CHAPTER 2

Sacramento, CA

Meanwhile, the Bakers were just about to set off on a really long trip as well. Everyone jumped in the van except poor Tikal who was dragged in by Lynk crying because she was taking a nap. The trip was very long but finally they made it to Moab, Utah, where they were camping. When they got their camp all set up it was Tikal' naptime and she instantly fell asleep (because of her interrupted nap earlier.) When Tikal woke up she was laying in the middle of nowhere on top of a sandy, red rock. Tikal soon began to feel extremely hot.

"Why eh wood my uh brovers do dis ta me?" she panted from the extreme heat. She walked around for what seemed like hours, not knowing which way to go. Then out of nowhere she saw a black haired thing walking up to her. It said:

"Are ya ok?" Tikal couldn't talk finally she fainted from the extreme heat. When she came too she felt something fanning her. She looked to see who it was. It was a cute little boy with black messy hair and a hat.

"Are ya fewing butter?" he said in a cute voice.

"A wittle bit but I'm very virsty." she said back.

"Here have some of my water." he said giving her a water bottle. She drank some and gave it back to him.

"What your name?" she said.

"Shadow. You?"

"Tikal." Soon she had to squint her eyes to see.

"Here take me hat it will keep the sun out of your eyes." He put the hat on her and she told him thanks. They talked for about five more minutes then they saw two giant birds coming toward them.

"Uh oh." Shadow said. "Here take my hand and hold on tight" She did as she was told and she and Shadow took off running . Tikal struggled to hold on to his hand and hold on to the hat he gave her as she tried to keep up with him. While he was running he looked back at her and said

"Where is your famiwy?"

"They are camping here somewhere! Pwease watch where ya goin" He turned and watched where he was going. Soon they miraculously found her families camp-site. They stopped about a hundred feet before the site behind a large cactus and she asked

"Shadow how old are you?"

"I'm four year old, but its my birfday on Juwy twenyfird! And I have a big boy bed!" He said with some pride. "You?"

"I'm four too."

"Well I guss I have to be goin now."

"Ya I guss so" he gave her a quick kiss on the lips and blushed.

"My brover teached me dat dis morning! He kissed Rouge wike in da movies! So I kissed you wike da movies!" He said then ran away to another campsite not terribly far away.

Tikal had a big grin on her face all the way to camp. She took off Shadow's hat and put it in her backpack where she could bring it home.