I couldn't make out much to either side of us through the dense hedging but I could hear them scurrying around, searching for us. My stomach muscles clenched and I gripped the hilt of one of my knives.
"Burn bushes!" One of them, who seemed more capable of coherent speech, screeched from across the clearing and they all started howling and yammering with excitement. The Creeper on top of the truck's belly started jumping up and down, slamming his fists into the metal and kicking at the exhaust pipe until it came free.
He kept smashing at the metal until oil poured from one of the burst pipes. The smell of it wafted across and caught in the back of my throat. I resisted the urge to cough and pressed my hand over my mouth.
A spark went up on the other side of the truck and thick, grey smoke started to billow all around us as the damp vegetation resisted the flames.
"What are we going to do? There's so many of them," Laurie whispered, wide eyed. She had both of her pistols drawn but they were pressed into the dirt by her feet.
"I'm thinking," Coal replied, his eyes still moving constantly, trying to locate his sister.
"Maybe we should just run?" I suggested. Coal shook his head and started tapping the tip of his knife against his knee.
I looked at Laurie, unsure what to do. The knife had started to pierce the fabric on Coal's trouser leg and I reached over to still his hand just as the first drops of blood spilled out.
"I can't leave Alicia. If I knew where she was I might be able to form a plan." He started to look up towards the treetops as if he might find her there.
Five bushes around the clearing were crackling away now, aided by the oil from the truck. It was only a matter of time before they lit ours. Groups of Creepers waited by the burning bushes to grab anyone who tried to break free.
"Use us, form a plan with us," I urged him in hushed tones. "Alicia will help as soon as she can see what we're doing."
Coal frowned at me for a moment before looking up again. There was a towering tree above us with leaves so densely packed that it explained the lack of other growth in the clearing below.
"We need to go up." He pointed. "Those roots reach into the other edge of this bush. We'll have to go quickly to avoid them spotting us."
"What if they do?" Laurie asked.
"Don't stop, if we can reach some high ground we can use the guns to keep them down and hopefully find a way out of here." He glanced around once more for Alicia.
"Maybe we'll be able to spot her from up there," I suggested, laying my hand on his arm.
"Okay, I'll go first. Let me get up there and then I can help pull you two up quickly behind me." He set his jaw and started to push through the thorny embrace of the bush towards the tree.
It was painstakingly slow work. We had to move carefully to avoid making the bush tremble and give us away. Thorns tore into our clothes and tangled our hair. Several times we had to help each other to get free of them, resorting to cutting our way out with our knives.
The roots of the tree were huge. They twisted and braided together, forming a sort of cage which knotted with the edge of the thorn bush. We pushed our way into a dip that had formed beneath them. There were small gaps and holes above us which we used to check on the Creepers. At the base of the tree trunk, there was a hole big enough for us to squeeze through.
Coal turned to look at us and gestured that we should wait while he went on up, I watched him push through the roots and bit my lip. My grip tightened on my knife as a shadow passed our hiding spot but it moved away without incident.
I shifted closer to the hole Coal had disappeared through and saw
him perched on a branch high above us. He motioned for me to follow and I sheathed my knife before squeezing up next to the colossal trunk.
I pressed myself close to the rough bark and checked around cautiously to see if any Creepers were approaching. The clearing was on the other side of the tree and we were draped in the shadows cast by the overhanging branches. The rain had finally come to an end and all that remained was the constant dripping of the newly drenched woodland.
I looked up and saw a branch just above my head. Taking a deep breath, I jumped and caught it. I heaved my weight upwards and tried not to make too much noise as my feet scrambled for purchase. Finally, I was on the branch and I looked up again to see Coal reaching down for me. I gave him my hand. This time I practically flew up to the next branch as Coal tugged me skyward, his shoulder muscles bunching with the effort as he set me on my feet and pressed me back against the trunk.
Laurie was right behind me. Together we started to climb up into the green canopy, putting a barrier between us and the circling Creepers below.
We came to a stop on a high branch overlooking the clearing, and started our search for signs of Alicia.
I caught sight of something that could have been silvery hair and leaned out to get a better look. I moved onto my toes, reaching as far as I dared. A sudden gust of wind blew through the treetops making the branch beneath my feet sway violently and I lost my balance.
My hands flew out and I grabbed a small twig which couldn't hold my weight and snapped, the sharp end digging into my palm. My arms spun wildly before I fell heavily onto the branch below, sending a scattering of debris tumbling down to the ground.
I wrapped my arms and legs around the thick limb and the bark scraped my cheek. I held my breath and opened my eyes to peer down into the clearing.
A Creeper stopped in his tracks and looked at the pile of leaves and twigs that I had dislodged. He turned and slowly looked up at the tree where I shrank into the branch, hoping he couldn't see me.