Disney at Dawn

Heat flashed through him, and all the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck rose with his fright.

He knew what he had to do: he had to cross over. The lion couldn’t hurt a DHI. But as the enormous cat began to flex, as if preparing to strike, Fi

And then, at once, several hands grabbed him and began to drag him away.

He heard applause and laughter.

He blinked his eyes open but was immediately blinded by the sun in the sky.

He averted his eyes and happened to catch a glimpse of one of the hands wrapped around his arm: black and calloused, with long, thin fingers. The hand was co

Fi

He was being dragged off by a pair of orangutans. He tried to break the grip of the one on his left, and the thing bared its teeth and lunged toward his face as if to bite him. Fi

They were dragging him toward the jungle. They were kidnapping him.

And the audience thought it was all part of the show.

42

MAYBECK HEARD THAT ROAR and ran for the gardener who was watering the trees. He stole the hose out of the man’s hands. Not really a man—more like a college kid. The guy didn’t appreciate someone stealing his hose.

Maybeck’s aunt Jelly had a mutt named Porky who considered their small backyard his domain. About once a month some stupid neighborhood dog would decide to visit their backyard without an invitation from Porky, typically resulting in a dogfight of epic proportions.

The first time Maybeck had tried to break up one of the fights, he’d nearly gotten his hand bitten off. He’d been saved by Jelly, who had broken up the fight with the garden hose. Ever since, Maybeck had used a strong burst of hose water to separate Porky and his prey.

He took the hose and sprinted toward the large apes who were dragging his friend across the pavement. He fought his way through the thick crowd, which was actually laughing and cheering.

Maybeck gave the hose one last tug, but he’d reached its limit. It would extend no farther.

He squeezed the handle and shot a burst of water at the lion. The water pressed right through the animal.

A DHI!

Next, Maybeck aimed the hose at the nearest orangutan, hitting him squarely in the head. The ape was real. It let go of Fi

Again, the audience let out a cry of approval, clapping and hollering.

The ape shot a glance at Maybeck as if to challenge him, then quickly seemed to reconsider, and turned back toward Fi

Maybeck blasted the other ape.

Fi

Fi

The two took off at a full sprint, the orangutans following, their backs hunched, their teeth bared.

Fi

“Don’t look back!” Amanda said into his ear. “I’ve got you. The Lion King show is ru

“This way!” Fi

They angled slightly toward the large, open pavilion, where a flash of bright color and loud African music confirmed the show was underway.

“They’re gaining on you,” Amanda warned. “Zigzag!”

Fi

“It’s working!” Amanda cheered them on.

Together the boys burst into the show already in progress. Four sets of wooden bleachers rose from a theater-in-the-round, at the center of which were colorfully dressed acrobats performing on a giant trampoline, with trapeze artists spi

As Fi

Trying to avoid a collision with the ramp, Fi

He glanced overhead. The trampoline’s fabric stretched toward the concrete floor as the acrobatic show continued above him. Whenever anyone hit the trampoline, the fabric stretched so low that Fi

Doubting that he and Maybeck could outrun the two apes, Fi

Fi

Fi

The trampoline came down immediately in front of the other ape, and that proved enough motivation. This one took off as well, following his buddy. Fi

Maybeck had waited for him. Maybeck, who never thought of anyone but himself.

They took off ru

“Thanks,” Fi

“The water shot right through the lion,” Maybeck said. “It was a DHL”

“Maleficent’s building an army,” Fi

Fi

“Where are you going?” Maybeck huffed.

“The button,” Fi

43

HAVING WITNESSED THE ENCOUNTER with the, Amanda kept a close eye on Fi