Chapter 43

Name: Lily

Zero used to be homeless when he was little. He used to live on the street after he was living in an apartment as a baby. Stanley and Zero collected and packed onions into their sack. They wished to leave Big Thumb early in the morning so that they would be at Camp Green Lake before it got dark. They would have to find the correct hole, and make sure everyone was sleeping. They would dig as long as they were safe, and travel up the dirt road with whatever they found. It was safe to steal resources from the camp's kitchen. Stanley wondered about Zero's parents, as well as his own. In his mom's latest letter, she was worried they might get evicted from their home and become homeless too. He wondered if they thought he was dead after running away from the camp. He tried not to think about his parents' sadness. He attempted to try and recapture the feeling of happiness from the previous night, but nothing happened. He felt scared. The following morning they walked down the mountain. They drenched their hats in water before putting them on, as the weather was hot and sunny. Stanley carried the onion sack, and Zero held the shovel. They found the place in which they discovered the shovel. The sack was heavy, so Stanley held it over his other shoulder. He slipped on a rock and fell on the ground. As he awoke, he was slipping down the mountain and the onions were scattered around him. He slowed down in a weed patch. Stanley had thorns in his palm and pants. Zero collected the sack along the way. They lost nearly one-third of the onions, but many were recovered down the mountain. They looked over the edge of the cliff and looked at the dry lake remains. Stanley thought he saw Mary Lou in the distance. Zero and Stanley had a challenge about who was going to drink water first. They both headed in, what they thought, the correct directions. The heat rose. They offered each other water, but they both denied it. They walked for a long time. Zero and Stanley drank water to rehydrate their mouths and throats. Zero spotted Mary Lou. His mom left and never came back. Zero discussed his family life with Stanley when they sat and had a break. He had a stuffed giraffe called Jaffy. He waited for his mom at Laney Park, but she never returned. They got up, and started walking again. Zero told more stories to Stanley as they were walking. At the park, there was a party. People were looking at Zero differently. He ran away and lost his toy giraffe, which wasn't real. Stanley felt awful as he imagined his parents not knowing if he was alive or dead. He and Zero both felt the same emotions. They realised that they were going the wrong way, and Zero drew a map in the dirt. Later in the afternoon, a cloud formed in the sky, blocking the sun and letting the boys cool down. They heard quiet noises coming Camp Green Lake. They came across a land of holes. They waited in it. At the end of the day, they climbed out of the hole and quietly walked to the camp. Stanley made sure that the glass jars would not hit against each other. He felt dizzy, as he saw the compound. They spotted the hole that contained the gold tube, and it was about fifty yards away from them. Stanley and Zero climbed into the nearby holes, and waited for everyone to go to sleep.