The Lost Tribes #1 by Christine Taylor-Butler

Author:Christine Taylor-Butler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Charlesbridge Moves
Published: 2015-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

On the Run

CHAPTER THIRTY

Escape

“To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else”

Emily Dickinson

Thursday, October 30

Thump! Thump!

Ben flies down the court, dodging his opponents, dribbling the ball like a pro. The State Championship hangs in the balance. He ducks and weaves, then passes the ball to the right.

Yes!

His teammate takes the lead, rushing toward the basket. In a sudden, preplanned move, his teammate fakes out the guard and passes the ball to Ben who is in position.

Thump! Thump!

Ben dribbles, reverses direction, fakes a pass, and then shoots. It is going … going …

BLAAM!

Score! Three point shot!

“Ben!”

Ben waves to his adoring fans and is greeted with thunderous applause. The score is tied. Thirty seconds left on the clock. Ben swivels to block the forward. The forward shoots.

Miss!

Ben defies gravity as he swoops into the air to rebound.

“Yes! Ladies and Gentleman,” the announcer proclaims, “if Ben Webster were a bird he’d fly away.”

Thump! Thump!

Ben charges down the court, showboating, dribbling from one hand to the other. Out of nowhere, someone knocks him to the ground.

BLAAM!

Foul!

“Get up!” the crowd roars. Ben hears the rhythmic stomping from the bleachers.

Thump! Thump!

“Ben!”

“Yes! They’re shouting his name! The San Diego Cobras are undefeated. Ben is the Sunnyslope Jaguar’s only hope of victory. If he can nail the free throw, the game is assured. He just needs to … ”

Thump!

“Get up!”

Someone shook him violently. “Hurry!”

Ben slowly opened his eyes. “What? Did the alarm go off? I didn’t hear …” Words slurring, he drifted back to sleep, “… ten seconds left on the clock. He makes the shot. It’s going … going …”

BLAAM!

“Ben, PLEASE! Get up now!”

Wet sandpaper scraped against his cheek. The fog cleared. Aris sat on his chest and licked him repeatedly. Groggy, Ben tried to concentrate and saw the urgency on his mother’s face. “What’s going on?”

“No time.” She tugged his arm, pulled him out of bed and through the bedroom door. His backpack was slung over her shoulder. Ben blinked and allowed his eyes to adjust. His father carried April on his back as he rushed down the staircase. Aris followed close behind.

“Mom? What’s going on?”

“Shhh!” his mother hissed. “Just hurry!”

Ben ran back and grabbed something off his desk.

“Ben!”

His mother spun him. Eyes wide in surprise, she snatched the Dogon pouch from his hand and kissed it as if it were a miracle, then shoved it in her pocket. She didn’t ask where it came from.

The family flew out the back door, through the garden and toward the garage.

BLAAM!

The night sky turned shades of bright orange and red. Stunned, Ben looked back in time to see something explode into flames down the street. A bolt of lightning shot upward from behind the Lopez’s garage. Paradise Circle was suddenly covered by a barrier that resembled a giant, pulsating soap bubble. Fingers of blue light arched across the shimmering film. It reminded Ben of the electrical spikes he made when he touched a Van de Graaff generator. Only this time, he was inside the glass container instead of outside.

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