Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 Again, Oscar felt as though he were being attacked by a wild animal, a monster with burning tentacles and boiling breath. It grabbed him, clawed at him, and spun him around. Smoke gushed into his nose and down his throat, filling his lungs with searing poison. His couldn't open his eyes, but he knew the fire was all around him. He dropped to the ground, crawling blindly, groping for the door. But he had no idea where he was. It was like being trapped in a flaming maze. His lungs were ready to explode. Was this the end? Was he really going to die right here? And then he heard a voice.

"This way! This way!" Mama? "Turn right! Turn right!" the voice shouted, tugging him, guiding him. Oscar turned. No, it wasn't Mama's voice. It was Jennie's. "Yes! Now straight! Hurry!" And then he felt a hand on his arm, pulling him up. Seconds later he was out the door. He was just steps away from the house when there was a terrifying whoosh and an explosion of hot air. They rushed forward, and Jennie grabbed Bruno from where he had been hiding behind a barrel. They ran across the street and fell to the ground. Oscar's head throbbed; his entire body felt as if it had been roasted. He lay back and closed his eyes. For a long minute, he stayed there, trying to catch his breath. He might have stayed like that for hours. But only a minute or so passed before he felt someone

breathing in his face. He opened his eyes and saw a huge curly head hovering over him with wide-open eyes. Bruno. "Hey! You not dead!" he croaked out happily. "Hush, Bruno!" Jennie whispered. "That is not a polite thing to say!" "But he not dead!" Bruno insisted, putting his face even closer to Oscar's, so his slimy little nose touched Oscar's nose. Then he put his gooey mouth to Oscar's ear and whispered, "You not dead." The kid wasn't going to quit. Oscar put his hand on Bruno's head. "I know," he said. Jennie kneeled down and gently peeled Bruno away from Oscar. "Let's give him a little room," Jennie said. Oscar managed to sit up. He stared ahead at the little house, which was being torn apart by the flames. The wood moaned and sighed as it collapsed into the fire, as if crying out in pain. It was sickening, like watching a rabbit get torn apart by a coyote.

Bruno wriggled closer to Oscar until his small shoulder pressed against Oscar's arm. "My house," he said, pointing sadly. Oscar didn't know what to say, so he just put an arm around the boy. The fire burned so bright that it lit up all their faces. It was the first time Jennie had the chance to get a good look at Oscar. Now Oscar waited to see the shock in her eyes when she realized who he was. But there was no flash of recognition. She looked exactly how Oscar felt: scared, dazed, and amazed to be alive. Their eyes locked together, and Oscar could tell that Jennie didn't recognize the kid she'd tricked at the train station. She saw a different boy, the boy who'd helped her and Bruno escape from the fire. And as Oscar looked at Jennie, he didn't see a helpless orphan or a ruthless thief. He saw a brave girl who watched over her brother all by herself, whose voice had led Oscar out of the blazing house in the nick of time.

And then there was Bruno, who grinned at Oscar as though they'd been best friends all their lives. "I Boono," he said, looking up at Oscar and puffing out his chest. "I'm Oscar," Oscar said. "Occar," Bruno said. "I'm Jennie," Jennie said. They all sat there a minute, looking at each other. Had he and Jennie really only just laid eyes on each other tonight? Oscar eased his arm from around Bruno and struggled to his feet, brushing the dust and ashes off his burned clothes. His body ached, but his mind felt surprisingly clear. He knew exactly what to do. "We need to get to the Palmer House hotel," he said. He said the word we very clearly. "My mother is there," Oscar said. "The hotel is fireproof. We'll be safe there." Oscar picked up Bruno and held out his free hand to Jennie. She took it, and gripped it tight.

And together they began their journey through Chicago's burning streets.