~~~~~I DID NOT WRITE THIS STORY! PEARSON EDUCATION,INC.,PUBLISHING AS PEARSON PRENTICE HALL DID. I JUST WANTED TO SEE WHAT YOU GUYS THINK OF THIS STORY. I MIGHT ADD A PART TO IT.~~~~~
We kept walking and finally reached the tracks, which would be our bridge to the South. The rail road ties of the tracks were made of wood and were spaced several feet apart. A grown-up would just be able to make It from one tie to the next. If we made one false move, we would fall into rapidly flowing river, and would surely die. We looked in terror at the task ahead of us. Gripped with fear, we looked around. Now we could clearly see the barbed-wire fence and the well-lit tents ahead.
"Nuna, the old man said nothing about a river and rail road tracks. We most be in the wrong place."
"Look," I said, "that is the South. We have to cross this river by going over these cross-rungs. Then we can run to the fence. The sky is lighter now and we can see better. Mother might be there waiting for us. I don't know if this is the right place, but I Don't see another way."
Inchun stared at the rail road ties and cried. "Mommy, Mommy," he kept sobbing.
We sat there for a long time staring at the long distance between the rail road ties and the river below. "Well, Inchun, I think we can do it. Get down on all fours and stretch out your arms one at a time and try to grab onto the next rung. I'll go first and we'll take each step slowly and carefully. Don't look down. Make sure you grab the wooden bar with your hands first, then move your legs one at a time. You can hold on to my ankles. I'll grab onto the next rung and tell you when your hand and my ankle can move to the next one. Come on, there are the dogs and soldiers again." I had to reach out to grab the splintery rung, and my head started to spin when I looked at the dark turgid waters below. I was sure I would fall into the river dragging Inchun with me.
Little Inchun looked at me and stretched his arms to reach the first rung. I turned and looked, and the gap between the rungs looked larger than before; his little arms could barely reach. My whole body felt as if it were on fire. I was terribly afraid for him. He was brave. He said nothing, clenched his teeth with determination, and reached out to grab the rung and my ankle and carefully pull himself over. Rung by rung, we slowly continued. The light of dawn helped us to see the rungs. But the better we could see the path, the better the Russians would be able to see us. We kept crawling slowly from rung to rung until the land rose up beneath the tracks. We had crossed over the river and had about a quarter of a mile to go.
