The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

flats, rushing down with bedding in their arms. I couldn’t slide down the
stairs, not in the crowd, so I clutched the rail with both hands and went as fast
as I could while people pushed past me. Jamie held on to my shirt, trembling.
The siren began to wind down, its noise replaced by far-off blasts.
Bombs.
Out in the dark street, I couldn’t see where to go. I could hear people, but
they seemed to be moving in all directions. Shouts echoed between the
buildings. I grabbed Jamie’s hand and turned at random, moving as fast as I
could. An open doorway, a stair going down—anything—
A bomb exploded overhead. The streets rang with the sound of shattering
glass. Far in front of us, toward the docks, the sky began to glow red. Fire.
The docks were on fire.
A building behind us exploded. The shock wave threw us into the street.
My ears felt like they’d exploded too. Bricks rained down, and pieces of glass
and rubble. I put my arms over Jamie’s head.He looked like he was
screaming, but I couldn’t hear him. I couldn’t hear anything.
I scrambled to my feet, pulling him with me. There in front of us was an
open door. Steps leading down. A shelter. Thank God.
Strangers hauled us inside. Down the stairs to a basement room full of
people, hot and damp. Concerned faces, lips moving, saying things I couldn’t
hear. Hands holding us up, cradling us, offering us tea. Wiping blood from
Jamie’s face. Wiping my face as well.
People made room for us on the concrete floor. Someone wrapped a
blanket around us. I hung on to Jamie. I would never let go of him, I thought.
Never.