Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret Read Free Book Online

down.
    Wondering what I had tripped over, I leaned down and extended one hand. My fingers landed on a face. I jerked away just as BeeBee screamed.
    â€œThere’s a body on the floor!” she cried as she scrambled to her feet. “It’s a dead person!” She flung her arms around me and buried her face in my chest.
    I pushed her away, then dropped to my knees and gingerly put my fingers down again. I felt hair—short, sharp spikes of hair. I’d seen only one person in the hotel with that kind of hairdo. “It’s Daren Hazelton,” I said.
    â€œIs he dead?”
    I moved my fingers across Daren’s face and under his chin, feeling for a pulse. When I felt a steady throbbing, I blew my breath out in relief.
    â€œHe’s alive,” I told BeeBee. “He must have been overcome by the smoke.”
    I shook Daren’s shoulders. “Daren! Wake up!”
    He groaned but didn’t move.
    â€œDaren, it’s Kyle,” I said. “Wake up! You have to get out of here.”
    â€œI found the door to the stairs,” BeeBee said. “We’re right next to it.”
    â€œHold it open while I move Daren into the stairwell.”
    I heard a slight creaking as the door opened.
    â€œIt isn’t as smoky on the stairway,” BeeBee said.
    I put my hands under Daren’s armpits and dragged him through the doorway onto the landing.
    â€œShut the door,” I said. “Quick! Before any more smoke comes through.”
    BeeBee did. We still couldn’t see but at least it was easier to breathe.
    â€œWhat are you going to do about Daren?” BeeBee asked.
    I hesitated. I wasn’t sure I should pull Daren down two flights of stairs. What if he had injured his neck or back when he fell to the floor? If I moved him the wrong way, he could be permanently paralyzed. But I couldn’t leave him behind in a burning building either, and besides, I’d already moved him.
    â€œWe’re going to take him with us.”
    â€œHe’s too big to carry.”
    â€œI’ll pull him behind me, like a wagon.”
    â€œWe’ll get out a lot faster if we leave him here.”
    â€œThe whole building might go up in flames. We have to try to save him.”
    â€œI don’t like Daren.”
    â€œI don’t like him either, but we can’t leave him here unconscious.”
    â€œIf we were unconscious,” BeeBee said, “I bet Daren wouldn’t rescue us.”
    I knew she was probably right about that. I also knew it would be wrong to save ourselves and leave Daren behind, no matter how much I disliked him.
    â€œYou go down first,” I said. “Hang on to the railing and keep the towel over your nose and mouth. I’ll be right behind you.”
    â€œWhat about your towel? You can’t hold it over your nose and pull Daren at the same time.”
    â€œI’ll have to do without the towel.”
    â€œBend down,” BeeBee said. “I’ll tie it around your face, like a bandit.” She managed to secure the towel behind my head, and it stayed in place when I leaned over to grab Daren’s shoulders. I put one hand under each of Daren’s armpits and lifted so that his head wouldn’t touch the steps. Walking backward, I started down, towing Daren after me.
    It was like dragging a huge rag doll down the stairs. Daren’s feet made a soft thunk, thunk sound as they slid from step to step. His arms dangled at his sides, and I couldn’t believe how heavy he was. It took every bit of strength I had to keep going. If I’d had to pull him up the stairs, I would never have made it.
    The stairs went down half a flight to a landing, where they doubled back and went down some more. Coughing, I paused on the landing to catch my breath. The landing was hard to navigate since we had to change directions.
    â€œHold Daren’s head for me,” I instructed BeeBee, “while I move his