BooksBarbecue
Back The Year the Maps Changed
Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. Map
  6. Prologue
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. Acknowledgments
  74. About the Author
  75. About the Publisher

Just then a collective gasp went up from the crowd on the staircase, and we looked over the railing to see what was happening. Merjeme—in her sopping wet tracksuit and worn-out runners—had stood up and was slowly trying to walk back toward the tail end of the Sphinx. But the rocks were so wet, and she misstepped and slammed down hard on one knee. When she stood up again her pants were torn and bright-red blood dribbled down her exposed white leg.

“Whoa, whoa!” the crowd started to almost chant at her when it looked like she might start walking back again toward the shore, even though that end was clearly submerged. She looked up at the staircase—at all of us—and even from that far away I could see she was crying. But either the pain in her leg or the warning chants of the crowd made her plant her butt again and not try to walk back to shore.

Luca seemed to shake himself, and as I watched, his eyes gained focus.

He quickly started stripping down until he stood in just his white T-shirt and boxers.

“You are to all stay up here, no matter what!” he said, looking at each of us. “Is that understood?” He looked between me and Sam, and it wasn’t until we both nodded that he turned away.

He went to the top of the staircase.

“I am Senior Constable Ricci,” Luca’s voice boomed. “Any minors are to come off the staircase immediately, remain behind the railing up top, and leave a clear path for rescue services!” It was pretty amazing that he managed to sound like a policeman who meant business, even in just his boxers.

A murmur began up and down the staircase, until Luca bellowed, “NOW!” and suddenly at least a dozen of the onlookers—the three bike menaces among them—straggled up and came to stand near us. Luca walked a little farther down the stairs, and we could just see the top of his head as his voice continued to blast. “We need to get that child off the rock, and we don’t have much time,” he began. Sam whimpered beside me and I put an arm around his trembling shoulders as Luca continued, “Those of you who are willing and able, I am going to ask for your help—and I’m sorry, but it’s going to mean we all get a little wet!”

Uneasy laughter rippled down the staircase, and a couple more people straggled up to come stand with us kids.

“We all have to work together, and you need to trust me!”