Rescue Mission by Jennifer Li Shotz

Author:Jennifer Li Shotz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-08-21T04:00:00+00:00

12

BEN FOUGHT THE FATIGUE THAT COURSED through his body.

After the initial burst of adrenaline as he and Hero busted out of the hospital, the effects of the snake venom—and all the medicine he’d been given to counteract it—had returned. Each foot felt like it weighed a hundred pounds, and every step took immense effort. He trudged down the road. Hero slowed his pace so Ben could keep up. He stopped every few yards, looked back at Ben, and waited.

The sun had come up quickly. It was a bright, cool morning, and they walked on a sleepy residential street. The sun was soothing and warm on Ben’s face after the long night in the dark woods and a chilly hospital room.

It was Sunday, and only a few early risers were out on their porches, grabbing the morning paper or sipping coffee in their bathrobes. They’d wave at Ben, and he’d give a weak half wave with his good hand. As Ben and Hero walked, the houses grew sparser, with more land between them.

They were getting closer to the edge of the woods.

They hadn’t traveled more than a mile when Ben had to stop.

“Wait, Hero,” he said. Ben dropped onto the curb to rest.

Hero doubled back, his nails clacking on the asphalt. He stopped in front of Ben, his tail up and his brow furrowed. Hero barked once.

“I know, buddy,” Ben said. “I want to get there too. But I just need a second.”

Hero whined and pranced a little with his front paws. He ran a few feet away, in the direction they had been heading, then stopped and looked back.

Ben put his head down on his knees to steady himself, gathering his strength. A wave of nausea passed, and he felt energy returning to his limbs. He needed to get himself up off the curb and back on his feet. Hero was his dad’s best shot, and right now, Ben was keeping Hero from helping.

“Your dog looks like he’s in a hurry,” came a voice from nearby.

Ben’s head shot up.

A boy straddled a bike in the road and stared at them. He was about Ben’s age, with shaggy brown hair and glasses. He was wearing jeans and an Atlanta Braves sweatshirt.

“Um, yeah,” Ben said, his voice hoarse.

“Why?”

Ben wasn’t sure how to answer that.

Even if he wanted to tell a stranger about his dad, the escaped convicts, the snakebite, and Hero’s search-and-rescue skills, there was no way this kid would believe him.

Ben didn’t need to worry about what to say, though. The boy wasn’t waiting for an answer.

“You in some kind of trouble?” the kid asked.

“No—not really,” Ben said. He realized as he said it how unconvincing he sounded.

“You kind of look like you’re in trouble.”

Hero wandered back to Ben and sat down in front of him—placing himself between Ben and the stranger. He eyed the boy suspiciously.

Ben stood up, trying hard not to look too unsteady. He could see the boy on the bike taking mental notes of his bandaged arm, his heavy backpack.

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