The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapter 57

Chapter 57- Crash Landing

Ethan

Jane is huddled in one corner of the basket as we plum met towards the ground, her eyes clamped tightly shut as she holds on for dear life. At a certain point I had to cut the propane off completely, the storm arrived too fast, and a gradual fall was too risky. Now we’re being batted around like a ping-pong ball trapped in some macabre game played by the gods of thunder and lightning, and it’s only getting worse.

When the nylon balloon tears, true fear slices through me for the first time. Up until then I was worried but optimistic: as long as the balloon was intact and we stayed in the basket, eventually we’d have to land. However one of those factors just got shredded, and the other was about to go right out the window with it. Still, I had to take the risk – for Jane’s sake if not my own.

Wrapping one of the dangling ballast ropes around my wrist, 1 begin climbing onto the edge of the basket, edging around to the side of the balloon that tore. Just then a terri fied but familiar voice reaches my ears, “Ethan, what are you doing?!”

“I have to fix the tear!” I shout back.

“It’s too dangerous!” Jane screams, crawling out of her corner and trying to cross over to me, as if she wants to pull me back inside.

“I have to!” I call back, holding out a hand to stop her fran tic movement, “Just stay there and let me do this. There’s no other way.”

To my immense relief she obeys, watching me with eyes as wide as dinner plates. Climbing up the rigging, it takes nearly all my strength to hold on as we careen through the air, but eventually I manage to reach the tear. Grasping one side of the nylon with one hand, I take a deep breath and let go of the ropes long enough to reach out and grab the other side of the ripped envelope.

Bringing the two sides together, I quickly tie the shredded ends and loop my arms and legs through the ropes crisscross ing over the balloon, stabilizing myself as I prepare to ride out the rest of this disastrous flight. The base is more secure now, but I’m going to have to hold the sides of the tear to prevent it from ripping further at the top. Luckily these mountains are high enough that we aren’t far from the ground now, but we still have a crash landing to survive.

watch the mountains draw nearer, occasionally illuminated by blinding flashes of lightning. The last thing I wanted was for her to be harmed. She has to survive this and not only because she means the world to me, but because if it comes down to one of us, the pups need her far more than they need me suming they’re mine at

as –

like a ton of bricks, and I throw myself free of the balloon a second

me look at you.” I murmur, checking over her small body, “Are you all right?

little blonde strip of

of pride that she’s seeking me for comfort, I return her hug and bury my head in

shakes her head against my rain-drenched shirt, and I

forest around us. Looking hesi tantly around, she slowly turns her attention back to me. Pushing away from my embrace, she slashes her hand to wards my bicep and I catch it reflexively, not allowing her swat to land. “What is wrong with you? How could you take me up in that

my arms, “I’m so sorry, I never would have

face is buried in my chest, and she grumbles some thing indecipherable. I’m sure it was an accusation of insult of some sort, but as long as she’s hugging me, I don’t care what names she wants to call me. I could gladly do this all day. However when I finally push her away, deciding we’d better try to find some shelter, she’s not

I thought you were g-going to die and-” She sobs, staring at me with a look of

the sudden pang in my heart quickly, “T” m sorry

her cheek then, and | catch her hand as carefully as I can. Angry red gashes dot her palms, and I spy a few shards of glass imbedded in her skin. The champagne glasses must have broken. Tsking softly, I look around us for a suitable spot to wait

from the temple.” | announce, glancing back at Jane. “Are you up for a little walk – I don’t think

informs me grumpily. “But I’m not

| chuckle softly, leading

Jane yelps, trying and failing to jerk

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