Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6 Finally the shaking stopped. It was pitch-dark. Except for Harry's soft cries, everything was completely silent. "Ben?" Harry said, his voice barely a whimper. "We're okay," Ben said. And somehow they were. As the dust settled, Ben could see wreckage all over the floor — broken roof tiles, huge chunks of wood and plaster. The bed had protected them. The panic started to creep back, cold hands climbing up Ben's spine. His mind began to swirl with questions.

Where were Mom and Ojisan? What had happened to the rest of the house? He and Harry had managed to survive the shaking. But what if Mom and Ojisan hadn't found a safe place? What if the earthquake started again? What if… He closed his eyes again and took a deep breath, than another. His thoughts slowed down enough for Ben to remember that Mom had been trained by the air force, just like Dad. She knew how to take care of herself. And Ojisan had built this house himself. He'd know where they would be safe. Harry huddled close to Ben, crying hard. "I'm scared," he sobbed. Ben patted his back and tried to comfort him. But Harry was screaming now, worse than when Dr. Sato told him he'd need stitches. Patting him on the back wasn't working. "Jedi knights have to be strong," Ben said. "Now that you have a scar, you have to be brave."

That seemed to work. Harry gave a big sniff. He wiped his nose on his sleeve. He snuggled Nya close. "We have to be brave, Nya," he whispered. A moment later, there were footsteps. "Ben! Harry!" "Mom!" Harry shrieked. "Boys, are you hurt?" she called, her voice ringing clear and strong through the dust. "We're okay!" Ben shouted, trying to sound braver than he felt. "We're under the bed!" "Stay where you are!" Ojisan called. Their uncle was there, too! It seemed like forever before Mom and Ojisan were able to clear a path through the wreckage. But soon they were in the bedroom. And there was Mom, on her knees, peering under the bed at Ben

and Harry. Her face was streaked with dirt and sweat, but her eyes were filled with relief. "You can come out now," she told them. Ben pushed Harry into Mom's arms, and Ben climbed out after him. Mom wrapped her arms around both of them. Lately, Ben had pulled away from Mom's hugs. Not now. He could hear Mom's heart pounding through her thick sweater. Nya crawled out and buried her head in Harry's leg.

"That was very smart, to hide under the bed," Mom said, letting the boys go so she could look at them. "Ben took us there," Harry said, picking up Nya again. Mom looked at Ben. She reached out and touched his cheek, and he felt a flush of unexpected pride. But there was no time to talk. Mom found Harry's shoes and helped him put them on. "Come," Ojisan said, plucking Nya from the floor and handing her to Harry. "We need to get outside. That was a very strong earthquake. It is the strongest I have ever felt. There will be more shaking. It is not safe in the house." As if the earth itself had heard Ojisan, there was a sharp rumble that brought another piece of ceiling crashing to the floor. They hurried through the house, stepping over fallen furniture, piles of books, and broken glass. The rest of the house was still standing, but it

looked as if it could come down any second. Ben was relieved to get outside. They made their way across the yard and into the street. Some big trees had fallen, but Ojisan's cherry tree was still standing. "Wait here," Ojisan said. He hurried to the middle of the street, where a group of his neighbors was gathered. Three of the houses on the road were completely wrecked. But it seemed as though everyone was safe. Mom, Ben, and Harry huddled together in the cold. Harry held Nya tight. "The worst is over," Mom said. Yes, Ben told himself. Nothing could be as bad as that earthquake. But then Ben noticed that Ojisan had drifted to the edge of the street. He was standing with two other men. They were all looking intently at the ocean in the distance. Ben followed the path of their gaze until he figured out what they were looking at: a strange