BFF Time Travelers 3:The Great San Francisco Earthquake

The Great Shake

A cloud of dust billowed around Lucille.She couldn't breathe.She couldn't see.But she heard Mason,Kate,and Daniel coughing."Lucille!Lucille!"shouted Daniel."I'm here,"said Lucille hoarsely."Help me!"shouted Daniel.Lucille tried to stand up.She was sore everywhere.Her skirt and leggings were torn.Her ponytail holders were gone."Where are you,Daniel?"asked Lucille."I'm here!"shouted Daniel."Where?"asked Lucille.She tried to stand up.But she fell down again.Lucille's legs were like rubber.She looked around in the thick haze of dust. But she still couldn't see Daniel."I fell into a crack in the ground!"Daniel said.Lucille crawled in the direction of his voice."Keep talking,"she said."Help!"-cough-"here-achoo!"said Daniel.Lucille felt the ground with her hands.She crawled closer to a crack in the ground.She could see Daniel."You found me!"cried Daniel.Lucille fell forward into the crack,though."Oh great,"said Daniel.But,just then Kate and Mason stumbled along."Oh no!I'll get you two out of here,"said Kate.Kate and Mason pulled and pulled,but they couldn't get Lucille and Daniel out."We can't get you out,"said Mason."Bring us something to stand on.Maybe we can get out by ourselves,"said Lucille.Mason stumbled away from the crack,then got an armful of bricks,then handed them to Kate,who handed them down to Lucille and Daniel.They carefully stacked them."We need more,"said Daniel.Mason hurried to get more bricks.He was afraid the earthquake would come back and close with Daniel and Lucille inside.He handed the bricks to Kate who handed them down to Lucille and Daniel.They stacked the bricks."It's enough!"said Lucille."Hurry!"shouted Kate.Daniel and Lucille climbed up.Kate helped Lucille stand."How are you two?"asked Kate."Scraped and bruised,"replied Daniel."Sore and-"ow! "I have cuts all over my legs,"said Lucille."Let's see if anyone else got hurt,"said Kate.They looked around.Through the dust filled air,families stumbled out of their houses.Some babies and toddlers were wailing.But the adults were silent.They just stared at the torn street and crumbling houses."Everyone must be shocked,"said Kate."I know how they feel,"Lucille said.Although she aced every class,she couldn't think straight.She didn't know what to do.She gazed at the rubble around them.In the distance,a cloud of black smoke rolled through the sky."The fires are starting!"cried Lucille.