第4部分(第4/7 页)

o；　until

one　day　a　few　months　ago。　That's　when　I　heard　a

motion　up　the　hill　and　could　see　some　big　trucks　parked　up　on　Collier　Street　where　the

bus　pulls　in。　There　were　some　men　shouting　stuff　up　at

Juli；　who　was；　of　course；　five　stories　up　in　the　tree。

All　the　other　kids　started　to　gather　under　the　tree；　too；　and　I　could　hear　them　telling　her　she

had　to　e　down。　She　was　fine　—　that　was　obvious

to　anyone　with　a　pair　of　ears　—　but　I　couldn't　figure　out　what　they　were　all　arguing　about。

I　trucked　up　the　hill；　and　as　I　got　closer　and　saw　what　the　men　were　holding；　I　figured　out　in　a

hurry　what　was　making　Juli　refuse　to　e　out　of　the

tree。

Chain　saws。

Don't　get　me　wrong　here；　okay？　The　tree　was　an　ugly　mutant　tangle　of　gnarly　branches。　The

girl　arguing　with　those　men　was　Juli　—　the　world's

peskiest；　bossiest；　most　know…it…all　female。　But　all　of　a　sudden　my　stomach　pletely　bailed

on　me。　Juli　loved　that　tree。　Stupid　as　it　was；　she

loved　that　tree；　and　cutting　it　down　would　be　like　cutting　out　her　heart。

Everyone　tried　to　talk　her　down。　Even　me。　But　she　said　she　wasn't　ing　down；　not　ever；

and　then　she　tried　to　talk　us　up。　“Bryce；　please！　e

up　here　with　me。　They　won't　cut　it　down　if　we're　all　up　here！”

For　a　second　I　considered　it。　But　then　the　bus　arrived　and　I　talked　myself　out　of　it。　It　wasn't

my　tree；　and　even　though　she　acted　like　it　was；　it

wasn't　Juli's；　either。

………　Page　13………

We　boarded　the　bus　and　left　her　behind；　but　school　was　pretty　much　a　waste。　I　couldn't　seem

to　stop　thinking　about　Juli。　Was　she　still　up　in　the

tree？　Were　they　going　to　arrest　her？

When　the　bus　dropped　us　off　that