Chapter 61: Finding Max

Once again, Jake raced out of the truck, muddy water trying to push him down the road. “Max,” he yelled, but the sound came back to him.

The yellow thing seemed to move toward him. Jake reached the boy a moment later and gathered him in his arms.

“Mr. Campbell,” Max said.

“Max,” he said and hugged the soggy boy to him. “Hold my hand,” Jake said when he put Max back on his feet.

Max put his little hand in Jake’s. The trust almost made Jake melt. He slogged through mud and rain for two steps before Max fell.

Jake scooped him up, unzipped his own jacket and tucked Max inside it. The boy wrapped himself around Jake and burrowed his face into him.

Warm breaths fluttered across Jake’s neck as he pulled his legs from the mud to take each step.

Jake lost his balance, but managed to spin around so he landed on his side and not on Max.

“Are you okay, Mr. Campbell?” Max asked.