Grand Theft Safari Read Online Free Page B

of Dad.
    â€œWhoa!” Dad bolted upright from his sound slumber. I scurried over to the far corner of the tent, closer to Mom.
    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, went the side of our tent. The ceiling almost folded completely to the ground.
    â€œWhat’s out there?” Tomi yelled.
    Mom grabbed the flashlight and jumped to the tent’s door. She unzipped the flap and burst out into the night. We heard loud stomping, like a stampede.
    After all the chaos, Mom’s laughter rang out.
    We rushed outside to see what the commotion was. Mom was doubled over, holding her stomach, laughing.
    â€œWhat was all the noise?” I asked.
    â€œAbout six or seven giraffes decided to check us out,” she gasped, still laughing. “I don’t think they expected to wake us up.”
    â€œReally? They thought we could sleep throughall that?” Tomas asked. Then he got Mom’s joke and started laughing too.
    Mom pointed the flashlight in the direction the giraffes ran. I could faintly see their eyes in the darkness. I think we scared them more than they scared us.
    â€œLet’s use the lanterns and reposition our tent. It is battered,” Mom said as she shone her flashlight across our tent.
    We worked together to stand the tent upright again.
    â€œWhy do you think the giraffes came into camp?” I asked Mom.
    â€œOh, who knows? Maybe they smelled something yummy, like those canned beans we had with dinner,” Mom said. She winked at me, joking. Those beans were definitely not yummy.
    â€œMaybe they were curious. They wanted to see us up close,” I said.
    â€œSure. Who knows what these animals think? I’m just relieved it wasn’t a pride of lions. Or a crazed group of poachers. I’d rather deal with vegetarian giraffes any day,” Mom said.

Chapter Six
    ELEPHANT STAMPEDE
    The park ranger came out to speak with Nigel the next day. Nigel thought the poachers were moving northwest, following the elephant herd. Nigel and the park ranger huddled over the park map, pointing at various coordinates and talking excitedly.
    â€œWe will trail them,” the ranger assured us.
    â€œWhat about my research on the flamingoes?” Mom asked the ranger. “I need to go to the lakes.”
    The ranger shook his head. “I am sorry, ma’am, but it is not safe for you out there when poachers are afoot. You could get in the crossfire.” The ranger paused and then said, “You should head to Lake Bogoria or Lake Nakuru. You will surely find flamingoes there. They prefer the soda lakes.”
    â€œSoda lakes?” Tomas whispered. “Can I drink them? I’m dying for a real soda.” He clutched his throat and made gurgling sounds. I laughed.
    â€œWe might as well pack up,” Mom muttered. “I haven’t found evidence of the flamingoes this far inland anyway.”
    I knew Mom was frustrated. She didn’t like her research trips interrupted, especially by criminal poachers.
    â€œWe will pack up and head out first thing tomorrow,” Nigel told the park ranger. Then Nigel looked at Mom. “Dr. Perez, I will personally take you and your family to Lake Bogoria.”
    Mom consented. After all, she couldn’t argue with Nigel or the park ranger. They were both concerned about our safety.
    The rest of the day, we cleaned and packed equipment back into the trunks. Dad and Nigel lifted the trunks onto the truck. We left only the bare necessities out for dinner and breakfast.
    To take our minds off the poachers, Nigel told us African stories around the campfire that night. He started with a creation myth. He told us about Ngai, the god who created and divided theuniverse. Ngai created a man, Gikuyu. Then Ngai gave Gikuyu part of his land, rivers, and animals, so that Gikuyu could father a tribe. Ngai made a wife for Gikuyu. Gikuyu and his wife had nine beautiful daughters but there were no husbands for the daughters. Gikuyu was told to build a fire