Night of the Ninjas (5 page)

Jack and Annie stared at the tree branch.

“We have to
try
to cross it,” said Annie. “We're supposed to follow nature.”

“Forget it,” said Jack. “It's too little. It'll crack in a second.”

“Maybe if we pretend we're mice, we can do it,” said Annie.

“Oh brother,” said Jack. “Not again.”

“If you could be a rock, you can be a mouse,” said Annie. “Just be teeny and light and fast.”

Jack took a deep breath.

“We
have
to,” said Annie.

“Okay,” Jack said.

“Say ‘squeak,' ” said Annie.

“You're nuts!” said Jack.

“Just do it,” said Annie. “It'll help you feel more like a mouse.”

Jack groaned. “Okay,” he said. “Squeak.”

“Squeak,” said Annie.

“Squeak, squeak, squeak,” they said together.

“Let's go! Hurry!” said Annie.

Jack stepped onto the branch.

I'm teeny
.
I'm light
.
I'm fast
, he thought. Then he darted across the branch.

Jack moved so quickly, he didn't think about anything—except getting to the other side.

He forgot the wild, freezing water. He forgot
the smallness of the branch.

Suddenly Jack was on the other side. Suddenly Annie was right beside him.

They laughed and fell together into the grass.

“See! See! The branch didn't break!” said Annie.

“I guess it was big enough,” said Jack. “I guess we just had to think the right way.”

“The Peanut way,” said Annie.

“Yeah,” said Jack, smiling. He felt great.

He was still wet from his fall into the stream. But he didn't mind anymore.

Jack pushed his glasses into place and stood up. “Okay, now we just have to find the tree house,” he said.

“No, we don't,” said Annie. She pointed up.

The tree house was outlined against the
moonlit sky. High in a tree. Surrounded by white flowers.

In the distance came the sound of voices. Then Jack saw flames.

“The samurai are coming back,” said Jack. “We have to go.”

“Where's Peanut?” said Annie. “We can't leave Peanut.”

“We have to,” said Jack.

The voices of the samurai were getting closer. So were their torches.

“Come on,” Jack said. He grabbed Annie's hand. He pulled her toward the rope ladder.

“Oh Jack—” she said sadly.

“Go! Go!”

Annie started up the rope ladder.

Jack followed. He felt sad, too. He liked that little mouse now. He liked it a lot.

They climbed up and up.

Just before they got to the top, Jack heard it.

Squeak
.

“Oh wow!” cried Annie. “Peanut's inside!”

Annie pulled herself into the tree house. Jack followed.

He gasped.

Someone else was in the tree house, too
.

A dark figure was sitting in the corner.

“You have done well,” the figure said.

It was the ninja master
.

“You have followed the way of the ninja,” he said.

“Oh man,” breathed Jack.

Squeak
.

The master was holding Peanut.

“Take good care of your little helper,” he said, handing the mouse to Annie.

Annie kissed the mouse's tiny head.

“And take this—” said the master. He held his hand out to Jack.

He gave Jack a small, round stone.

“This moonstone will help you find your missing friend,” the master said.

Jack stared at the stone. Was this one of the four things?

“You must go home now,” said the master. He picked up the Pennsylvania book and handed it to Annie.

“Where did you find it?” asked Jack.

“Here,” said the master. “You did not see it before. Because your heart knew you had a mission to complete first.”

“What about you?” said Annie. “Can you come with us?”

“Yes,” said Jack. “We need help finding Morgan.”

The master smiled. “No, my friends. I
must stay here. There will be more help along the way. But you must find the way on your own.”

Annie opened the book. She found the picture of Frog Creek.

She pointed to it. “I wish we could go there,” she said.

The wind started to blow.

The white flowers started to shake. Clouds covered the moon.

“Remember,” the master said, “keep a kind heart.”

Then he swung silently down the rope ladder. He disappeared into the dark night.

“Wait!” Jack called. There was so much he wanted to ask the master. About nature. About ninjas. About their mission.

But the tree house started to spin.

It spun faster and faster!

Jack gripped the stone in his hand. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Then everything was still.

Absolutely still.

Jack opened his eyes.

Then he opened his fist. He stared at the moonstone in his hand. It was clear and smooth. It almost seemed to glow.

“We're home,” said Annie.

Squeak
.

Annie and the mouse were looking out the window.

Jack looked with them.

The sun was setting in the distance.

No time at all had passed in Frog Creek
.

They heard their neighbor's dog, Henry, bark. They heard crickets chirping.

In the distance, they could see their dad step out of their house. He stood on their porch.

“Ja-ack! An-nie!” he called.

Time for dinner.

“Com-ing!” Annie shouted.

Jack sat back on his heels. He looked at the moonstone again.

“I guess we have one of the four things,” he said.

“We'll look for the other three tomorrow,” Annie said.

Jack nodded. They had a lot more work to do.

He put the moonstone in his pocket.

He pulled on his pack.

“Ready?” he said.

“Wait,” said Annie. She took off one of her sneakers. She pulled off her sock. Then she put her sneaker back on.

“What are you doing?” said Jack.

“I'm making a bed,” she said.

“A what?”

“Bed! You know, for Peanut to sleep in.” Annie picked up the mouse. She tucked it inside her sock.

“'Night, Peanut,” she said softly.

Squeak
.

“Oh brother,” said Jack.

Annie held the mouse close to Jack.

“Kiss it goodnight, Jack,” she said.

“Don't be silly,” he said. “Let's go.”

“Thanks for helping us,” Annie said to the mouse.

She put Peanut gently down on the glowing M. She pulled Morgan's message out of her pouch. And put it next to the mouse.

“See you tomorrow,” she said. Then she started down the ladder.

Jack stared at the mouse. It looked back at him.

For a moment, its dark eyes looked old and wise.

“Come on, Jack!” called Annie.

Jack kissed its tiny head.

“Night-night, Peanut,” he whispered.

Then Jack headed down the rope ladder.

It got darker and darker as he went down.

By the time he stepped onto the ground, it was almost completely black.

“Where are you?” said Jack.

“Here,” said Annie. Her hand bumped his. He took it.

“Careful,” he said.

“Careful yourself,” she said.

Together they took off through the cool, dark woods.

They moved silently and swiftly—two shadow warriors returning home.

“Hurry, Jack!” shouted Annie.

Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods.

Jack followed her.