A cloud of dust billowed around Jack. He couldhardly breathe. He couldn't see. But he could hearAnnie coughing.
Jack opened his mouth to dust filled his throat.
"Jack!" Between coughs, Annie shouted his name.
"Jack!""I'm here!" he said hoarsely.
"I think I'm in trouble," she said.
Jack tried to sit up. He hurt all over. His clotheswere ripped and covered with dirt. His cap was gone.
"Where are you?" he called.
"Here!" said Annie.
Jack started to stand. But he fell down again. Hislegs were like rubber.
"Wh-where?" he repeated. Jack cleaned his glasses,then looked around. But he still couldn't see Anniethrough the thick haze of dust.
"I fell into the ground!" said Annie. Jack crawled inthe direction of Annie's voice.
"Keep talking," he said.
"Here"--she coughed--"here!"Jack felt a ledge with his hands. He looked downinto a huge crack in the street. Through the dust, hecould see Annie right below him.
"You found me!" she said between coughs.
"I'll pull you out," said Jack.
He grabbed Annie's hands. He tried to pull her outof the crack, but she was too heavy.
"I can't do it," he said.
"Bring me something to stand on," Annie said.
"Maybe I can get out by myself."Jack stood up and stumbled away from the crack.
He gathered an armload of bricks. Then he went backto the crack and handed them down to Annie, one byone.
Annie carefully stacked the bricks on top of eachother.
"I need more," she said.
Jack ran to get more bricks. He was afraid there'dbe another earthquake and the crack would close-withAnnie inside!
He handed the bricks down to her.
"Hurry!" he said.
"I'm hurrying," she said.
At last, Annie finished stacking the bricks. Shestood on the stack. With her bare hands, she slowlypulled herself up.
Jack helped her stand. She was covered with dirt.
Her stockings were torn. Her knees were skinned.
"Are you hurt?" Jack asked.
"A little scraped," said Annie. "How about you?""A little shaky," said Jack. Actually, he was veryshaky.
"Me too," said Annie.
"I think San Francisco just had a really hugeearthquake," Jack said. He coughed. His throat wasclogged with dust.
Annie coughed, too.
"What's the book say?" she said.
Jack pulled his research book out of his leather bag.
His hands were trembling. He could hardly turn thepages.
"I'll find it," said Annie. She took the book from himand found a picture of a torn-up street.
She read aloud:
At 5:13 A.M. on April 18, 1906, the people of SanFrancisco were shaken awake by one of the biggestearthquakes the United States has ever known. Somecalled it "the Great Shake.""No wonder we feel shaky," said Jack.
"I wonder if a lot of people got hurt," said Annie.
They looked around. Through the dust-filled air,families were stumbling out of their crumblinghouses. They all were barefoot and still wore theirnightclothes.
Some babies and small children were crying. Butstrangely, the grown-ups were all silent. They juststared at the torn-up street and crumbling houses.
"Everyone must be in shock," said Annie.
"I know how they feel," said Jack. He gazed at therubble all around them. He didn't know what to do.
He couldn't think clearly.
Annie looked at the book again. She read aloud:
Just after the earthquake, broken chimneys, stoves,and lamps caused terrible fires. The fires raged forthree days, nearly destroying all of San Francisco.
Over 28,000 buildings burned down.
"That's terrible," breathed Jack.
In the distance, a cloud of black smoke was rollingthrough the sky.
"The fires are starting!" said Annie. |