A Challenging Rescue
    
“Let’s go home,” Liam said to his little sister, Flora, after their art class one Saturday morning. “We’re late for lunch.”

The night before, it had snowed hard. They trudged to their cozy home on Adelaide Street, passing through an empty construction site. Suddenly, Liam heard a loud thud. He turned around only to see that Flora was gone. His sister had fallen into a deep hole. “Help!” she yelled. “Get me out!”

Liam looked around in despair, but no one was in sight.

“Climb up the sides!” Liam shouted. His sister tried climbing up the hole, but with every step, she slipped down the hole. Then, he saw a humongous tree nearby. He grasped the longest tree branch and broke it off with a crack. He extended it to Flora. “Get hold of the tree branch!” Liam pleaded.

She reached for the branch, but it wasn’t close enough. “I can’t reach it!” she responded.

Liam saw a store in the distance and decided to get help. It was far, so he needed something to mark his way. He shuffled through his backpack and noticed some paint cans from his art class. I could use those paints to mark my way, Liam thought.

Liam staggered to the mart with a long trail of red paint behind him. He looked through the window. The lights were off, and all the shelves were bare. A Closed sign was on the door. Frustrated, he trailed back to Flora hopelessly.

Suddenly, he had a wonderful idea. He knotted his scarf, jacket, and hat to make a long rope. Liam threw the rope into the hole and leaned down so Flora could grab it. Just then, a pile of snow tumbled down and almost buried Flora!

“Are you OK?” Liam panicked.

“I’m fine,” came a cold, shaky voice.

Liam leaned down until Flora caught the rope. He then carefully pulled her up. Liam smiled. He had been wearing his rescue plan for the entire time.

They hugged and after walking for what felt like forever, their cozy red house was finally in sight.