Ch. 13
As Otto fell his life flashed before his eyes in a split second. 'So this is how its gonna end, huh?' The words played in his mind. He always figured that he'd break his neck trying out some new skateboarding move or drown while surfing fifty foot storm waves. This was the last thing he expected.
His head slammed against the rocks on the side of the cliff. He felt the warm blood start to trickle down his forhead. Somehow he managed to hold on to consciousness. Then he felt his foot brush against something as he tumbled down. Without even thinking he reached out and grabbed the branch as he flew past it. A hot flash of pain shot through his arms from the sudden stop. He thought they were broken at first, but slowly the feeling crept back into them. His fingernails dug painfully into the wood as he struggled to hold on, praying that he wouldn't pass out. The branch started to bend and make splintering noises under his weight. That sound rang in Otto's ears like a bomb going off.
******
When she saw Otto falling, Reggie screamed at the top of her lungs. Thesound cut through Twister like a knife as he jumped to his feet. "OTTO NOOOO!"
"Oh shit." Lars said quietly, his eyes wide with shock.
"Oh my God, Oh my God, He's GONE!" Reggie wailed. "He's GONE!" She kept repeating these words over and over even though she refused to believe them. Her only brother was gone.
Suddenly she was four years old again.
She'd been sitting outside the door of a hospital room for what seemed like forever. She knew that mommy was sick, but she'd be ok soon right? Her daddy was in there now. In a few minutes he was going to come out and tell her that everything was going to be Ok. She looked down the hall to the waiting room and saw Uncle Tito and her three year old brother, who running around like a fool as usual.
Otto saw her watching him and ran up to her "Come on Reggie, come pway wif me pwease."
"I will when daddy comes back" she told him. "When daddy comes back he'll bring mommy out and we'll all go home and play together." Otto just stared at her a minute then took off running down the hall again. Finally, the door to the room opened. Daddy looked really sad. He was crying.
"What's wrong daddy? Can mommy come home today?"
He scooped her up in his arms. "Princess, daddy has something to tell you…Mommy isn't coming home. She…She's gone to heaven." He said.
She's gone…
He's gone…
"NO DADDY. SHE'S COMING HOME!" Reggie screamed. SHE'S NOT GONE! SHE'S NOT GONE!" She felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and realized that she was down on her knees screaming this outloud. Twister and Lars were kneeling beside her. They didn't have to ask who "she" was.
*******
As Otto clung to the branch, he heard Reggie screaming above him. "Help. Reggie. Please!" he said, but the words were barely above a whisper. 'Please just look over the edge' he thought, knowing that they thought he was dead. When the screaming finally stopped he tried calling to them again. "Help me!" the words were strangled, but louder this time. His throbbing arms felt like they were going to rip from his body.
*******
Trembling, Reggie stared into Twister and Lars's concerned faces when she finally snapped out of her fit. Twister wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. All were silent because none of them really knew what to say. The only noise came from Reggie's soft crying and the rushing water below. Then, "What was that?" Lars said, his voice breaking the silence like gunfire.
"What?" Twister asked.
"I heard something. A voice." They both stared at him with blank faces. "Look, I'm not crazy. I swear I heard something. Look over the edge."
"I can't! What if he's down there covered in blood? I can't see him like that! I CAN'T LOOK!" Reggie screamed.
Lars got up and walked to the edge of the cliff. He closed his eyes, not really wanting to see the scene that he knew he would find. When he opened them again he couldn't believe what he saw. Less than ten feet below him, Otto was clinging to a branch for dear life.
"NO WAY! HE'S ALIVE!" Lars shouted.
Reggie and Twister jumped up and ran over to Lars. They peered down and saw Otto.
"OH MY GOD! Otto, are you alright?"
Reggie asked and then realized it was a stupid question.
With tears and blood running down his face, he looked up at them. "Yeah Reggie. I'm great. Never…been…better." He tried to joke, but his heart wasn't in it right now.
AN: Sorry so short—3 more chapters to go (yes, this fic does have an ending). Thx so much for the reviews everybody! More soon.
AN2: Sorry about the cliffhanger….ha ha….get it? CLIFFhanger?….Uh, nevermind. I'll shut up now.