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do lose the truck. That way we’ll still have the quad and our supplies.”
    â€œHow many people can ride on the quad?” Mark asked.
    â€œTwo.”
    â€œBut there are three of us.”
    â€œIf we lose the truck, there won’t be because you’ll be inside the truck.” John pointed down the steep hill. “Wherever it ends up.”
    â€œMaybe Nicole would like to do the truck thing.”
    â€œI’d be happy to,” Nicole said.
    â€œExcept I told her dad that I’d try to keep her safe,” John said.
    Mark pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Wanna call my dad?”
    John smiled. “Give me a hand unloading the quad.”
    â€œI’m going to look around,” Nicole said. “I know I saw something.”
    â€œDon’t wander too far,” John said. “And take your go bag with you.”
    Nicole walked back to where she thought she had seen something. Whatever it is , she thought, uncertain why it was so important. Mr. Masters probably thinks I’m insane. She had seen it out of the corner of her eye past Mark’s head on the passenger side. By the time she’d leaned forward, it had vanished into the trees. She scanned the forest for a familiar landmark. There! An old tree blown over by the wind or downed by lightning. She walked toward it. Halfway there, she saw a movement behind the splintered stump and stopped. She knew better than to walk up to a wild animal in the woods, if that’s what it was. She waited and watched. In the distance she heard the truck start and John shouting instructions to Mark. It moved again. A humanlike face peered out from behind the stump. It was Chico, Chiquita’s twin brother. He was baring his teeth in a fear grimace. She didn’t blame him. Earthquakes were scary. So was being lost in the woods and separated from the show. She couldn’t imagine what was goingthrough the young chimp’s mind, but she knew exactly what was going through her own.
    Chico’s bizarre appearance here meant that her mother and sister had to be nearby. It also meant that animals had escaped from the circus trucks, and the show was almost certainly in trouble. Nicole sat down on the ground and averted her gaze to make herself appear less threatening. If it had been Chiquita peeking out from behind the stump, Nicole would have walked up to her with open arms, calling her name, but she didn’t know Chico that well. If she walked toward him, he was liable to run away. The only thing to do was wait for him to get over his fear and approach her.
    If only I had some food, I could … She remembered the go bag. Very slowly she slipped the small backpack off her shoulders. Chico watched her suspiciously but didn’t run. He showed a little more of his body as she unzipped a side pocket and pulled out an energy bar.
    â€œHungry?”
    Chico stepped completely out from behind the stump.
    â€œMe too.” Nicole started to unwrap the bar. Chico took a tentative step forward. “You recognize my voice, don’t you?”
    Chico gave her a quiet woot.
    â€œThat’s what I thought.” Nicole took a bite out of the bar, then held the rest out to him. “You want some?”
    â€œ Woot .”
    â€œYou’re going to have to come and get it, because I’m not bringing it to you. And you’d better make it quick. This train’s about to leave the station.”
    Chico took a couple steps forward.
    â€œI know you’re scared. It’s creepy when the ground shakes. Scared me too. But you’re lucky you weren’t at the farm during the hurricane. Now, that was terrifying.”
    Chico started knuckling his way toward Nicole, then froze, looking at something behind her.
    â€œIt’s okay, Chico. Don’t run off.” Nicole turned her head. Mark was fifty feet away with his camera.
    â€œIs that a chimpanzee?”
    â€œNo, Mark, it’s a baby