Page 26 of Can't Stop Now

“Oh no. What is it now,” Jacob said, smiling as he realized Will was considering another one of his crazy ideas.

Will walked over to the trees, wrapped his arms around one of the thick branches, and began to hoist himself up. He managed to get his legs onto the trunk of the tree, and used them to climb up so that he could sit on that first thick branch. Jacob strolled over to the tree, leaning against the trunk and looking up at Will. It was relatively dark outside, but there were enough lampposts to make out Will’s general face and figure.

“I’m gonna see how high up I can get,” Will said, reaching for the next branch.

“Okay,” Jacob said, “just don’t fall down and break your leg or something. I’m not in the mood to go to the hospital tonight.”

“I won’t, I won’t. I’m an expert at climbing trees,” Will said.

Jacob wasn’t convinced, though. He watched as Will climbed, using his limber body to feel out each branch before committing to climbing onto it.He’s stronger than he looks, Jacob noted, allowing himself to check out Will’s body as he climbed.

He got further and further up the tree until Jacob could barely make out the lines of his body anymore.

“You should probably come on down, Will,” Jacob called up the tree.

“Okay, fine,” came his reply from up inside the leaves.

Jacob heard the sound of him climbing down grow louder with each branch.

“Uhhhhh…” he heard Will say, hesitantly, from up in the tree.

“What’s up?” Jacob asked.

“I don’t know if this branch can support me,” Will said, “I think it might have cracked a little as I was climbing up.”

Jacob felt a slight worry stir inside him.

“Okay, well, see if you can feel around for another branch,” Jacob called up to him.

“’Kay,” came Will’s reply, as he rustled in the leaves above.

A few seconds passed, and Jacob heard a sharpcrackas one of the branches snapped.

“Fuck!” Will screamed as he fell down a few feet, catching his arms on one of the tall branches. He was dangling now, pretty high up above the ground.

“Well, shit,” Will said, as he dangled.

“Can you get closer to the trunk? See if you can hug it and climb down?” Jacob asked.

“I don’t think I could,” Will said, sounding nervous.

“Okay. Don’t move.”

Jacob moved under where Will stood, positioning himself directly underneath him.

“I think it’s just low enough that I could catch you without hurting myself, or you,” Jacob said, looking up at Will.

“Are you sure?” Will said, fear in his voice. “I don’t wanna break your back, Jacob!”

“I can do it. I’ve had bigger guys run straight into me on the field before,” Jacob said. He was fairly sure he could do it, but not positive – but he was about to find out. “On three?”

“Okay.”

“One… two… three!”

Will released his arms, falling down onto Jacob. Jacob knew how to break the fall, letting his knees go weak and rolling backward onto his side and shoulder. Will had fallen onto him chest first, so that when Jacob hit the grass, Will was above him, and their faces were close.

“Owwww,” Will groaned, rolling over onto the grass beside Jacob.