14 The Battle of the Cave

Sheng and Bo-Bo turned and ran. Two men blocked their way. They must have found the hidden entrance!

“Look!” Sheng called. “That way!” Bo-Bo looked where he pointed. A zigzag path led to the cave floor and the opening held up by the beams. Maybe they could be quick enough to get past the men there.

But the men below raised their rifles. They fired.

Bullets whizzed by them and glanced off the walls and ceiling of the cave. Sheng dropped to his belly.

He pulled at Bo-Bo so she was almost flat on the ground herself. Together they crawled along the dark path to stay out of the line of fire.

More bullets. The dirt beneath them gave way. Sheng tumbled forward. Bo-Bo tried to grab his shirt, his arm, his braid, anything so she could stop him from falling. But she couldn’t. He fell head over heels down the path. Bo-Bo slid after him. They landed on the cave floor.

She looked up. The men were moving toward them. They pointed their guns at Bo-Bo and Sheng.

Choi Hung dove down at the men, screeching. One of the men fired up at him. He soared out of the way and grabbed another man by his hair. The first man swung his shotgun at Choi Hung. The bird screeched again and flew high.

Sheng and Bo-Bo backed up against a boulder. They were trapped.

Bo-Bo couldn’t let Sheng get hurt. She stood, ready to charge at the men. They might shoot her, but it would give Sheng a chance to get away.