Lost in the Tunnel of Time by Sharon M. Draper Read Free Book Online

in the Ohio River and were trying to swim. A huge boat with a loud horn was moving swiftly through the dark water, getting nearer and nearer to the wet and frightened girls. He tried to reach them, but the water was deep and cold. His granny appeared from beneath the waves and floated nearby, smiling. She wasn’t even wet. He heard his granny say, “We’ll rescue them tonight … tonight.”
    Ziggy dreamed of birds. He was a huge golden eagle, flying in the sunlight, in the bright, clear air. He could see for miles, and his strong wings soared with freedom and pride. He did rolls and dives and laughed out loud as he flew upside-down just for fun. The earth and the air belonged to him, and he shouted to the sun, “Today! Today!”
    Gradually the cold and the cramped conditionsawakened the four sleeping boys. Jerome wiggled his arm because he thought he felt a spider crawling on it. Rashawn’s long legs felt like pretzels, and Rico really needed to go to the bathroom.
    Suddenly Ziggy screamed. “What was that?” he gasped.
    Fear grabbed the boys once again as they listened to a terrifying rumble in the distance. It was a grinding, growling noise that seemed ready to destroy them.
    â€œWhat could that be?” Jerome wondered.
    â€œIt’s the ghost!” yelled Rashawn. “It’s gonna get us!”
    â€œThe ghost is not mean, mon. It’s gotta be something else! Maybe it’s a monster,” added Ziggy nervously. “Monsters live underground, you know.”
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” asked Rico.
    They could barely move in the small cavelike area that trapped them. They huddled together in the darkness, listening in fear.
    From the other side of the small opening they had dug earlier, the terrifying sound grew louderand closer and more dangerous. It sounded like the growling and scraping of a very large animal.
    â€œI bet it’s a bear!” cried Rico.
    â€œThere are no bears in the sewer, Rico. I think it’s a huge rat!” Jerome shot back at him.
    â€œIt’s getting closer!” shouted Rashawn with terror.
    Each boy trembled, too afraid of the darkness and the approaching animal to move, even to breathe.
    The scraping and sniffing and growling sounds were just on the other side of the opening now. The terrified boys could smell the damp, animal odor of the creature’s wet fur.
    It scraped and dug furiously near the opening. The hole got larger. Large hunks of dirt fell away in a loud thudding crash, and the huge, wet, black animal bounded straight at the four boys.
    They screamed.
    It headed first for Rashawn. He could feel its hot breath approaching. Then it licked his face.
    â€œIt’s Afrika!” Rashawn exclaimed with relief and happiness. “Where’d you come from, boy? How did you find us?”
    â€œI knew we’d be rescued, mon!” Ziggy shouted joyfully. “I was never even worried!”
    Rico was more honest. “I’ve never been so glad to see that big, old, stinky dog in my life! I’ll never call him lazy again! I promise.”
    The dog ran from boy to boy, licking their dirty faces, and letting them hug him. He seemed to know that they were lost and needed to feel safe again.
    Ziggy exclaimed with a bit of his usual cheerful attitude, “Rashawn, let’s follow this wonderful dog of yours out of here, mon!”
    The four boys quickly scrambled through the hole Afrika had dug and climbed down a steep hill. Afrika barked once or twice as he led them to what they could see was a sewer tunnel. He ran back and forth, making sure that each boy was following.
    When they reached the sewer, they could hear voices coming from above. Rashawn’s dad was saying, “I hear the dog barking!”
    Rashawn cried out, “Dad! Dad! We’re down here!”
    His dad, with relief in his voice, shouted, “Rashawn! Are you okay? Are the other boys with you?”

    â€œYes,