Saving Mouse

  To say that he was scared would be an understatement. Evan looked down; below him the rocky ocean lapped against the cliff. The twelve year old tightened his grip on the rope that was wrapped around his waist and tied around a tree on the top of the cliff about eight feet above him. "Megan!" he called up, "those rocks are everywhere. Please don't let me fall."

  A girl with the same fire red hair and delicate features popped her head over the edge, "I would never let you fall," his twin said, smiling wickedly.

  Evan sighed, "What am I supposed to be grabbing again?"

  "The moonflower," Megan called back matter-of-factly, and disappeared again. Suddenly, Evan was descending again. He held his breath as he was lowered another foot and then jerked to a stop. Megan appeared again, "can you reach it?"

  Evan looked around him and saw something to his left. It was the only flower growing amongst the rocks that made the cliff wall. Although it was growing sideways, three blooms were reaching up towards the sun. The leaves were almost the size of his hand. The closed flowers were the color of a full moon hitting the lake. For a moment he saw what looked like silver dust flow from a bud then blow out to sea. Evan shook his head and looked up, "it's too far to the left. I can't reach it."

  "Hmmm," Megan pouted her lips as her eyebrows came together, the look she usually got when she was trying to think up a crazy plan. "Oh!" she exclaimed, "hold tight."

  Without warning the rope, with Evan attached, began to swing. "What are you doing?" Evan cried out.

  "You're fine," Megan yelled, "just reach out and grab the flower when you're close enough."

  Evan held on to the rope so tight his hands froze in that position. He passed the flower once. As he swung back, he began to spin around. He passed the flower again as he was facing the other way.

  "Got it?" Megan asked.

  "I'm trying," Evan replied through gritted teeth. He moved his hand up higher on the rope to slow the rotation and focused his eyes on the flower. As he came close, he reached out and grabbed it! "I've got it! Pull me up!"

  "One second," Megan answered.

  A moment later Evan began moving up the cliff. He held the flower tight to his chest. This flower was Mouse's last hope. He handed it to Megan before accepting her help to stand. He took a deep breath, "remind me again why I was the one hung over a cliff."

  Megan untied the ropes and coiled them with practiced hands, "because you're the bravest of course." He gave her a look that asked, 'really?' Megan handed him the ropes and said, "fine, because I tie better knots then you do."

  Evan shrugged, "fair enough."

  Megan looked at her twin, her eyes searching his matching green ones, "mom can't know."

  He nodded, hand over his heart, "I swear not to tell a soul."

  "Good," she reached over and grabbed his hand, "hurry up," she turned and ran, dragging him along behind her.

  Their small cottage was in a small clearing in the woods. Two cows and three horses were standing around, no even bothering to look up as the twins ran by.

  Mouse was in the back laying down near the water bowl they'd set up for her. She was a black wolf hound who stood almost about as tall as Evan's waist. Mouse had been with the twins since the day she was born; now at age six, the hound was breathing heavily and whining softly from the pain of the gash in her side. While Megan ran inside to get the other supplies, Evan knelt down and moved Mouse's head to his lap. She licked his hand weakly, than closed her eyes. Evan gently scratched behind the dogs ears.

  Megan bustled out of the cottage with a mortar and pestle in her hands. She finished mashing together the paste, added a little water and looked up at her brother, "you might have to hold her down."

  Evan nodded, "I know." He gently laid a hand on Mouse's nose and another on her neck. He took a deep breath, "go on then."

  Megan dipped her hand in the thick silver paste and touched it to the wound. Mouse cried out, but stayed still as the girl covered the wound. Mouse cried out, but stayed still as the girl covered the wound. Megan put down the bowl, "done," she said, wiping her hands on her dress.

  "Mom is going to kill you for ruining another dress," Evan murmured.

  Megan rolled her eyes and looked down at the dog that had fallen silent. "Do you thing it worked?" she asked softly.

  Evan smiled at her reassuringly, "give it a minute." He reached over and lifted his sisters chin, "Mouse will be ok."

  Five minutes passed, then ten. Megan stood, "I need to do something. I cant just sit here."

  "The horses need to be fed," Evan suggested, shifting his weight back to make Mouse more comfortable. Megan leaned down to kiss his cheek and walked off.

  Evan began to hum 'The Tree', a nursery rhyme his mother had sung to him since the day he was born. When it was finished he began again. Just as he started a third time, Mouse began to move, shifting just a little, then slowly standing up. Evan kept a calm hand on her back, "are you ok, girl?" Mouse shook out her coat and began wagging her tail. Evan jumped up and looked at the hound's side; there were three nasty scars, but they were closed.

  "Megan!" Evan yelled, "we did it!"