第6部分(第1/8 頁)

kite　seemed　forever　away。

Then　below　me　I　noticed　Bryce　ing　around　the　corner　and　through　the　vacant　lot。　And　I

could　tell　from　the　way　he　was　looking　up　that　this　was

his　kite。

What　a　lucky；　lucky　kite　this　was　turning　out　to　be！

“Can　you　climb　that　high？”　he　called　up　to　me。

“Sure！”　I　called　back。　And　up；　up；　up　I　went！

The　branches　were　strong；　with　just　the　right　amount　of　intersections　to　make　climbing　easy。

And　the　higher　I　got；　the　more　amazed　I　was　by　the

view。　I'd　never　seen　a　view　like　that！　It　was　like　being　in　an　airplane　above　all　the　rooftops；

above　the　other　trees。　Above　the　world！

Then　I　looked　down。　Down　at　Bryce。　And　suddenly　I　got　dizzy　and　weak　in　the　knees。　I　was

miles　off　the　ground！　Bryce　shouted；　“Can　you　reach

it？”

I　caught　my　breath　and　managed　to　call　down；　“No　problem！”　then　forced　myself　to

concentrate　on　those　blue　and　yellow　stripes；　to　focus　on　them

and　only　them　as　I　shinnied　up；　up；　up。　Finally　I　touched　it；　I　grasped　it；　I　had　the　kite　in　my

hand！

But　the　string　was　tangled　in　the　branches　above　and　I　couldn't　seem　to　pull　it　free。　Bryce

called；　“Break　the　string！”　and　somehow　I　managed　to

do　just　that。

When　I　had　the　kite　free；　I　needed　a　minute　to　rest。　To　recover　before　starting　down。　So

instead　of　looking　at　the　ground　below　me；　I　held　on　tight

and　looked　out。　Out　across　the