Volcano

by Kirbi Fagan

  Cam’s eyes went wide. “They’re heading toward the hotel,” he said. “We have to —”

  Cam was interrupted by a fiery chunk of rock slamming into the side of the hotel. Out of sight, other projectiles made contact as well. The force of the volcanic attack knocked him and Amy to the carpet.

  Cam sat up, completely stunned. The wall where the window gave them a view of the volcano was obliterated, along with the ceiling above it and the floor below. Flames licked at the raw opening and smoke poured through it. With the side of the hotel blown open, Cam heard rescue vehicles wailing in the distance. People outside were shouting.

  “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he whispered.

  The ground beneath their feet shifted. “I think the hotel is falling apart,” Amy whispered, picking herself up. She coughed, covering her mouth from the smoke and dust.

  “You’re right,” Cam said. He drew his arm across his mouth and looked around for the bathroom door. He darted toward it, careful to avoid the small pools of flame forming near the destroyed wall.

  “Where are you going?” Amy shouted. “We have to get out of here!”

  “I know!” Cam shouted. He looked around the dark bathroom frantically until his bare toes touched towels on the floor.

  With quick hands, Cam snapped up the towels and turned the bathroom sink on. Luckily, water still ran from the faucets. He stuck the towels under the tap, soaking them as best he could.

  The ground shifted again and the smoke grew thicker. The air started to sting his eyes.

  Before Amy could say anything more, he left the bathroom and tossed a towel to her.

  “Here,” he said, wrapping his towel around his head, covering his mouth. “Do like I’m doing. We’re going to get outta here.”

  By the time Amy had her head-wrap mostly secure, Cam noticed that his trick was working. It was easier to breathe in the horrible air with something wet in front of his mouth.

  With Amy ready, Cam opened the door and led her into the tenth-floor hallway.

  CHAPTER 7

  COMING DOWN

  Cam and Amy raced down the hall, zigzagging around the debris that had fallen from the ceiling. They leapt over a fallen potted plant before reaching the hotel elevators.

  Amy pushed the DOWN button and looked up at the display. None of the floor numbers were lit up. She pushed it again as if that would turn the elevator back on.

  “I think it’s out of commission,” Cam said gently to her.

  Looking around, Cam spotted a door a few feet farther down the hall. The sign showed a stick figure heading down some steps. Above the sign were the words IN CASE OF FIRE, USE STAIRS.

  Does a volcano eruption count as a fire? Cam wondered, only half-kidding.

  Cam shoved the door open, helped Amy through the opening, and followed close behind. As the door slammed behind them, he wondered if they were ever going to make it to the ground floor before the building collapsed.

  “C’mon,” Amy shouted. “We have to find my parents!”

  “Mine too,” Cam cried.

  As Cam’s feet hit the first landing, he wished he’d worn something other than sandals. As he descended the second set of steps, he thought about all of the stuff he’d left back in his room. Considering the pelting the hotel had taken, he had his doubts that there’d be anything left.

  The hotel shook again. Columns of dust streamed down from the steps above them. A horrifying thought struck Cam: What if the steps cracked and fell on top of us?

  “Faster!” Cam shouted, trying not to think about anything at all.

  “I’m going as fast as I can!” Amy cried. She was holding the handrails with one hand while struggling to keep her wet towel wrap over her face with the other.

  Cam squinted in the low emergency light. He heard people on the steps above and below them. Everyone was looking to escape, but what would they do once they got outside?

  He knew that lava was slow moving. Even so, with the air full of smoke and toxic fumes, he wasn’t sure being outside would be much better.

  On the way down, Cam and Amy helped a few people to their feet. One woman was coughing so badly that he stopped, tore his wet towel in two, and gave her a half.

  After what seemed like forever, they finally reached the bottom floor.

  “It says emergency exit,” Amy said, pausing. “Alarm will sound.”

  Cam caught himself hesitating at first too. Then he shook his head, took a deep breath, and shoved the bar to open the door. A small, shrill alarm bleated for a moment or two before silencing itself.

  The door opened to a cement sidewalk along the side of the hotel. As they stepped out into the glowing night, Cam’s jaw dropped.

  “No way,” he said.

  CHAPTER 8

  LAVA TOWN

  It was one thing seeing the damage and the chaos from ten floors up. Now, on ground level and outside, Cam was in the thick of it.

  “This is insane,” Cam whispered.

  Everywhere was in upheaval. A fire crew was battling the flames of a restaurant Cam’s family had eaten at the day before. People were running down the street, shouting the names of people they were looking for. A car lay nearby, completely crushed by a still-glowing mass of rock.

  In the distance, but hovering above the town like a wounded giant, was Mount Palahara. A giant chasm gaped open in the side of the volcano, spewing out a steady stream of glowing lava. Black smoke billowed from the edges.

  “It’s snowing,” Amy whispered, pointing at the sky. “It’s not supposed to snow here.”

  Cam watched a few flakes drop onto his shoulders. When he touched it, he realized what it actually was.

  Looking around, Cam saw that there was a layer of ash covering everything. “Ash,” he said. “Not snow.”

  Something big and heavy landed with a THUNK! a few feet to his right. He looked up and saw huge chunks of the hotel falling from above.

  “C’mon!” Cam cried. “Let’s head toward the water!”

  The two of them raced through the ashen chaos, squeezing past others.

  Everyone in sight seemed desperate to be somewhere else — anywhere but where they were.

  When they reached the back of the hotel, they saw steam rising rapidly from the pool. People in swimming suits watched the hotel and the sky nervously, as if unable to decide whether they should stay near the pool or go elsewhere for cover.

  “Dad!” Cam shouted, immediately realizing how pointless it was. There were probably hundreds of people within earshot who were dads. It wasn’t going to be that easy to find his parents — or Amy’s.

  The ground rumbled again. People shouted and screamed. As Cam looked up, he watched a gigantic chunk of the hotel come falling to the ground. A moment later, the chunk of debris slammed into the concrete patio behind the building.

  Cam didn’t want to think about whether there were people still standing where the hunk of hotel had fallen. He just kept his eyes open, looking around for —

  “Cam!” came a voice.

  Cam turned to look. He blinked hard, unable to trust his eyes. When Cam opened them again, he saw his parents rushing toward him through the crowd.

  They both had flowered necklaces around their necks, but neither of them looked like themselves. Their faces and hair were covered in ash, and their colorful shirts were sooty and drab now.

  Cam ran to his parents. They both looked him over with their hands, making sure he wasn’t hurt. “This is Amy,” Cam said. Amy nodded shyly.

  Cam’s dad placed a hand on her head. “They’re trying to keep everyone by the ocean,” he said to them, unable to take his eyes off of the volcano. “People were trying to break through the barricades to get to the hotel while screaming that their loved ones were inside.”

  “That’s a death sentence,” Cam said. “It felt like the hotel was going to —”

  A loud cracking sound made all of them turn their heads.

  Cam, Amy, and Cam’s parents watched in horror
as the top three floors of the hotel collapsed on top of each other.

  Amy gasped. “What if my mom and dad went after me?” she cried.

  “I’m sure they’re at the beach, waiting,” Cam said. “We should head there right now to look for them.”

  Amy nodded, tears cutting clean paths down her ashen face.

  * * *

  Hours after Mount Palahara had calmed down, the city continued to burn. Meanwhile, the Anderson family searched through the crowd, looking for Joe and Regina Madden, Amy’s parents.

  After they’d combed nearly all the navigable terrain in sight, they were about to give up the search. Cam had no idea what he was going to say to Amy. Sure, it was possible her parents were still alive, but the odds seemed slim at best.

  Just then, Amy spotted a couple hunched over on the beach, watching the ocean. Their bodies were shaking with sobs.

  “That’s them,” Amy whispered. Then she cried out, “Mom! Dad!”

  At the sound of Amy’s voice, the two hunched over adults looked up and turned around. Both of them scrambled to their feet, slipping in the sand, and ran to their daughter. Cam watched as they lifted Amy up and wrapped her tightly in their arms.

  “When we saw the upper floors,” Amy’s mom said shakily, “we . . .”

  Her dad slowly shook his head. “We assumed the worst,” he finished, placing an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

  Amy introduced her parents to Cam and his family. Twice, Amy told them that Cam was the hero who’d gotten her out of the hotel safely.

  Regina and Joe Madden thanked Cam profusely, hugging him as if he were family.

  “I owed her one,” Cam said, relief and exhaustion mingling in his heart.

  Amy grinned.

  VOLCANO SURVIVAL

  It’s hard to imagine anything more terrifying than getting caught near an erupting volcano. With that said, there are several things to keep in mind — and carry with you — to increase your chances of survival.

  Awareness: Of course, the best way to avoid a volcanic eruption is to stay away from active volcanos! But if that’s not possible, then it’s important to know where any active, nearby volcanos are located.

  Warning Systems: If you do live near a volcano, find out what kind of alarm your community uses in case of an eruption. Most use sirens, but regions vary, so it’s important to know what to listen or watch for.

  Evacuation: With your family, draw up a household evacuation plan — and make sure to familiarize yourself with the evacuation procedure for your area.

  First Aid Kit: The kit should include batteries, a radio, and any necessary medications. Bottled water and nonperishable food should also be stored nearby.

  Clothing: It goes without saying that lava or magma should be given a wide berth, but having a pair of sturdy boots and a pair of goggles on hand is wise. Most importantly, given the amount of ash that will be in the air, make sure to have a respirator for each family member.

  Shelter: If emergency services indicate you should not evacuate, stay inside! If you do end up getting caught outside during an eruption, seek high ground as far away from the eruption site as is possible.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Thomas Kingsley Troupe has written more than thirty children’s books. His book Legend of the Werewolf (Picture Window Books, 2011) received a bronze medal for the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award. Thomas lives in Woodbury, Minnesota, with his wife and two boys.

  ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

  Kirbi Fagan is a vintage-inspired artist living in the Detroit, Michigan, area. She is an award-winning illustrator who specializes in creating art for young readers. Her work is known for magical themes, vintage textures, bright colors, and powerful characterization. She received her bachelor’s degree in Illustration from Kendall College of Art and Design. Kirbi lives by two words: “Spread joy.” She is known to say, “I’m in it with my whole heart.” When not illustrating, Kirbi enjoys writing stories, spending time with her family, and rollerblading with her dog, Sophie.

  GLOSSARY

  altitude (AL-ti-tood)—

  the height of something relative to sea level

  debris (duh-BREE)—

  the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed

  eruption (i-RUP-shuhn)—

  the sending out of ash, rocks, and lava from a volcano

  geyser (GAHY-zer)—

  a hole in the ground that shoots out hot water and steam

  lava (LAH-vuh)—

  melted rock from a volcano

  obliterated (uh-BLIT-uh-ray-tid)—

  completely destroyed

  projectile (pruh-JEK-tayhl)—

  something that is shot outward with explosive speed

  unnerving (un-NURV-ing)—

  if something is unnerving to a person, it causes them to feel afraid, upset, or unable to think clearly

  WRITING PROMPTS

  Pick a page from this book and rewrite it from Amy’s perspective. How might she see things differently than Cam? Why?

  After reading the survival tips for volcanos immediately following this story, create a list of things Cam did right and wrong after the volcano erupted.

  Write a short story about yourself where you survive a different kind of natural disaster. How do you manage to survive? You decide.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  What do you think was Cam’s smartest decision in this story? What was his worst decision? Why?

  Cam is a good person for helping Amy during the volcano. Why do you think he chose to help her?

  Have you experienced a natural disaster? If so, talk about it. If not, what kind of natural disaster would you most want to avoid? Why?

  SURVIVE! is published by Stone Arch Books

  A Capstone Imprint

  1710 Roe Crest Drive

  North Mankato, Minnesota 56003

  www.mycapstone.com

  © 2016 Stone Arch Books

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

  Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available at the Library of Congress website.

  ISBN: 978-1-4965-2555-0 (library binding)

  ISBN: 978-1-4965-2561-1 (paperback)

  ISBN: 978-1-4965-2565-9 (eBook pdf)

  ISBN: 978-1-4965-8894-4 (eBook)

  Designer: Hilary Wacholz

  Design Elements: Shutterstock: In-Finity, zelimirz, vladis.studio, NEGOVURA, IhorZigor, astudio, Thomas Bethge

  Summary: When Cam’s family decides to go to a luau during their vacation in Hawaii, he decides to stay behind in the hotel. Cam starts to hear rumbling noises. Moments later, the entire hotel is shaking. Cam glances out the window of his hotel room just in time to see the nearby “inactive” volcano explode! Chunks of rock and lava cascade down into the city. Cam knows he needs to find his family and get out fast, but a river of lava runs between him and his loved ones . . .