JOURNAL #36
(CONTINUED)
SECOND EARTH
Look out!" Mark yelled.
"You think?" Courtney said calmly as she spun the wheel, barely missing a dog that had foolishly gone for a stroll
around the time that a crazy girl with three seconds of driving experience was gunning the gas behind the wheel of
a huge car while making a desperate escape. The dogyelped and jumped off the road. Safe but scared.
Alder pushed himself back into his seat. He had never been in a car before, let alone one driven by someone whose
only experience was in driver's ed class. At least,I hoped Courtney had taken driver's ed. The way wewere
lurching from side to side, I wasn't so sure. Poor Alder. He was thrown into a terrifying situation inan alien world.
Poor all of us.
"That would be a stop sign," Mark said, trying to be calm as we flew past one without stopping.
"I saw it," Courtney snapped.
None of us asked the obvious question as to why shedidn't actually do what the sign said. "I can drive," Mark said
calmly.
Screeech! Courtney slammed on the brakes, making Alder and mehit our heads on the backs of the front seats.
"Whoa!" I shouted. "Easy. We've got enough problems."
"Fine," Courtney huffed. "You drive."
She got out, turned to run around the car, and stopped. "Uh-oh."
"What?" Mark asked as he climbed over to the driver's side.
"They're coming."
Courtney sprinted around and jumped inside. I looked back to see the two motorcycles with the red shirts on board,
pulling out of the Sherwood house.
"You up for this, Mark?" I asked.
"Let's find out" was his answer.
I was happy he didn't stutter. Confidence was good at this point. Before Courtney had time to slam thedoor, Mark
jammed his foot down on the gas pedal, and we were off.
"You don't know how to drive any better than I do!"Courtney complained.
As if to answer, Mark spun the wheel hard, made a ninety-degree turn, and gunned the engine. It almostseemed as
if he knew what he was doing. Almost.
Mark explained, "I was all set to get my license, but some things came up."
That was a pretty big understatement.
"We've got to find a place to hide," I said.
Courtney corrected, "We've got to shake those guys first."
Good point.
Mark said, "We've got an advantage."
"What's that?" Courtney asked.
Mark made another quick turn, throwing Alder into me.
"I've been riding my bike around here for years. I know every street. They don't. We might not be ableto outrace
