CHAPTER EIGHT One Panda at a Time

CHAPTER EIGHT One Panda at a Time

"Yes, thank you! We need all the help we can get," said Dr. Ling. She looked dazed and frightened.

Jack and Annie scrambled down from the wreckage.

"Where's your grandmother?" asked Dr. Ling.

"Um … she's …" Jack looked at Annie.

"Helping earthquake victims south of here," said Annie.

"Good for her," said Dr. Ling, sighing. "Everyone needs help."

"This is a huge disaster for our region," said Master Lee. "We have no water or electricity.We've been able to make calls on cell phones, but we must conserve the batteries."

"How's Bing-Bing?" Jack asked.

"She's missing," said Master Lee. His voice quavered. "Missing?" said Jack.

"Yes," said Master Lee. "I can't find her anywhere."

"Don't worry, we'll help you!" said Annie.

Master Lee's eyes welled with tears. "Thank you," he said. "She is like a member of my family."He took a deep breath, then spoke clearly and steadily."The pandas are terrified by the quake and the landslides.Many of their homes have been destroyed.The stone walls around their yards have collapsed."

"We also have staff who have been injured," said Dr. Ling."Master Lee and I must go now to help those who have been trapped in the rubble."

"While you do that, we'll look for Bing-Bing," said Annie.

"Thank you," said Master Lee again, "but be very careful. Remember, she's a wild animal.She might be so upset and confused that she could attack you by mistake."

"We'll remember. Come on, Jack!" said Annie.

"Oh, wait," said Dr. Ling. "So everyone will know you are here to help, please put your volunteer clothes back on."She pointed to the bin, then she and Master Lee hurried off.

Jack and Annie grabbed their coveralls from the bin and pulled them on over their wet clothes."Let's check around Bing-Bing's house first," said Jack.

He and Annie ran across the grounds over shards of glass and fallen debris.They passed broken windows and cracked concrete walls.The kindergarten area was empty of cubs.The quake had overturned the swing sets and slide.

When Jack and Annie arrived at Bing-Bing's house, they saw that the stone wall enclosing her yard had crumbled.

"She must have run off into the woods," said Jack.

"We have to go look for her," said Annie.

Jack and Annie climbed over the collapsed wall.Then they scrambled over piles of shrubs and branches into the forest.

"Bing-Bing!" Annie called. "Bing-Bing!" Jack echoed.

They kept moving through the broken brush until Jack stopped.He grabbed Annie. "Shh!" he said, and pointed.

Bing-Bing was sitting in the middle of a fallen bamboo grove.Her forepaws rested in her lap. Her head sagged on her chest, and her eyes were closed.The giant panda was snoring. "She looks exhausted," said Jack.

Annie smiled. "She doesn't look like she's going to attack us," she said.

Bing-Bing raised her head. When she saw Jack and Annie, she let out a bellow.

"Don't be scared, Bing-Bing," said Jack.

He and Annie crept closer to the panda. They knelt down beside her.

"Hi there," said Annie. She gently patted the giant panda's furry head. Bing-Bing made soft sounds.

"Are you hungry?" asked Jack. He picked up a broken bamboo stalk and offered it to the panda.She took the shoot in her paws and pulled off the leaves with her teeth.She gazed at Jack as she chewed. He thought she looked weary and sad.

"Listen," Annie whispered. Soft whimpering sounds came from the trees beyond the thicket.

Annie stood up and quietly stepped through the broken bamboo."Look! It's Roly and Poly!" she said.

"Wait here," Jack said to Bing-Bing. "Keep eating."He hurried to Annie's side. High up in a tree were two small pandas.

"It's okay, it's okay," said Jack, as if he were talking to little children."Come down now. One panda at a time."

"Come on, Roly." Annie coaxed the nearest panda cub. "Come to me."

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