The rope caught them, swinging them towards the trunk. Towards the staircase. As they got close several students grabbed at the swinging duo. Sienna felt many fingers slide off her slippery legs. But then she felt herself being drawn slowly closer to the stairs rather than swinging further away. The kids had managed to grab the little boy's legs and were guiding them both over the railing and to the safety of the stairs.
Screams turned to cheers as the teachers rushed in to check them both, but their elation was short-lived as there was another cracking thud and the tree itself started tilting.
"Everyone to the other side of the trunk!" Sienna heard a teacher yelling and the students started scrambling in every direction. Sienna slipped out from the rope and followed the bigger group of kids. They were making their way up the trunk, but stopped once on the top side of the falling bole. Following the teacher's directions, they clambered from the steps and found a spot to lay down. Many kids were close to the stairway, so Sienna had to stepping stone her way to find a better spot, while the tree sunk swiftly towards the ground.
By the time Ethan had caught up with his teacher, Teacher Dex was already on the short bridge across to the suspended building. Several people were yelling at him - mostly other teachers from other trunks - but he continued on, clinging tightly to the railings so that he wouldn't fall on any thud. He had just made it across when the first crack accompanied the thud, causing Teacher Dex to turn sharply. Ethan stumbled, taking three steps back before crashing into another kid and falling into a pile on the ground. By the time he was standing again, Teacher Dex had disappeared into the building.
Ethan stepped out to follow him.
"Stop!" a voice boomed across at him. He froze jerking his head up to see who it was. Ethan didn't recognise the teacher yelling at him, and was surprised such a loud voice came from such a small person. "Don't take another step!" The teacher continued.
Ethan didn't want to disobey her, but also didn't want to leave Teacher Dex alone either. He looked back across the bridge.
"He doesn't want you to follow him." The teacher was booming at him again. "You know that. And if I have to come over to your tree to stop you, I will be deserting all these kids here." Ethan felt a wave of guilt. She was right. There was no way Teacher Dex would want him crossing. With a sigh, he stepped back so the teacher understood he had listened. But he remained at the edge, waiting for Teacher Dex to reappear.
Which he did. He started crossing the bridge when the second bigger crack occurred and the tree started tilting. The bridge creaked. A look of terror widened Teacher Dex's eyes. They traced the distance to the falling trunk then the distance back to the shack. The shack was closer. He leapt for it, making the distance easily.
Turning, Teacher Dex raised the rope ladder and heaved it across the breaking bridge. Ethan moved forwards to catch it. It fell short, but one part arched out further than the rest. It tangled in Ethan's hands as he caught it and then realised the platform he was standing on was slipping away from him. He scrabbled for leverage while trying to hang onto the rope. Soon he was sliding, but was caught by another kid before he went too far. He grabbed hold of a post that was part of the railing. There was no way he was going to be able to climb down to Sienna, so he looked up to Teacher Dex. He immediately wished he hadn't.
The collapse of the bridge and the supports leading from the tree forced the shack onto a steep slant. Teacher Dex was flat against the balcony floor, mimicking a spider. One foot pushed against a bridge post that had survived, another on a railing post. One hand was holding onto the doorway, while the other waved back and forth as he tried to find something to pull him up into a better position. The whole thing was making cracking noises. Ethan wasn't sure how long Teacher Dex would have to save himself. What he did know was there was nothing he could do.
He glanced down at the rope ladder in his hand. It wouldn't help him get across to this side… and Teacher Dex wouldn't be able to catch it anyway… Ethan felt utterly helpless. He just stared at his favourite teacher hoping for the best. Teacher Dex released the door frame so he could bend his knees. He recaught the door frame, this time with both hands, and was able to get his elbows up over the edge. Ethan's breath caught. Maybe he was going to make it.
Maybe he'd never find out. The tree was dropping fast and soon the building, and Teacher Dex were well above Ethan's head. He craned his neck to see what was happening but it was just too far above. An errant foot kicked him in the shoulder, drawing his attention back to his own situation. He seemed pretty secure, hanging on tightly to his post, riding the tree trunk as it timbered its way down to the ground. The branches of other trees that crumbled beneath it whipped past his face, the trunk tilted picking up speed as it got closer and closer to the ground. Not knowing when that final collision was going to happen, Ethan tried to relax his muscles, bent his knees, stayed loose so that he'd be as springy as possible. He even tried thinking springy thoughts, but was pretty certain they weren't going to do a lot to help him.
