A Race with Time

By Lilly W.
Thanks to Patience for ideas.          

                                            
            So far, the second term at Miss Whitaker’s academy for young ladies hasn’t been too bad. Miss Whitaker’s been extra nice lately. The academy is also learning to treat others with more respect and love, something a lot of us can use. The academy also hired another cook to replace Feng Chee and his wife.
           

“Andrea.” A voice broke my thoughts, “Have you not heard the supper bell?”
            “No.” I replied.
            “Andrea, no ma’am is the proper answer.”
            “Yes.” I said. Then hastily added, “ma’am.” I climbed off my pillow-soft bed and tripped over my skirt. I placed my journal under my pillow and followed Miss Whitaker into the dining hall. A few of the girls’ snickered at me for being late.

Grace was said, then we ate. I forgot Miss Whitaker had told us we would practice eating at formal occasions, such as balls, and I, Andrea Rose Carter, didn’t pay attention to the rules in etiquette class. I again heard a few more snickers. I squeezed my eyes shut.

I can’t do anything right these days!
*****
            We have a bit of free time on Sundays, and today just happens to be Sunday. I was reading a book—or trying to read a book. Little Women was so boring, so I daydreamed about riding Taffy to my special spot when I heard a knock at my door.

 Jenny opened it, to find Cecelia, the maid, at the door. “Andrea, somebody wants to see you.”
            “Ok!” I yelled, before I saw Cecelia’s face, “Yes, ma’am.” I ran down the hall to the stairs into the small guest room, similar to a mini parlor.
            “Justin!” I yelled as I throw myself into his arms.
            “Hey Honey.” Justin said, “You seem to be in a good mood today.”
            “I am!” I replied, “I’m extra happy to see you. Why didn’t you send word?”
            “This was kinda an emergency.”
            “What happened?” I asked, “Did something happen to aunt Rebecca?”
            “No, not that kind of emergency. This letter came from the mission house where Lin Mei and Kum Ju are staying.” Justin waved the paper at me. “The letter says both girls went missing on Friday night.”
            “What! They are missing?” I screamed.
            “Well, Andi, to put into better words, they were kidnapped.”
            “By whom?” I screamed even louder.
            “Keep your voice down, Honey. According to a witness, Feng Chee was reported sneaking around the mission house. Nobody knows how he got the girls.”
            “Oh my! Why?” I asked.
            “If I were you, Andi, I wouldn’t fret about it. They are in God’s hands. I need to go catch the 13:58 to Fresno, so I better run.” Justin pulled me into a hug and walked out. “Oh, by the way Andi, Mother sends her love.”

I walked up the stairs to my room. Wait ‘till Jenny hears about this! Our two little Chinese friends missing two days before their hearing! As soon as I told Jenny, we vowed we’d find Lin Mei and Kum Ju.
****
            In a half an hour, Jenny and I will have to go outside, so we made a plan. We’d go to Chinatown and sneak through the alleys until we found a lead. We hoped Miss. Whitaker wouldn’t care too much.  We even came up with an emergency plan.

Please God, protect us. Help us stay safe and find our friends.
*****
            Our room was almost the last room dismissed. Jenny and I knew what Lin Mei usually keeps in her handkerchief. We scrambled to the gate of the fence, and hurried out to make sure we’d get to Chinatown before dark hit. We also had another problem; we didn’t speak Chinese. Oh, well, we roamed the streets ‘til we found someone who could tell us some information.
            “Sir,” I said, “we are looking for two girls, about this high, and eight in age. Have you seen anybody with that description?”
            “Maybe if you described them better.”

Jenny came to my rescue and described them better.
            “Let me find my daughters.” Mr. Lang had said. He walked off and came back five minutes later. “This is Lily and this is Ellie. They seen two girls matching your descriptions.”
            “We seen the man pull on their sleeves.” Said Lily.
            “And they were kicking.” Added Ellie.
            “And they went that away.” Lily pointed up a hill near several abandon lots.
            “Thank you very much.”

We ran up the hill and snuck through an ally. That’s when Jenny discovered Lin Mei’s broken comb.
            “They have to be near us.” Jenny whined.
            “I hope so.” There was an empty old hay shed beside us.
            “You think they might be in there?” Jenny asked.

I shrugged. We snuck closer. That’s when we heard rapid Chinese talking.
            “It’s about time.” Jenny whispered.”

We had been searching for two hours by now. Shrill screams came from the house. In a split second we heard a “crash”. I heard the roaring flames.
            “We have to help!” I screamed to Jenny.
            “Look!” Jenny pointed to Feng Chee running away from the burning building.
            “Don’t worry about him. I think he locked the door behind them.” Jenny and I raced to the door. I touched it.
            “Ouch!” I looked down at my finger. “We have to help!”
            “How?” Questioned Jenny.
            “I don’t know!” I yelled, “We’ll help you!”

Be still and know that I am God.

I stopped. Be still? Two lives are endangered! I took a deep breath and stopped panicking.
            “It’s in Your hands, Lord.” I whispered.

Jenny and I slowly backed off. A tear slid off my cheek. Would our friends die?
            “Andi! Look!” In the distance, I could see a fire team.
            “Is there anyone in that building?” A young man shouted.
            “Two girls!”

The men grabbed some simple tools and banged the door down. They ran inside and within two minutes, both Kum Ju and Lin Mei were in their arms.
*****
            Both girls had very serious burns, but the doctor said they’d be fine. Feng Chee was tracked down, only to find he was on a ship to China. Apparently, the ship had problems and sunk immediately. No one was reported to be alive.

Kum Ju and Lin Mei’s hearing was rescheduled, since the hospital wanted to keep them there for observation. Jenny and I was so glad I had decided to stay an extra term at the academy.

As for Miss Whitaker, well…. I won’t go there.