Shadows of Caesar's Creek by Sharon M. Draper Read Free Book Online Page A

flashlight,” Jerome sighed out loud.
    â€œAs long as we’re wishing, mon, wish for dry clothes and a pizza” Ziggy added.
    â€œI wish we were back home,” Rico said quietly.
    â€œYou can’t have an adventure at home, Rico Think of this as our manhood ceremony, like the Shawnee boys,” Rashawn suggested as he stumbled over a vine. “The spirits of Caesar and Tecumseh are watching us. They expect us to be brave.”
    â€œI’d rather be brave in the daytime,” Rico complained.
    They came to a clearing. A huge log lay across one edge of this break in the thick woods. A large flat rock lay close by. Faint moonlight shone through the trees. Ziggy, Jerome, and Rico sat on the log. Rashawn stretched out on the rock. Jerome scratched his mosquito bites and checked the area for bugs as best he could in the darkness.
    â€œWish I had some bug spray, too,” he whispered to himself.
    â€œWhat should we do?” asked Rico.
    â€œWell, we can’t stay here. We’ve got to find our way out,” Jerome replied. “The lake is a big circle. We just walk around it until we find our camp”
    â€œIt’s a big lake,” Rashawn reminded him. “And we don’t even know whether to go right or left.”
    â€œI saw a movie about some kids who were lost in the woods for six weeks,” Rico remembered.
    â€œSo what happened in the movie, mon?”
    â€œThe kids ate bugs and worms and leaves and stuff until they got rescued.”
    â€œYucky, mon Even Ziggy doesn’t want to eat bugs or worms” Ziggy replied. “Let’s get out of here”
    â€œWhat would Tecumseh have done in this situation?” Rico asked thoughtfully. An owl hooted above him and he jumped.
    â€œTecumseh wouldn’t be lost. He’d know these woods like we know the mall,” Jerome replied.
    â€œI know he wouldn’t be scared. He would know how to use his head and find his way,” added Rashawn.
    â€œHe’d be scared if he knew he would get in trouble when he got back, like we will, mon,” Ziggy reminded them. “Noni is gonna kill us”
    â€œIf a bear doesn’t kill us first” exclaimed Rico, who turned with a start at the rustling noise behind them. “Did you hear that?”
    â€œWhat was that noise?” Jerome whispered.
    â€œA rabbit, maybe?” Rico offered hopefully.
    â€œOr a bear, mon” Ziggy said fearfully.
    They heard it again, louder this time, and closer. They could hear it moving through the crunchy leaves. It seemed to be running right toward them
    â€œMaybe it’s a lion or tiger, like you said, Ziggy,” Jerome joked weakly.
    â€œThat’s not funny” Rico shouted as they started to run away from the noise.
    â€œNo, mon, I think it really
is
a bear. But whatever it is, here it comes” Ziggy cried out.
    The four boys screamed and started running wildly into the night.

TERRIFIED OF THE HUGE BLACK BEAR THEY WERE sure was following them, the four boys crashed noisily through the woods. Ziggy, usually the slowest because he liked to act silly, was in front this time. The night breeze chilled his wet, sticky clothes, which stuck to his body as he ran, but he didn’t even notice. He was too intent on outrunning the bear. Rico, close behind Ziggy, tripped over a small branch and fell forward, bumping into Ziggy in the darkness.
    Ziggy yelled over his shoulder, “You all right, mon?”
    Gasping for breath, Rico panted, “Yeah, I’m okay, just keep running I think it’s getting closer”
    Jerome and Rashawn, just a little behind Rico, yelled ahead, “We can hear the bear It’s gonna get us Run”
    Rico yelled to the others, “Find a tree and climb it It’s our only hope of escape”
    With large, gasping breaths, Ziggy replied, “Don’t you know that bears can climb trees too, mon? Just run”
    Jerome knew that bugs were biting