Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret

hotel,” I said, “to the road. Then we’re going to go up the hill.”
    BeeBee didn’t argue. She slipped her hand in mine and together we skirted the remains of the burning Totem Pole Inn.
    The odd smell I’d noticed inside was stronger now, making my head ache.
    â€œI smell gas,” BeeBee said.
    When we reached the road behind the hotel, the voices were louder. We saw more flames across the street.
    â€œLook!” I said. “The new hotel’s on fire too.”
    â€œThere are the fire engines,” BeeBee said. “That’s why the sirens stopped; the firefighters came to the Frontier Lodge.”
    From where we stood, the road ran downhill to the Frontier Lodge. The dark smoke from the two fires blew inland, giving us a good view of the burning lodge.
    â€œI hope the owners had insurance,” BeeBee said.
    Although the sun hadn’t set yet, the sky had an orange glow. I peered nervously at the waves washing onto the beach below us. They were the same size as always.
    I looked toward the horizon, trying to see the yacht that Mom and Dad were on, but it was no longer visible. Either it had gone beyond my view, or it had already come home.
    I hoped the Elegant Empress had returned early, and that Mom and Dad were on their way back to the Totem Pole Inn. I liked baby-sitting when nothing went wrong. Ordering pizza and tipping the delivery man had been fun—but being in charge during an earthquake and a fire wasn’t fun at all. It was terrifying.
    â€œThere you are!” Daren came up behind us. His clothes looked singed, and he was missing one shoe.
    I never thought I’d be glad to see Daren Hazelton, but it was a relief to know he had made it out of the hotel. Even so, I tensed, expecting him to slug me.
    For once he kept his hands to himself.
    â€œAre you hurt?” I asked. “Did you get burned?”
    â€œOne sneaker caught fire, and I had to kick it off, and after I got outside I coughed up a lot of black gook, but I’m okay. What about you?”
    â€œI burned my hand on the door handle when we left the lobby.”
    â€œI stepped out through the broken window.” He said it as if he had been far more clever than I had been. “What are you standing here for?”
    â€œWe’re watching the fire,” BeeBee said.
    â€œWe aren’t staying here,” I said. “We’re going up the road, to the top of the hill.”
    â€œAre you crazy?” Daren said. “Look at all the trees on that hill. I hiked up there this morning and it’s nothing but woods. With both hotels on fire, those woods will probably catch fire too. There’ll be a huge forest fire, and if you go that way, you’ll be trapped in it.”
    â€œWhere are you going to go?” BeeBee asked.
    â€œAfter I watch the fire, I’ll go down to the ocean. Water won’t burn, so the beach is the safest place to be.”
    â€œWhat if there’s a tsunami?” I said.
    â€œA what?”
    â€œA tidal wave. Sometimes earthquakes trigger tsunamis, and a sign on the beach said it could happen here. When there’s an earthquake, everyone is supposed to go uphill as soon as the earthquake ends. Get as far away from the water as possible.”
    â€œI don’t plan to be burned alive in a forest fire and I’m not scared of getting washed away by a wave,” Daren said.
    â€œSuit yourself,” I said. “BeeBee and I are climbing the hill.”
    We left Daren and followed the road up the hill.
    Daren called after us. “If you have a brain in that thick skull of yours, Davidson, you’ll go down to the water with me instead of running away from nothing like a scared rabbit.”
    If no tsunami comes, I thought, I’ll never hear the end of this. Daren will tell every kid at Edison School that I ran away while he was brave.

7
    â€œWhat if he’s right?” BeeBee asked. “What if we go in