Free The Secret Zoo by Bryan Chick Page A

spot.
    â€œIt’s a rhino!” Richie finished.
    As he said the word, the beast moved its deadly horn to the base of Ella’s spine. She held her breath and hoped she wouldn’t feel too much pain.

CHAPTER 19
A P ALACE B UILT FOR P ENGUINS
    N oah stepped into Penguin Palace and closed the door softly behind him. The air inside was cold and damp. He entered the main room, which housed a gigantic four-sided aquarium full of penguins.
    The aquarium had a view from every side. It reached all the way to the ceiling, covered most of the floor, and was nearly half the size of Noah’s school gymnasium. In the middle of the aquarium was a landmass covered with ice. It nearly filled the aquarium. On all sides, the land ended just feet from the glass walls, creating a narrow channel. Full of water, this channel gave the penguins a place toswim. A crowd of penguins was gathered on the icy shore. They were standing around, doing nothing, and looking bored and sad in the strange way that penguins always look bored and sad.
    Noah walked up to the glass. One by one, the birds noticed him and waddled to the edge of the ice. They began to rock from side to side and flap their flat flippers. In no time, every penguin had its beady eyes locked on Noah.
    â€œHello, guys,” Noah said. He pressed his palms against the cold aquarium and asked, “Which one of you is Podgy?”

CHAPTER 20
L ITTLE B IGHORN
    T he rhino’s dagger-sharp curved horn slid up Ella’s back, meticulously skipping over each disk in her spine as it slipped beneath her jacket. The enormous animal’s simple touch revealed all its might, all its power, and all its potential.
    Just when Ella was certain she would be speared, the rhinoceros hoisted her out of the mud with one clean jerk of its head. Ella dangled in the air at the end of its snout.
    â€œHey!” she said, squirming and kicking the air. “Richie! Help!”
    The rhino sloshed through the mud, bouncing and swinging her from its pointed horn like a puppet on a short, fat string. The top band of her earmuffs fell across her face. The animal’s every footfall sent a fresh wave of panic over her.
    â€œPut me down!” she grunted.
    The rhino started to trot, and she felt the cold wind prick her cheeks. Seconds later, at the end of the yard, the animal swiftly lowered her to the ground.
    Ella recovered quickly and spun around. Here, near the zoo lights, she caught her first glimpse of the animal. Its eyes were warm and brown, and in them Ella saw only kindness. The rhino didn’t want to harm her—it wanted to help, just the way Blizzard had.
    It snorted, spun around, and quaked back into the darkness. Seconds later, she heard Richie shrieking.
    â€œThis can’t be happening!” Ella shuddered.
    The rhino charged out of the shadows, dangling Richie by his backpack. When it reached Ella, it dipped its head and slipped the boy off its spike. Richie scrambled to Ella’s side, and together the scouts gazed up at the huge beast.
    â€œIt’s…it’s friendly,” Richie gasped.
    â€œMaybe they’re all friendly,” Ella said. “At least to us.”
    She reached up. The rhino lowered its head and allowed Ella to pet the side of its face. Its skin was hard and rough.
    â€œThanks,” Ella said. “For the help, I mean.”
    The rhino grunted and nudged them toward the main part of the zoo with its massive head.
    â€œIt wants us to go,” Richie said. “It wants us…”
    â€œTo find Megan,” Ella declared. “Somehow, it knows.”
    â€œThis is too weird.”
    â€œI have a feeling we haven’t seen anything yet.”
    The rhino nudged them again.
    â€œLet’s go,” Richie said. “I don’t wanna be rude to this guy.”
    â€œYeah,” Ella said. “Especially when it could make a shish kebab out of us with one poke of its horn.”
    The rhino nudged them a