Living Like A Lion-The Prisoner

Chapters 13-16

13.Building Our Home

In the morning I woke to find Tom gone; but as soon as I left the house, I could hear a pounding. I walked up to the pine and reached up to the first branch; then using all my lion strength, I pulled myself up. Over and over I reached and pulled until I reached the top. Tom was there, finishing the floor that spread among all the branches. “Wow,” I gasped as I sat on the floor, running my hand along the planks.

“You like?” he asked as he glanced at me, while pounding the last nail in.

“Yes, very. How long have you been up?” I replied as I stood and didn't have to worry about branches hitting my head because he had cut off a few layers of branches.

“A couple hours,” he sighed as he jumped and landed on the branch above me.

“How can I help?” I asked as he easily leaped from the branch and onto my back.

“I need more planks; so if you tie them here, I can pull them up,” he explained as he got off my back and showed me the rope.

“Okay!” I roared as I jumped down, branch to branch; then I dashed into the house and grabbed an armful of planks. I carried them to the rope and quickly figured out the best way to tie them. I carefully tie them before Tom pulled them up.

“James grab your sling and come up here,” Tom yelled as he stared down at me; so I ran back inside and grabbed it. I raced back to the tree and began to ascend.

“Here, let me help you,” he chuckled as he took my sling and helped me put it on. “Alright, now can you hold the planks for me?” he asked and I nodded; then he climbed higher into the tree and I placed a plank up before he nailed it into place.

After hours of nailing and pounding our roof was done; so I went down and tied melons in our blankets before Tom pulled them up. I grabbed the bags and climbed up quickly. I finished helping set up and grabbed my knife as I told, “I'm going to hunt.”

“Okay James, but stay close,” he commanded as he hung upside down.

“I don't need to go far. I can smell a bird nest,” I roared before I dashed through a couple of trees, being careful not to miss a branch; then I came across a large oak. There was a hole and I peered in. I saw a large blue bird and about four eggs. I quickly whipped my knife through the bird's neck; then I placed the knife and eggs into my sling, while I carried the bird by the wing. I hurried back, jumping branch to branch.

“Good hunt?” Tom asked as I laid the bird and eggs onto my blanket.

“Yes very. Do you want some?” I inquired as I leaned back against the trunk.

“Um sure. Just an egg though,” he replied and I handed him a egg, which he cracked and drank the contents. I ate the rest in a matter of minutes, while he ran to the garden. He returned with a small melon and quickly devoured it.

“Do you think anyone will find us here?” I asked as I stuck the last egg in my mouth, shell and all.

“There are about five people that pop into my mind,” he answered quickly as he counted them on his fingers.

“Robi, Annie, Kelly, and Tilly?” I questioned as I pulled the blanket tighter around me.

“Yes, and maybe Billy,” he replied as he curled under his blanket. “Let's sleep for a while.” We both fell asleep quickly.

14.Where Were You?

When I woke up, Tom was gone; so I hurried through the branches, collecting squirrels as I ran. I went back to our tree house and hung the squirrels, tying with vines to the branches above. I ate one of the squirrels, while I thought of how strange it was that Tom wasn't back yet. I shrugged it off before hurrying down to gather melons. I hung the melons beside the squirrels before slicing one and eating half; then I drank the last of the water in my canteen. I slowly climbed to the top of the pine tree and surveyed the area. I noticed a stream a little ways from the cottage; then I climbed back down and grabbed most of our canteens. I easily slipped down to the ground and ran to the stream, while the canteens bounced on my back. I knelt by the stream and filled the canteens before climbing into the nearest tree. I hung the canteens on the branch above me before lying with one leg and one arm on each side; then I fell asleep.