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before we hit the trees.”
    â€œCome on, Jack, please stop saying things like that.”
    â€œI’m not saying anything that isn’t true. We have to stay here. Maybe they’ll go away before the bridge blows . . . maybe they’re going to use a timer.”
    â€œWhat’s a timer?” I asked.
    â€œIt’s a thing like a clock. They set it so the bomb explodes later.”
    â€œAnd they’ve got one of those?”
    â€œHow would I know?” Jack said, angrily. “I just know that there are things like that.”
    â€œSo if they’re gone we can go and get help. Maybe we can find somebody who can disconnect the bomb, like the police, or they can call for the military to come.”
    â€œOr maybe we could disconnect it,” Jack said.
    â€œWhat?” I couldn’t believe he was even thinking that.
    â€œWe could disconnect it. I think we just have to pull out the wires.”
    â€œYou’re crazy! We can’t do that!”
    â€œBut what if a train comes before we can get help and—”He stopped and cocked his head to the side.
    â€œWhat? What’s wrong?”
    â€œListen,” he said.
    Immediately I heard what he was hearing. It was a low, rumbling sound that could mean only one thing.
    â€œThere’s a train coming.” Jack’s voice was barely a whisper.
    â€œCan you tell which direction it’s coming from?”
    He shook his head.
    â€œDo you think it could be from the factory?” I asked.
    â€œI told you I don’t know! I can’t see it. I can only hear it. It’s coming.”
    The sound was growing louder, and I could feel the vibrations through the tree. Even the water was starting to tremble.
    â€œCome here,” Jack said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œCome here and get out of the tube,” he said as he slipped over the side of his and into the waist-deep water.
    â€œBut—”
    â€œDon’t argue with me, just get into the water!” he ordered.
    I slid into the water and waded over beside him, towing the inner tube with me and looking over my shoulder as I moved. The train still wasn’t in sight, but the sound was nearly deafening now.
    â€œWhy did we get into the water?” I had to shout to be heard.
    â€œIt’ll protect us.”
    â€œProtect us from what?”
    â€œThe explosion, idiot.”
    â€œWe’re far away. It can’t be that big . . . they couldn’t have put that much explosive stuff on the bridge.”
    â€œAmmunition,” I heard him say. And he was right. What if the train was carrying ammunition? What would it be like if a train filled with ammunition exploded? I tried to picture it. Itwould be tremendous . . . unbelievable . . . it would fill the sky and . . .
    â€œWe have to get farther away,” I blurted out.
    â€œThere isn’t time,” Jack said, and he pointed.
    I looked up. It was a freight train, and it was coming from the direction of the plant!
    â€œJust do what I do!” Jack yelled over the noise.
    I followed him to shore and tossed my tube onto a little lip of land right beside where he tossed his. Although it felt stupid I reached out and took his hand.
    The train came close, the big engine growling and rumbling, the noise echoing down the creek, closed in by the trees and banks. It reached the edge of the bridge and I held my breath and . . . it kept coming, the second car, and then the next and the next. With each car there was a loud thump, thump as the axles hit the bridge. When were they going to set off the explosion? Were they waiting for the very middle of the train? Maybe that was where they kept the ammunition cars. I looked at Jack wide-eyed.
    â€œI don’t know!” he screamed over the noise.
    I turned back to look. Car after car it came, each one thumping across the bridge. The caboose was already in sight. Maybe they were trying to kill the crew! It came closer and closer and then hit