9780008390662

help us!
The stone wall separating Gorilla World and Elephant Odyssey is gone.
Pieces of both domains mingle: an elephant toy here, a gorilla nest there. Part
of the indoor gorilla space has crumbled to the ground.
I scan the area where Ruby and her herd like to hang out. Nothing.
No gorillas, either.
Out of nowhere, the rain picks up, coming sideways, blinding me. The wind
howls like a hurt dog.
This storm isn’t over, not by a long shot.
I leap over a pile of cement blocks, catch my hurt foot on something sharp,
yelp, keep going.
“Ivan!” I call. “Ruby!”
Nothing.
I get to a slight rise, leap onto another overturned tree, and try to make sense
of the damage.
Red and blue lights cut through the rain. Police, fire engines. Good. We need
all the help we can get.
I take in several lungfuls of the hideous air. It’s too wet, too full of
conflicting odors, a mishmash of scents I can’t decipher, especially with my
busted nose.
The wind gathers speed, pushing at me with incredible force. Feels like it’ll
tear my ears right off my sore noggin. I can barely stay upright.