7 A Safe Place

7 A SAFE PLACE "Jack! Jack! Are you awake?" said Annie. Jack blinked a few times. "What?" he asked groggily. It was dark, and the night was still. The rain had stopped. The water was calm. Branches and boards gently bumped against the roof raft. "Look at that castle!" said Annie. "What castle?" said Rose. "What castle?" echoed Jack. In a daze, he looked around at the darkness. "Over there," said Annie.

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A full moon peeked out from the clouds. Moonlight shone on castle towers rising above the water. "Oh, man," said Jack. "Is that a real castle?" "No, I'm afraid not," said Rose. "It's a school run by Catholic nuns. It's called the Ursuline Academy." "Ursuline Academy?" said Jack. He sat straight up, fully awake. "Ursuline Academy!" exclaimed Annie. "I don't believe it!" "What? Why?" asked Rose. "That's a safe place!" said Annie. "We read about it in our Texas book! People survived the hurricane there!" "What are you talking about?" said Rose. "Annie, you're remembering the description in our guidebook," Jack said quickly. "The book just said it was a 'tall, sturdy building'. You must have dreamed the rest."

"Oh, right," Annie said. "I dreamed it. But it definitely looks like a tall, sturdy place. Doesn't it?" "It looks dark," said Rose. "I know," said Annie. "But I'll bet lots of people are inside the Ursuline Academy. And I feel like they're safe." "I'm feeling that, too," said Jack. "I think we should go there." "But how do we get there?" said Rose. "Jack and I can get in the water and push the roof," said Annie. "We're good swimmers." "Oh, no, no. That's too dangerous," said Rose. "There's wreckage everywhere." "Maybe we can use some of it," said Annie. "What do you mean?" said Rose. "We could try to find something to use as paddles," said Annie. "Good idea," said Jack.

He and Annie leaned over the edge of the raft, searching the water. Jack lifted up part of a chair. Annie retrieved a torn basket. "These won't work," said Jack. They put them back into the water. "Hey, this might," said Annie. She hauled a flat wooden fence picket onto the raft. "Try it," said Jack. Annie knelt on the roof. She pushed the narrow slat through the water. The raft moved—but only a little. "We need a second paddle," said Annie. "For the other side." "Look, a broom," said Jack. He lifted a broomstick out of the water. A flat bundle of wet straw was tied tightly at the end. Jack pushed the straw end of the broom through the water. At the same time, Annie pushed with her fence-paddle. "We're moving!" said Rose.

Jack and Annie kept paddling the raft toward the moonlit towers of the Ursuline Academy. As they drew closer, they saw that the massive building was partly damaged. Its tall, arched windows were smashed. But suddenly a light appeared. "Hello!" Rose shouted. "Hello!" a woman called back. "Is it safe inside?" Rose called. "I have children with me!" "Yes! We can help!" the woman called. Jack and Annie kept paddling their roof- raft through the water. When they got nearer to the academy, Jack could see two women at the window. Both were dressed in black robes with large white collars. Their heads were covered. Jack realized that they must be Catholic nuns. The younger woman held a lantern. The older one was leaning out the window. "Keep paddling! You're going to make it!" she called to them.