yo-hoo, everyone, wakey, wakey!!!"

Lita knew something was wrong when she awoke and did not see Jess by her side. She jumped up and almost collided with Jo.

"Sorry, Jo, I must have dropped off to a nap." Lita brushed off the grass on her jeans.

"Oops, sorry, too, I didn't mean to bump into you." Jo suddenly realized Jess was missing.

"Yo-hoo, I'm up here." Jess stood on a large branch of the grape tree, her left hand held on tight to another branch as she waved with her right hand..

"Oh, my gosh, Jess, please come down this minute." Lita ran to the tree, her eyes were wide with alarm.

"Jess, Jess, please come down now." Jo pleaded.

"My gosh, Jess, I don't want your Mom to scold me. Please come down." Ana added her plea.

"Look at you three down there. You're scared to bits. Don't worry, I won't fall. Can you see, I'm holding on to this branch?" Jess was enjoying the looks of fright on her three friends.

Alert now and uneasy, Lita took off her shoes and started up the tree. She took one step up but she fell and landed on her back, on the grass.

"Lita, please don't climb up. I'll be all right." Jess became anxious.

Jo and Ana rushed to Lita and helped her off the grass. They led her back to the blanket, where they sat and had their nap.

For about a minute, Jess looked and waited until the three got to the blanket. When she saw Lita sat down without a word, she realized her friend must really be worried.

"Okay, okay, I'll come down now." Jess started her way down the tree. As she stepped on another branch, it cracked, and Jess went flying down. She reached for something to hold on, but she was falling into space.

Lita, Jo, and Ana heard the branch as it cracked, and they looked up. Aghast and frightened, they saw Jess fall and landed on her face on the ground below. They ran to her when she didn't move.

Lita got to Jess first. She screamed and cried as she knelt to turn Jess over. Jess' face was covered in blood, her eyes were closed, and she was not breathing.

"No, oh no, Jess, wake up, wake up." Lita paled. She turned to Jo and Ana, her face was twisted, her mouth was moving but both Ana and Jo heard no sound from her.

Jo and Ana clung to each other as they froze at the blood oozing out of Jess' mouth and nose. They heard Lita's scream but they just stared and held each other, trembling.

"Ana, run and get Jess' Mom, quickly." Lita shouted as she realized she was shocked at seeing blood. "Hurry, Ana!"

"But... but I don't want to." Ana cried, tears steaming down her cheeks.

"Go now, run." Lita and Jo screamed.


(To be continued)