The noise of the island’s crust splintering sounded like a thunderstorm.Cyrus pulled on his brother’s arm.
“You don’t understand. It’s going to cave in,” he said, digging his heelsinto the earth.
“What in Kingdom…” Niels gasped.
Cyrus looked back. A large plume of dust filled the air as the crane’sfoundation began to twist and sink. Again, he tugged at his brother’s arm. Thistime Niels followed.
From behind, frantic and condemned voices screamed as the two brothersran towards the village square.
The cave-in spread rapidly as a faster boy sped passed them, crying,“Run, it’s the Sea Zombie.”
Cyrus and his brother dashed up ChickenLopLane, through the village main street and towards the Virkelot Ring Road. Cyrus turned back and saw a wave of trees andhouses tilt and slide off the edge of the earth, vanishing into a large cloudof dust. The wave stretched across the entire island, and it was growing near.
“This way,” Niels said.
The two brothers hopped a fence and began to make their way acrossseveral farms and groves.
It must have seemed that they knew what they were doing, for otherpeople decided to follow their footsteps.
Cyrus saw a mailbox ahead that read, ‘CobblePopCorn Farm.’ The cornstalks barely came up to his shoulders, and their earslooked like bunches of white raisins emerging from cigar paper.
The ground shuddered. A small hole in the earth opened before them.Niels tripped. His right foot fell into the hole. He crashed hard to theground, knocking his head against the mailbox’s thick post. The earth shunted.The pit grew larger, swallowing Niels whole.
“Niels!” Cyrus shouted, diving to grasp his brother’s hand.
Niels clung feebly to the edge by one hand, blood oozing from a gash onhis forehead.
“Climb,” Cyrus shrieked, pulling at his brother’s wrist.
Niels struggled and gripped the ledge with both hands. His skin was paleand his expression confused and pained.
“Come on,” Cyrus groaned.
With all his might, he tried to pull his brother out. He heaved untilhis face turned red and his back became numb. He felt the bloody, E-shaped welton his side split open. Cringing, he held on. At the same time, Niels grappledwith the ledge, attempting to climb free, but he was too weak and disoriented.
“Cyrus, I- can’t hold on,” Niels breathed.
Cyrus turned to the villagers passing by.
“Help!” he shouted.
But they only ignored him and leapedover the chasm, terrified. He grabbed at their clothes. They shook him off likemud.
“You’re all cowards!” he screamed.
He even cursed them by name, but nothing worked. No one would come totheir aid.
From the strength of the tremors, Cyrus felt that the cave-in was meremoments away.
“Come on, Niels, you have to climb,” he said, panicking.
“I can’t,” Niels gasped, his hands slowly slipping.
He seemed to be struggling to keep his eyes open.
“I can’t do this myself,” Cyrus yelled, still hanging onto his brother.
He felt as if he was being rippedin two.
“I can’t hold on,” Niels groaned.
“You have to climb!” Cyrus cried.
A nearby tree splintered from its roots. Twigs and soil snapped into theair. Then the tree began to lean and moan. Cyrus watched in frozen terror asthe giant started to tilt in their direction.
“Cyrus, move,” his brother groaned.
Faster and faster the tree descended towards them.
“Move,” Niels screamed.
Something inside Cyrus took over. He rolled instinctively away from thehole. The tree smashed the earth. Cyrus’ bones rattled in their joints. Branchesclubbed his body while pine needles showered his flesh. Dust filled the air,along with the scent of sap and split timber. His head reeled while his verysoul hummed and rang.
“Niels,” he wheezed.
He tried to look about. Dirtscratched and burned his eyes.
“Niels,” he coughed a second time.
He could hear nothing over the ringing in his ears.
“Niels…”
He began to drag himself from beneath the fallen tree. Branches tore athis clothes and skin while sap stuck to his hands. After much effort, Cyrusclimbed free and found his footing. Again, the ground shunted and shook and he lost hisbalance. He slammed headfirst into a tree trunk. His mind flashed white. Hetook a deep breath and again tried to call for Niels. His throat filled withdust and he began to choke.
The earth continued to rumble as Cyrus tried to feel his way through thedusty haze. His head ached, and he couldsense something warm running down his face. He kept moving in circles, unableto find a path around the sharp branches and thick cornstalks. His breathinggrew labored.
With all the breath he could manage, Cyrus screamed, “Niels!” then fellinto a heap on the ground.
He coughed and sobbed as he punched the earth, feeling frustrated andhelpless. How long could Niels hold on? Cyrus tried to crawl blindly along the ground but met only thick brush and brokentimber. He did not even know in which direction he should move. Then he beganto hear hundreds of tiny voices calling out. The cries seemed to echo. He movedon all fours in the direction of the shouts, using his shirt to filter eachbreath.
He crawled head first into a mailbox’s post. The mailbox read ‘CobblePop Corn Farm.’ Cyrus squinted his stinging eyes andlooked about for his brother. The quaking had stopped, and the dust began to clear. At first,Cyrus’ eyes could not focus. Then a queasy falling feeling punched through hisribs. He scrambled away from the mailbox.
Where moments ago, a cornfield had stretched out row upon row, there wasnow a crumbling ledge and a dizzying drop. Three-quarters of the island’scenter had vanished into the once-underground lake, and like the top of a caved-inpie, only the outer crust of the island remained. Forests of trees and clumpsof undergrowth floated freely in the enormous bowl of island soup. Villagers,lost in the pit, clung to what scraps of buildings and farm equipment theycould find. They screamed in pain and called out for help.
Cyrus searched the waters for any sign of Niels, but he was gone, lostbetween the swimming pigs, splashing goats, bubbling houses and sinkingorchards.
“Niels, I’m so sorry,” Cyrus sobbed, “I tried.I’m sorry…”
Chapter 11
RESCUE
CYRUS SAT AT THE EDGE of thesinkhole, his mind racing with worry and dread. What do I do? Niels could bedrowning down there, and I can’t helphim.
