Ch2-Quarantine

CHAPTER TWO Quarantine "Cold…face," Annie said, her teeth chattering. "Y-yeah, yeah," said Jack. His breath billowed white into the sharp air. "I feel like a fat b-brown bear," said Annie. Jack laughed. He and Annie were covered with fur from head to toe. They wore fur pants, fur mittens, knee-high fur boots, and long fur jackets with fur hoods. "Welcome to Alaska," said Jack. He pulled up his hood and tied it tightly under his chin. Annie

did the same. Then they looked out the window together. The tree house had landed in one of a few trees at the edge of a snowy field. Beyond the field was a coastal town. The winter sun was setting over an ice-covered sea. "I wonder why we're needed to save lives here," said Jack. "Do you think something scary is about to happen?" said Annie. "Scary?" said Jack. "Like an earthquake or a volcano?" said Annie. "I don't know," Jack said. He picked up their guide to the Alaskan Territory. He pulled off one of his fur mittens, opened the book, and read: About 12,000 years ago, people and their dogs crossed a land bridge over the Bering Sea from Russia into Alaska. When they reached Alaska, they became the first humans and dogs to live in North America.

"Cool," said Annie. "I like the dog part." Jack kept reading: Until Russian explorers came to Alaska a few hundred years ago, only native Alaskan people lived there. For thousands of years, the native people survived by making use of the few resources of the rugged, icebound land. "Wow, they must be tough people," said Annie. "No kidding," said Jack. He read more: In the late 1800s, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia, and it became a territory of the U.S. "That's why this guide is called the Territory of Alaska," said Jack. "It's from 1925—that's before Alaska became a state." "Got it," said Annie. "Okay. Let's go find some lives to save." "Wait," said Jack. "Where's our magic?"

"Check your pockets," said Annie. Annie pulled off her mittens, and they both reached into the big side pockets of their parkas. "Got it!" said Jack as he pulled out the tiny gold box. "Me too!" said Annie. She held up the tiny stone box. "Gold dust, stardust," said Annie. "One to save lives, one to make everyone forget that we saved lives." "Yep," said Jack. "Let's not lose them." They tucked the boxes back into their pockets and put their mittens on. As Annie started down the tree house ladder, Jack crammed the Alaska guide into another one of his pockets. Then he clumsily followed Annie down the rope ladder in his bulky clothes. As they started across the snow-covered field, their boots squeaked in the snow. Jack's throat hurt from breathing the dry, cold air. In the fading winter light, they crossed a bridge and walked along a frozen creek until they came

to a boardwalk that ran along the icebound seashore. A sign said FRONT STREET. The town was empty. There were no old cars or wagons, only piles of ice and snow. As Jack and Annie tramped through the snow, they passed stores and saloons and restaurants with crooked signs and broken windows. They all looked abandoned. There were only a few shops that looked as if they were closed but still might

be in business: Nome Pharmacy, Nome Laundry, and Nome Bakery. "I guess we're in Nome," said Annie. "Good guess," said Jack. He took off one of his mittens, pulled out their Alaska guide, and found Nome. He read: Around 1900, gold was discovered in Nome, a remote Alaskan town on the Bering Sea. More than 30,000 gold seekers rushed to the boom town. But within ten years, Nome's gold rush was over, and the town fell on hard times. "Hard times? No kidding," said Annie. "Nome looks more like a ghost town than a boom town." "Let's keep going," said Jack. He pulled his mitten back on and put their guide in his pocket. As he and Annie kept walking down the snowcovered boardwalk, they passed the Dream Movie Theater and the Golden Gate Hotel. Both had signs that said: TEMPORARILY CLOSED.