Escape from the Great Earthquake by Kate Messner

Author:Kate Messner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2017-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

The bird gave a little hop on its perch. Its tail feathers trembled.

“Do you sing?” Lily said, and whistled a few notes. The bird didn’t sing back. It looked out at Lily with scared black eyes.

I can’t, Lily thought. Not with all they had to carry. Not with the fire spreading and papers to save and still so far to go. But the bird’s bright feathers reminded her of Gum Gum’s shining golden scales, and her eyes burned. No, she thought.

“Yes,” she said. She took the cage and hurried back to May.

“Lily!” May said. “What —”

“He was going to be left behind,” she said quietly. “I couldn’t leave him.”

“But …” May started to say something but stopped. “Let’s go. It’s not far.”

The crowd thinned, and soon they reached the Wongs’ street. But another soldier on horseback stood guard at the top of the block. He held up a hand when the girls started toward him.

“No one’s allowed in the area,” he barked. “The mayor issued an order. Anyone stealing or looting is to be shot on sight.”

“We’re not looting,” Lily blurted.

“I live here,” May said. “And I have to —”

“No exceptions,” the soldier said.

Lily stared past him. She could see the Wongs’ store. It was so close.

“Please …” May stepped toward the officer.

Lily pulled her back. “We understand, sir,” Lily said, and hustled May around the corner.

“What do you mean, we understand?” May cried. Tears made trails down her dusty cheeks. “Without those papers —”

“You can’t force your way past the army,” Lily said. “But I have another idea.”

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