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The rope bridge creaked as Shaynen shifted his weight from one side to the other. He stared through his hanging home to where his mother stood. She stared off into the forest canopy while fiddling with the silver dragon necklace around her neck. She had the same sunshine blonde hair that Shaynen did, however; hers was down to her waist. Tied off with a winding flower crown that held her hair back.

The forest platform creaked when Shaynen stepped on it. He didn’t weigh enough to shift the wooden floor. It tipped ever so slightly to the side where his mother fiddled with her necklace. The open platform had a circular spiral pattern in the wood. Shaynen avoided the cracks in the spiral. He walked up beside his mother and took her hand. Startling her into dropping the dragon pendant.

“What is it?” Shaynen asked as he looked out. He saw the trees of the deep forest. His family lived on the highest point of the treetop village. There was no view like it anywhere else in the village. Shaynen’s mother looked down and gave him a thin-lipped smile. Squeezing his hand in hers.

“It’s nothing.” She turned away from the forest and knelt down beside him. Her hands framed his face, she brushed his hair back. “Your hair is getting so long. How are you going to see if it’s in your face?” Shaynen smiled and held his mother’s hands.

“I don’t need to see,” He said with confidence.

“I’m sure you don’t,” she laughed. “Why don’t you go play?”

“Oh! That reminds me.” Shaynen took his mother’s hands off of his face. “Ila’s father wanted to talk to you.. There’s something going on below!” His mother’s soft blue eyes went sharp in alarm.

“Okay Shaynen, I want you to stay right here.” She said, standing up and walking across the platform. Tiny tremors followed her steps, even when the platform moved under her. She stayed straight. Her white woven gown rippled like the floor. Before stepping onto the rope bridge, she turned back to Shaynen.

“I mean it, Shaynen. You stay right here. Send your father down if you see him.” She pointed at him. Shaynen nodded, his hair falling back to frame his round face. His mother stepped off the platform and the bridge creaked and swung as she glided across it. Shaynen watched her vanish down the suspended stairs. He went to the edge of his home and sat down. He watched his mother’s white gown travelling down the mid-air homes. The platforms held up by strong braided ropes securely melded into the broad trees around. There were no walls or ceilings in the canopy village. There was a rain sheet that came out over the platforms when it rained hard enough to break through the treetops. Rope bridges, stairs, and ladders connected all the platforms.

Shaynen leaned his elbows on his knees. He sat with his bare feet together; the bottoms were filthy, no one in the village wore shoes. He stood up and brushed off his loose white clothes. The adults down below were shooing the children away, some were being held back. The group was too far away to hear, but the sporadic movements told him something was up. Something big.. His mother wasn’t quite in the crowd yet. She was moving down the rope bridges and stopping to speak to the other adults, chaperoning the children away.

Shaynen grabbed one of the braided ropes. He hiked his pants up and knotted them above his knees. Knotting his tunic behind his back so it was as tight as his pants. Shaynen grabbed the braids and climbed up it. Vines and twine woven from the bark of trees made up the braids.. There were soft threads that frayed out from the knots. Shaynen couldn’t remember learning to climb the ropes. Most of the kids in the village did. Playing in the highest reaches of the tree branches where the adults didn’t go was the only way to pass the time. The ropes rarely creaked like they were now.

Shaynen crawled up through the leaves that added vines to the braided rope. The rope thinned like it was pulling apart. He touched the main branch and recoiled immediately. The tree branch was slimy and damp. Shaynen pulled himself up to inspect the branch he almost grabbed. Thick, moving sludge that looked like a nest of slugs drenched the wood. Shaynen made a disgusted face at it and grabbed another branch. He swung himself up into the trees. He spared a second look at the black slug nest; it was moving and dripping down onto the vines. There were a few other slug nests bunching up around the other ropes holding up the platforms.

He wrinkled his nose and made a mental note to tell his mother about them. Shaynen stood up and jumped from branch to branch. He hummed a little as he stuck his arms out to help balance himself. Slapping the broad yellow, orange and red autumn leaves and making them fall. Little gaps in the canopy leaves were showing. Soon the winter blankets would go up over the platforms to protect them from the heavy rains of monsoon season.

Shaynen jumped from one tree to the thick trunk of another, where he began climbing down. He climbed around to keep hidden from the adults as he climbed down level with the rope bridges. He dropped onto a branch and took a running leap from one tree to another. Sliding into the cracks where the trunk of the broad tree split into two. He peeked around to where his mother reached the front of the gathered crowd. Shaynen could hear them murmuring and pointing at a tree trunk. From where Shaynen hid, he could see the trunk had a little nest of slugs in it. Just as the ropes did. He climbed up the branch and hung like a sloth. Crawling further over the crowd and slipping to the next tree trunk. Close enough that he could hear his mother;

“No one is to go near the black ooze.” She said, “we will block off all places where we find the ooze.” Shaynen heard a splintering as the ooze made a large split in the tree. A shot of ooze snapped out at his mother. She ducked back out of its reach.

“What is it?” Asked a member of the crowd.

“I don’t know, but it reeks of black magic.” She said, Shaynen heard the creaking of the wood above get louder.

“Look out!”

The ropes snapped from above. Tilting the platform belonging to Shaynen and his family. Light bedding that had been so carefully put away dropped as another of the vines snapped. Shaynen’s mother shoved the crowd to the side as the ropes snapped and the platform came crashing down. Ripping two of the rope bridges down and crashing into another empty platform. The ropes holding it up snapped, both went careening to the ground. Ripping bridges and ladders down as well.

It stunned Shaynen; he stared at where his home had been. The space looked empty and wrong without it there.

“Is anyone hurt?” His mother asked, checking the crowd for faces. “Was anyone-” She stopped. Even from his distance, Shaynen could see the color drain from his mother’s face. She ran to the edge of the platform where their home had fallen out of sight.

“SHAYNEN!” His mother’s scream ripped his heart in half. He couldn’t move and neither could she.

Shaynen crawled out of his hiding place, crawling over top of the platform as the crowd gathered around his mother. He dropped onto the floor with a thud. Making the platform shake from the force he hit it with. Before he could stand up, his mother was already grabbing and smothering him. Crushing him into her chest so tight it was hurting him.

“Mom, I’m okay.” He said, but he didn’t fight her. The echoes of her terrified scream made him sick inside. He grabbed her dress and hugged her back.

“What happened?” One of the crowd asked.

“I don’t know,” Shaynen’s mother gave one more bone crushing squeeze before she stood up. Wiping her tears from her cheeks. “The animals don’t chew through our ropes. What could have-”

“Does the black ick make things break?” Shaynen asked.

“What?”

“The ick.” He pointed to the right where the splitting trunk still held the creeping ooze.

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“What about it?”

“Does it make things break?” Shaynen asked again. “When I climbed up the ropes, it was on the trees and dripping down. It’s all slimy.” His mother’s eyes widened as she looked up at the ropes that held the platforms up.

“Did you touch it?” Her voice broke as she dropped to her knees before him.

“Not for long,” He said, holding out his hands for her. She inspected his hands and nodded.

“I need a party to go above and inspect the foundations,” His mother stood and turned to the crowd.

“Kiylla,” Shaynen’s father ran across the bridge. “I saw our house fall. Is everyone all right?” He grabbed his mother, turning to Shaynen. His father picked him up so that he could hold them both.

“We’re fine,” His mother said. Looking at Shaynen with phantoms behind her blue eyes. She closed them and refocused on his face. Slipping her arm around his back and squeezing the three of them together. “We’re fine.”

“Aelius, what’s happening?”

Shaynen’s father lowered him to the floor. His mother and father both turned to the crowd. Each had a hand on one of his shoulders.

“I don’t know. There’s been strangers on the forest floor.” Shaynen’s father said. “There’s strange activity happening. The animals are acting rabid.”

“Has there been an outbreak?”

“Not that I can see,” his father said. He turned to the trunk with the ooze in it. “From what I can tell, it all comes back to this.”

“What are we going to do?”

Shaynen’s father turned to look at his mother. She was playing with her dragon necklace again. Her mouth cracked open. She dropped the chain once she realized everyone was staring at her.

“I think it’s best if we alert our neighbors at The Grandfather Tree.” His father looked back to the rest of the treetop village. Even the children had returned to their parents. Every face accounted for, almost every face. Shaynen looked again over the faces. He saw Ila, but not their mother. Shaynen’s mother left his side and ran to his father. Shaynen hurried after.

“Are you sure we should bother with them?” His mother whispered. “They wouldn’t extend help if our home was on fire. You know that.”

“Still,” his father said. “If this spreads, which it seems to do rapidly, they need to know. To protect themselves. We need to be the bigger person here.” His mother nodded. She turned to the village.

“We still need those foundations inspected,” she called.

“What do we do if it’s not safe?”

Shaynen looked up at his mother and father. They shared a look.

“We’ll have to visit our brothers on the ground,” His father said. The village murmured amongst themselves.. Shaynen turned to his parents.

“I’ll take a few to inspect the foundations.” His mother said. Holding his hand out to his father. His father nodded and took Shaynen’s hand. His mother bent down and kissed his forehead. Moving his hair out of his face. His mother turned and lifted her dress to reveal her pants. She tied her gown up to keep it out of her way. A few other adults followed, tying the loose clothes aside. Shaynen turned to his father.

“Everyone, be careful and stay together.” His father said as the group dispersed. Shaynen leaned into his father’s side and looked up at him. His father looked down and offered a small smile. His steel-grey eyes had new wrinkles around them, but that didn’t take the softness away from him.

“Aelius,” Ila’s father came up, the smile dropped from Shaynen’s father. “We haven’t seen Thanya in almost a full day. It’s not like her to vanish for multiple days.” Shaynen’s father looked down at Ila. They waved at Shaynen. He waved back.

“Why don’t you two go grab a treat?” Shaynen’s father suggested. “I think there might be some candied pacai in the pantries.”

“Yes!” Shaynen jumped and grabbed Ila’s hand.

“Stay out of the trees!” His father called after Shaynen. He waved back at his father and kept a tight grip on Ila as he charged over the rope bridge. The bridge shook from side to side with the two children. It didn’t affect Shaynen. He swung with the bridge, making it move more. At the other end of the bridge, Shaynen jumped onto the platform with both feet. Landing with a solid thump and pulling Ila along.

“Shaynen.” Ila yanked him back to a dead stop.

“Ow, what was that for?” Shaynen yanked his arm out of Ila’s grip. Holding his shoulder where the stop had hurt him.

“I don’t want treats,” Ila said quietly. They dropped their head and crossed their arms. Shaynen looked past Ila to their fathers. Both had their backs turned to him and Ila.

“What’s wrong? Is it your mom?” He asked. Ila nodded quietly. “Okay, but treats might make you feel better.”

“They won’t.” Ila said. Shaynen felt his excitement wither slightly. He watched Ila as he thought about the candied pacai.

“I’m sure your mom is just” Shaynen stumbled over his words for a second. “A visit! Yeah, she probably just went to visit a friend and got busy. You know how grown-ups get. They talk for ages! Just look! Our dads are doing it now.” Ila looked up and back to the platform where their fathers were still talking with their backs turned. Ila’s shoulders relaxed a little.

“You think so?” Ila asked. They shifted around. Uncomfortable and looking to Shaynen for a crumb of hope.

“Absolutely,” Shaynen said without a second thought. His smile lit up again. He took Ila’s hand. “How about we grab our treats, as many as we can carry, and go cloud sailing?”

“Didn’t your dad say to stay out of the trees?” Ila asked.

“My dad says a lot of things,” Shaynen shrugged. “Like we can have treats!” Ila finally giggled.

“All right,” Ila laughed.

“Race you!” Shaynen yelled. “Ready, set, go!” Shaynen turned and ran. Not hearing Ila yelling after him. He ran to the edge of the platform and jumped. Grabbing the branch and swinging up on top of it. Sparing a look down at Ila running on the bridge.

“You cheat!” They yelled as they ran on the bridge.

“You’re just jealous I’ll get there first!” Shaynen yelled back. He climbed up the tree and ran along branches. Jumping from branch to tree to platform. Glancing at his path but keeping his eye on Ila. Climbing the ladders and running the bridges. The pantry platform was one of the higher floors. It was also one of the few that was fully enclosed with netting and a ceiling. There was only a single bridge leading to it. Shaynen dropped from a hanging branch onto the platform heavily. Crossing it just before Ila reached it. Shaynen ran across the bridge, feeling Ila catching up behind him.

He jumped into the trunk of a tree, where worn grooves from the thousand others who’d climbed before him. He was up in the branches and climbing higher before Ila launched onto the ladder. Shaynen grabbed at a branch only for it to break.

“Heads!” He called as the broken bough fell. Ila took the lead, not looking back, as the pantry was in sight. Shaynen cursed. He climbed faster, higher into the tree. He jumped on to the branch. Ila made it to the last platform before the bridge to the pantry. Shaynen ran along the branch. Leaping from two trees’ intertwining branches. The branches thinned out. Below, the platform stretched. Ila was before him. Dropping from the branches before they ended would put Shaynen behind Ila. However, ahead there was another branch reaching toward him. The slight increase at the end of the platform where the bridge became an incline would slow Ila down. Shaynen sped up. The branch shook wildly under his momentum. Like a springboard, Shaynen jumped forward. Ila slowed to take the steps. Shaynen realized how far away the branch was in mid-air. He felt the thin end of the branch and dove forward to catch himself.

The branch snapped, Shaynen kept falling. He hit the bridge’s edge hard on his stomach. It knocked the wind out of him and made stars glitter in his vision.

“Shaynen!” Ila grabbed his arm and hauled him to the center of the bridge. His vision cleared to see the panic painted over Ila’s face. “Shaynen, are you okay?!”

“I’m okay,” Shaynen choked. He sat up and looked up at the pantry. He put his feet beneath him and started running. “I’m gonna win!”

“Shaynen, that's not funny!” Ila yelled. “Stop! The game’s over! Shaynen!” Shaynen looked up breathlessly at the tree that dropped him. At the base of the fallen branch was more of the black ick. He felt Ila swipe at him and he screamed in laughter. Running harder and sliding into the pantry. Hitting the first hanging canvas.

“First! I win!” Shaynen yelled. He looked back at Ila, who ran in afterwards and doubled over.

“You cheated,” they accused.

“Did not,” Shaynen snapped. “We never agreed to only run the bridges.”

“I can’t climb like you do,” Ila stood up. “You know that,”

“But I can’t run as fast as you,” Shaynen stepped forward. “If we just ran, you’d win,”

“But when you climb, you always win,” Ila whined. “And you always break something when you do!”

“Do not!”

“You broke two branches!”

Shaynen paused. Looking at the adults that were looking at the branch Shaynen had fallen from.

“So?” He asked with a shrug.

“So, what are you going to do next time? What if you fall out of the trees?” Ila’s eyes went wide as he thought about the fall to the ground. “You could hit the ground. Then what?”

“Then I climb back up,” Shaynen said with a shrug. “I fall all the time.” He turned to the pantry and peeked behind the walls of canvas and curtain.

“Where do you think they hid the pacai?” Shaynen asked. “Help me look,” Ila rolled their eyes but ran in and looked through the bags alongside Shaynen.