Little Lion by Ann Hood Page A

hurried footsteps pounded down the corridor. The sound of people shouting filled the air.
    â€œNow what?” Maisie groaned.
    This time, the cabin door burst open and Alexander stood there, his eyes wild and a look of terror on his face.
    â€œHurry!” he ordered them. “On deck!”
    Felix and Maisie jumped up.
    Alexander turned and motioned for them to follow.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Maisie asked him.
    Without turning around he answered, “The ship is on fire. We need to evacuate. Now.”

Fire!
    â€œOn fire?” Maisie shouted.
    She thought about the nice, orderly fire drills at school: the special exit they used, the buddy they walked out with, how they waited—bored—until the principal announced they could return to their classrooms. But this was a real fire. And they were not able to exit at sea. Her heart pounded. Not with fear, though. With excitement. They had survived the storm, and Maisie knew they would survive the fire, too.
    â€œFollow me,” Alexander ordered. “All passengers need to be on deck in case—”
    â€œWe sink?” Felix squeaked.
    â€œYes,” Alexander said firmly. “In case we sink.”
    Maisie left the cabin quickly, wondering what she would see out there. But Felix stayed put as if he were frozen in place.
    â€œCome now, Felix,” Alexander said in a no-nonsense voice. “No time for tears or fears.”
    Felix nodded and forced his legs to move forward. They felt like they were made of lead. His whole body felt that way. Sometimes Felix dreamed he was being chased, and his legs seemed unable to cooperate, heavy and stiff. Like now. But this was no dream. It was really happening. As he made his slow way to the door, he heard frightened screams from above and men shouting orders and saw women clutching their children’s hands and running down the hall right in front of him, asking, “What’s happening? What’s happening?”
    Alexander pushed his way through the crowd to go and help on deck. By the time Felix and Maisie reached the stairs, they had become part of a large group, huddled close together and moving as if all the bodies were one being. The air hung close and reeked of smoke.
    Someone at the top of the stairs shouted down to them, “Cover your nose and mouth!”
    A wave of panic shuddered through the crowd as people brought their hands to their mouths, still pushing forward.
    Finally Felix felt the stairs beneath his feet. From behind he was lifted up, the crowd now almost in a frenzy.
    It seemed as if the stairs went straight to heaven, disappearing into what seemed like billowing clouds. But moving upward, Felix realized that the clouds were actually thickening smoke. His eyes started to sting as he moved up the smoky staircase. At the top, the smell of things burning and the flames and smoke scorched his nose and throat. A hand grabbed hold of his arm and tugged him through the smoke and into a clearer area across the deck.
    â€œStay here,” Alexander said to him, letting go of his grasp on Felix’s arm and joining the men at the rail.
    Maisie stood wide-eyed beside Felix.
    â€œI know I said that there was nothing to be afraid of,” she said. “That obviously Alexander Hamilton would survive anything. But now I’m not so sure.”
    Felix and Maisie stared at the hot flames leaping from the ship. They could feel the heat from the fire on their faces, and the air around them had taken on a hazy, gray quality.
    Then Maisie saw something she couldn’t believe. “Alexander’s going overboard!” Maisie shouted.
    She took off in the direction of the fire and the men at the railing, where Felix saw that Alexander was indeed climbing over.
    â€œStay back here!” he called after his sister. But with a sinking feeling, he knew she wouldn’t listen.
    He took a few tentative steps toward her, but the smoke and fire frightened him too