5 First Light

5 FIRST LIGHT A rooster crowed outside. "Wake up, Jack! It's first light!" said Annie. Jack opened his eyes. Light came through the windowpanes. The fire had gone out. The room was freezing. Jack wanted to stay in his sleeping bag. But he stretched and got up with Annie. They pulled on their parkas, hiking boots, and gloves. They rolled up their sleeping bags and pulled on their backpacks. Annie opened the blue door, and she and Jack slipped out of Ama's Tea House. As they hurried through the gray dawn, Jack could see his breath in the cold air. Villagers were already at work. Small children were feeding chickens. An old woman was milking a cow. Girls were herding sheep into the frosty pasture.

Jack and Annie tramped through the tall grass. They climbed the path to Tenzin's house. To Jack's surprise, the frail-looking man was standing outside. He wore no jacket, gloves, or shoes. "Good morning!" Tenzin said. "Are you ready to hike up that hill?" He pointed at the rocky slope rising above his hut. The hill looked like a high mountain to Jack! "You mean hike up that mountain?" he said. Tenzin smiled. "Some may call it a mountain," he said. "But to me, it is only a high hill." "What's up there?" asked Annie.

"If we are blessed, we will see the Gray Ghost," said Tenzin. "Oh, wow," whispered Annie. "Um…so the Gray Ghost isn't just a character in a story?" said Jack. "No. She is real," said Tenzin. "Very real." "Oh…she's real," Jack said in a small voice. "You okay with that?" Annie whispered to him. He nodded and looked back at Tenzin. "But— don't you need warmer clothes? Or at least shoes?" Jack asked. "I have climbed all my life without shoes," said Tenzin. "I am not afraid to do so now." "But do you feel strong enough?" said Jack. "Yes!" said Tenzin. "The letter you read to me last evening stirred some memories. It has brought back a bit of strength." "So…how far do you think we should hike?" asked Jack. "Until the Gray Ghost sees us," said Tenzin. "You mean until we see her?" said Annie. "No. She can best be seen when one is not looking for her," Tenzin said. How do you not look for something that you're looking for? thought Jack. "One can even gaze right at her and fail to see her," said Tenzin.

"So, what does one do to find her?" Annie asked. "One can only hope to be in the right place at the right time," said Tenzin. Annie smiled. "I understand," she said. She does? thought Jack. "Good. Then let us begin our journey!" said Tenzin. He turned and started hiking up the rock- covered slope behind his hut. "Ready?" Annie asked Jack. "No. Listen—we shouldn't encourage him," said Jack. "Ama said he's not been well. He's not dressed warmly enough, and he's not making sense. We have to stop him." "How?" said Annie. "I don't know," said Jack. Then he shouted, "TENZIN!" Tenzin turned around and waved at them. "Leave your backpacks by my door!" he shouted. "Follow me to higher ground!" And he started hiking up the slope again. "Oh, man," said Jack. "What should we do?" "Wait, wait—did he just say higher ground?" said Annie. She grabbed Morgan's note from her pocket. She read aloud: Ask those around you

Where the ghost can be found. Follow the one Who says "higher ground." "Yes! Tenzin said Morgan's words!" said Annie. "He literally said, Follow me to higher ground!" "Whoa," said Jack. "So we have to follow him!" said Annie. "We don't have a choice!" Jack took a deep breath. "You're right," he said. He and Annie set their backpacks outside Tenzin's door. Then they started up the rocky slope, following Tenzin to higher ground.