01 A New Mission

Tonight on the Titanic

Chapter 01 A New Mission Jack opened his eyes. It was a stormy night. The rain tapped hard on his window pane. “ Do you hear what the rain is saying?” said a voice. Jack turned on his lamp. Annie stood in his doorway. She wore her rain poncho over her pajamas and held a flashlight. “ It’s saying, Come now! ” she said.

“ You’re nuts, ” said Jack. “ Listen, just listen, ” said Annie. Jack listened. The rain did seem to be tapping out Come now! Come now! “ We have to go to the tree house, ” said Annie. “ Something important is about to happen. ” “ Now?” said Jack. Jack didn’t want to leave his warm, cozy room. But he had a feeling Annie was right. Something important was about to happen. “ You coming?” she said. “ Yeah, yeah, ” he said. He climbed out of bed. “ Just put on your rain poncho, ” said Annie.

Jack threw his rain poncho over his pajamas. He pulled on his sneakers and grabbed his backpack. “ Don’t forget your Master Librarian card, ” said Annie. “ I have mine with me. ” Jack put the card with the glowing letters ML on it into his backpack. “ I’m ready, ” he said. Jack and Annie went quietly down the stairs. Then they slipped out the door into the chilly, damp night. The storm had eased up. Rain fell gently as they ran up the street. The wet ground glistened in the beam of the flashlight. They headed into the Frog Creek woods. Wind blew through the trees, shaking water to the ground. Jack shivered. He wiped raindrops off his glasses.

“ Brrr, ” said Annie. “ I’m cold. ” “ Me, too, ” said Jack. As they kept walking, Annie pointed the flashlight up into the trees. “ There it is, ” she said. Her light had found the tree house. “ Morgan! ” Jack called. There was no answer. “ I wonder what’s wrong, ” said Annie. “ I was sure she’d be here. ” “ Let’s go up and see, ” said Jack. Annie grabbed the rope ladder and started climbing. Jack followed. Rain dripped from the trees onto his poncho. They climbed into the tree house. Annie shined her light into each corner. The first three corners were empty.