Free Wushu Were Here by Jon Scieszka Page B

“Guys, don’t pull on The Book . Don’t pull…”
    But Anna and I were too busy with our tug-of-war to pay much attention.
    â€œTear that book,” Sam said loudly, “and you could rip the entire space-time continuum!”
    Just as I gave The Book a giant tug, Anna let go. My arm flew back and The Book went with it, smashing into Sam. A flash of green light erupted from it, blinding us.
    I looked down. My body was still there. Phew. We hadn’t warped.
    â€œWe’re still here,” I said. “Sorry, Sam. I think I whacked you pretty hard with The Book .”
    I turned around. “Sam?”
    Sam was gone.
    â€œHelp! Help!” A muffled sound was coming from The Book . I opened it up. There—on thesame page as Li Shimin—was Sam.
    â€œWhat happened? Where am I?” shrunken Sam cried. “Get me out of here.” I couldn’t believe it—Sam was trapped in The Book .

    Anna, Fred, and I looked down at The Book . We’d had a lot of weird adventures before, but this was a first.
    â€œHe must be stuck mid-warp,” Anna said.
    â€œDon’t worry,” I told Sam. “We’ll get you out.”
    Fred poked at the page, trying to help. “Ow, watch it,” Sam said.
    Green mist started seeping out of The Book .
    â€œStop poking it,” Anna said. “You’re going to make us warp.”
    It was too late. In a bright green flash, we all disappeared.

CHAPTER 3
    S o that’s how we got to ancient China. Now Fred was dead, and Anna and I were face-to-face with a crazed madman with some serious wushu.
    â€œâ€˜Finished him off,’” Anna said, repeating Angry One’s words. She glared at him. “He’s just a kid. How could you kill him?”
    â€œI…I…that’s not what I meant,” Angry One said.
    â€œFred never did anything to you,” Anna said. “He was just minding his own business when, bam , you challenge him to a fight.You should be ashamed of yourself.”
    There was no stopping her now. Anna was all fired up, and the angry guy was getting an earful.
    â€œWhy don’t you pick on someone your own size,” Anna said. “You know what you are—”
    Fred tapped her shoulder.
    â€œHave you seen my other shoe?” he asked.
    â€œBack there, where he killed you,” Anna said, waving her hand behind her.
    Still glaring at Angry One, she continued her rant. “You’re just a big bully. Fred never…”
    Then it hit her.
    â€œFred?!” Anna said.
    â€œLook! He’s alive,” I said, clapping Fred on the back.
    â€œOw, ow, ow. Careful,” Fred said.
    Angry One came over.
    He looked a little less scary now.

    â€œWhat I meant to say,” he explained, “is that I could have killed him. But I am a Shaolin monk, and a monk never kills. He only uses his opponent’s energy against him.”
    â€œThat’s what Sam said,” I said. “Sam. Where is he?”
    â€œWhere’s The Book ?” Anna asked.
    Sam was stuck in The Book , so wherever The Book was, Sam was, too. And right now The Book was…lost.
    The monk turned to Fred. “My apologies,” he said. “Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tanzong. I thought you were a volunteer for the army I am raising to fight Wang.”
    â€œWho’s Wang?” Fred asked.
    â€œWang Shichong is the man who calls himself emperor,” Tanzong said. “I call him a bloodthirsty villain.”
    â€œHey, Joe,” Fred whispered. “Wasn’t Wang the bad guy from the movie?”
    Fred was right. This was all starting to sound familiar.
    Tanzong continued. “Wang has taken General Li Shimin—the son of the rightful emperor—prisoner. Unless the Shaolin monks find a way to rescue him, Li Shimin will be executed and the country will descend into bloodshed.”
    â€œBut these are not your concerns,” Tanzong