07 Dynamite!

7 Dynamite! “ We'd better be careful, " said Annie. They stepped in their sock feet over the broken cobblestones, trying not to cut themselves. They headed down the hillside. On their way, they passed policemen carrying stretchers with injured people on them. They passed soldiers directing all those trying to escape the fires.

One man was trying to push a piano down the street. Another man was wearing a bunch of hats, all piled on top of one another. A woman carried her three little dogs in a bag. “ Everyone's trying to save what's important to them, " said Annie. “ Like the librarian, " said Jack. “ And us-we're trying to save this sign. " He clutched the piece of wood. When they were halfway down the hill, a soldier on a horse galloped in front of them. “ Get off the street! We're setting off dynamite! ” he shouted. “ Dynamite?" said Jack. “ Yikes, " said Annie. People started running in all directions. Jack and Annie looked around wildly for a safe place to go. Jack saw an alley. “ There! " he said.

They ran into the alley and crouched on the ground. Jack reached into his bag for their research book. He looked in the index for the word “ dynamite. " He found it. Then he turned to the right page number and read: After the fires started, the mayor had an idea. He thought that if some buildings were destroyed, the sparks would not fly from one wooden roof to the next, He ordered some buildings to be blown up by dynamite. His plan did not work. The firestorm raged from building to building, from street to street. Firestorm, Jack thought. The word sounded terrible. Just as he put the book away, a huge blast of dynamite shook the ground.

Dust and dirt few everywhere, even down the alley. Jack clutched their sign with one hand. He covered his eyes with the other. Annie did the same. Another huge blast rocked the ground. Jack tasted grit in his mouth. He looked at Annie. She was caked with dust from head to toe. He looked down at himself, He was just as dirty as she was. “ Hey, would you look at those two! ” someone said. “ 'Now, that's a story! ” Jack looked up. Betty, the newspaper reporter, and Fred, the photographer, were standing in front of them. Even though they were also covered with dirt, Fred was setting up his camera. And Betty was taking notes in her notebook.

“ Hold up your sign, sonny, " said Betty. Too stunned to say anything, Jack held up the sign with the poem about hope. Fred took a picture.

Another dynamite blast shook the ground. “ Come with us! We're headed for the park! " said Betty. “ We can't. We're on our way home, to our parents, " said Annie. “ Well, get going! And be careful! ” said Betty. “ Let's beat it, Fred! " The photographer grabbed his camera equipment, and the two of them rushed off. “ I don't think Betty and Fred recognized us, " said Annie. “ I don't recognize us, " said Jack. Another blast shook the ground. “ Come on, " said Annie. “ Let's beat it! ” Jack and Annie jumped up. Jack put their sign in his bag. Then they started back down the hill.