07 Rain,Rain,Rain

Chapter 07 Rain, Rain, Rain Rain fell on Jack’s head and on Joey’s head. Rain fell on Annie’s head and on Teddy’s head and on the koala’s head. Annie opened her mouth and drank the rainwater. Jack did the same. The water tasted better than any water he’d ever drunk. When Jack looked back at the woods, misty steam was rising from the charred ground and burning bushes.

The heavy rain was putting out the wildfire. “ You’ll be safe now, ” Annie said to the koala. “ I’ll put you back in a nice gum tree. Then you can finish your nap. ” “ I see a tree that’s not burned, ” said Jack. They walked over to the unburned gum tree. Annie placed the koala in the fork of two branches. “ Go back to sleep now, ” she said softly. “ Pretend the fire was all a dream. ” “ Good night, ” said Jack. The koala seemed to smile at them. Then he closed his eyes and went to sleep, as if he’d never been disturbed at all. Jack sighed and looked around. “ Man, ” he said, “ we were lucky that a storm came. ”

Annie smiled. “ It wasn’t just luck, ” she said. “ It was magic. ” “ Magic?” said Jack. “ Yeah … the glowing hands and the snake, ” said Annie. “ Somehow they brought the storm. ” “ That doesn’t make sense, ” said Jack. Joey stirred in his pack. Suddenly, Jack remembered something. “ Hey, we have to get Joey back to the place where his mom left him, ” he said. “ Or she won’t be able to find him. ” “ Where was that place?” said Annie. “ I don’t know, ” said Jack. He looked around at the rainy gray forest. Everything looked the same. “ Teddy can find the spot! ” said Annie.

Without even a bark, the little dog took off across the wet, muddy ground. Once again, Jack and Annie followed him. Jack’s back was beginning to hurt from carrying Joey. Arf! Arf! Jack and Annie caught up with Teddy. He stood over the Australia book! It was wet, but not burned. “ Hurray, we found it! ” said Annie. “ That’s right! ” said Jack. “ I left our book in the spot where we found Joey! ” “ Once again, Teddy helped us out, ” said Annie. She patted the little dog’s head. “ Thanks, Teddy, ” Jack said. He picked up the Australia book. The cover was wet, but the pages looked okay. The little kangaroo peeked out of his pack as Jack tucked the book under his arm.

“ Don’t worry, Joey, ” Annie said. “ We’ll stay right here till your mom comes back for you. ” If she hasn’t already come … Jack thought worriedly. Jack and Annie stood in the rain with Teddy and Joey and waited. They waited and waited. The rain turned to a drizzle. Then the drizzle turned to a light sprinkle. Still, they waited … Jack grew sadder and sadder. Maybe the mother kangaroo had come and left. Or maybe she had been caught by the dingoes. Or maybe she had been killed by the wildfire.

Jack was afraid to look at Annie, afraid to say anything. “ I know what you’re thinking, ” she said finally. Jack patted Joey’s head and sighed. “ Let’s wait a little longer, ” he said. “ If she doesn’t come back soon, we’ll take him home with—” Arf! Teddy barked softly. “ Listen, ” said Annie. Jack listened. The sound was very faint at first. But then it grew louder. It was a squishy sound. It was a squashy sound. It was the sound of big feet slapping through mud!