White Cave Escape by Jennifer McGrath Kent Page B

called. “Are you okay?”
    Shawn started to get up, and then fell back—he was still anchored to the ground by the tree root. Gingerly, he worked his fingers loose and pulled his hand free of the root’s life-saving grip. His fingers were a rosy purple. There was a black bruise running across his palm, and his knuckles were starting to swell to an impressive size. Wincing, he wiggled his fingers carefully. They hurt, but at least he could move them.
    â€œShawn?” It was Craig’s voice now.
    Shawn poked his head over the cliff and looked down. Dizziness washed over him as he realized just how high they had climbed. His friends and his little brother still clung to the wall like ants.
    â€œI’m okay,” he said, stretching his good arm down over the ledge towards them. “Come on up and take my hand. I’ll pull you over the tricky bit.”

chapter
16

Race for the White Caves
    â€œWow. That was extreme,” wheezed Tony.
    They were all sprawled, panting, on the clifftop. Once Shawn had hauled Craig over the ledge, the two brothers had worked together to pull the other three to safety.
    â€œWe should get extra phys. ed. credit for that,” added Tony. Below them, the valley was engulfed in flames.
    There was no time to rest. On either side, lines of fire were closing in on them. The five young people staggered to their feet and sprinted through the smoke-filled forest. Spot fires were now springing up all around them, spawned by the countless sparks that swirled like sinister seed pods through the toxic air.
    A trail appeared in front of them. As one, they swung onto it. Then Colin yelled and pointed to a piece of red-painted tin nailed to a crooked pine tree.
    â€œIt’s a trail marker! I recognize this spot! I know where we are,” Colin said excitedly as he ran to the tree. “The White Caves should be just on the other side of that gully!” Colin pointed across a tree-filled ravine to their right.
    At that second, there was a loud WHOOSH!
    Behind them, an expansive beech tree exploded into flames. Immediately, the trees on either side of the great beech ignited into twin fireballs. Like mutating meteors, the fireballs leapt from treetop to treetop.
    â€œCrown fire!” yelled Petra, staring in horror at the approaching inferno.
    â€œ RUN !” shouted all the kids together. They dove into the ravine, skidding and sliding on its shifting carpet of dead leaves and pine needles.
    â€œWe’re never going to reach the caves in time,” moaned Petra.
    â€œThere must be something we can do!” panted Shawn as he vaulted over a dead log. “What does your Uncle Daryl say? How do you survive a forest fire?”
    â€œYou don’t,” Petra answered through clenched teeth. “You avoid a forest fire…you don’t survive it.”
    Petra shook her head as she stumbled after him. “We tried, Shawn. We tried harder than anything. You tried harder than anything, but…” A single tear slid down her sooty cheek. “Nobody can outrun a fire like this. Nobody can survive—that.” She gestured hopelessly at the approaching firestorm. She smiled sideways at him and gave a sad little shrug of her shoulder. “It’s game over. I guess you can’t win ’em all.”
    Shawn’s throat tightened painfully. In spite of the danger, he stopped short and spun Petra around to face him. His serious grey eyes held her frightened green ones. “Listen,” he said. “Maybe we can’t win them all, but we’re going to win this one. Do you hear me? Because there is no way I am losing you or Craig or Tony or even…” Shawn winced just a little. “Or even Colin, today. Understand?”
    â€œWhat about Hobie?” said Petra in a choked voice.
    â€œHe’ll turn up,” said Shawn. “I know he will.”
    â€œGuys!” Tony was galloping back towards them. “What