Module 3: "Waking Up in a Nightmare" and "One Boy’s Experience"

Then there was a shrill creaking sound, so sharp and penetrating that it was almost like a scream as the walls and ceiling fell in on them.

It was between five and half-past five Wednesday morning the temblor came: backwards, forwards, sidewards it shook, making things dance on the bureau as if they were alive, while the dishes in the pantry and the China closet rattled about at a great rate.

It was between five and half-past five Wednesday morning the temblor came: backwards, forwards, sidewards it shook, making things dance on the bureau as if they were alive, while the dishes in the pantry and the China closet rattled about at a great rate.

It was between five and half-past five Wednesday morning the temblor came: backwards, forwards, sidewards it shook, making things dance on the bureau as if they were alive, while the dishes in the pantry and the China closet rattled about at a great rate.

It was between five and half-past five Wednesday morning the temblor came: backwards, forwards, sidewards it shook, making things dance on the bureau as if they were alive, while the dishes in the pantry and the China closet rattled about at a great rate.

My father didn’t seem scared very much but I guess he was, all the same, and so were all of us except the baby; she just sat up in bed and didn’t even cry, but I’ll bet she thought it was kind of funny whenever we heard a rumble we all piled down into the back yard as fast as we could.

When we had cleaned up the broken crockery and bric-a-brac and eaten some sandwiches that my oldest sister had been going to take to a picnic with her that day, we all felt better and went to the window to look out.

By that time it was gaining headway and cinders from the fire came floating down on us until there was a thin layer of them all over the yard.

Hatless, coatless, mothers and fathers, with children all packing something trudged on in the direction of the hills.

My mother stayed up all night watching the fire with my aunt and grandmother, who had come over to stay with us and had brought ample provisions for two or three days.

My mother stayed up all night watching the fire with my aunt and grandmother, who had come over to stay with us and had brought ample provisions for two or three days.

The people seemed to take this all in good humor and when you walk around you see the most comical names on some of the camps and on others such names as Camp Thankful, Camp Grateful, etc.