Calamity in the Cold Read online

  Contents

  * * *

  Title Page

  Contents

  Copyright

  Map of the Oregon Trail

  Frontispiece

  Introduction: Blaze a Trail!

  Page 11

  Page 20

  Page 21

  Page 23

  Page 25

  Page 27

  Page 28

  Page 29

  Page 35

  Page 38

  Page 40

  Page 43

  Page 50

  Page 52

  Page 55

  Page 57

  Page 60

  Page 62

  Page 64

  Page 66

  Page 72

  Page 74

  Page 79

  Page 80

  Page 82

  Page 83

  Page 84

  Page 86

  Page 91

  Page 92

  Page 93

  Page 96

  Page 97

  Page 102

  Page 104

  Page 105

  Page 108

  Page 109

  Page 112

  Page 118

  Page 120

  Page 125

  Page 127

  Page 130

  Page 132

  Page 137

  Page 142

  Guide to the Trail

  Dangers!

  Finding Your Way

  Sample Chapter from GOLD RUSH!

  Buy the Book

  Read More from the Oregon Trail Series

  Connect with HMH on Social Media

  Copyright © 2019 HMH IP Company Unlimited Company. THE OREGON TRAIL and associated logos and design are trademarks of HMH IP Company Unlimited Company.

  All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to [email protected] or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10016.

  hmhbooks.com

  The display text was set in Pixel-Western, Press Start 2P, and Slim Thin Pixelettes.

  Illustrations and cover art by Gustavo Viselner

  Cover art © 2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

  Names: Wiley, Jesse, author.

  Title: Calamity in the cold / by Jesse Wiley.

  Description: Boston ; New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, [2019] | Series: The Oregon Trail ; [8]

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018056297

  Classification: LCC PZ7.1.W5353 Cal 2019 | DDC [Fic]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018056297v

  ISBN: 978-0-358-04060-6 paper over board

  ISBN: 978-0-358-04059-0 paperback

  eISBN 978-0-358-16685-6

  v2.0919

  Blaze a Trail!

  It’s 1845, and you are on the cross-country journey of a lifetime. You will travel close to three thousand miles with your family from Jacksonville, Florida, to Oregon Territory via the Oregon Trail. Thousands of other pioneers like you are trekking West to start a new life.

  But your excitement and hope for a better future will get you only so far. You’ll face many obstacles—even before you hit the Oregon Trail.

  If and when you reach it, the Trail will challenge your endurance, your grit, and your patience. You’ll blaze through uncharted wilderness: rushing rivers, snowcapped mountains, and more. Think creatively, rely on those you trust, and be prepared. Pack enough food, water, and essential supplies for your long trek.

  * * *

  There are twenty-four possible endings full of dangers and incredible discoveries, but only one path will lead you all the way across the country safely. Your choices might send you somewhere unexpected and test your survival skills.

  You’re stuck on thin, cracking ice! What do you do?

  You’re caught in a snowstorm on the plains! Where do you find shelter?

  Look out! Grizzly bear! How do you escape?

  Before you start, read the Guide to the Trail on page 148. It will help you make better decisions in the midst of calamity.

  At some points, you might run into other travelers, Indigenous Nations such as the Cherokee, Nez Perce, and Mandan Nations who can provide advice, assistance, and friendship. At other times, you’ll have to trust yourself to make the right choices.

  It’s up to you!

  What will you choose?

  Ready?

  LET’S BLAZE A TRAIL TO

  OREGON CITY!

  It’s a humid morning in Jacksonville. You and your family have always been early risers, being farmers, but today you wake up before everyone else.

  You didn’t sleep a wink; you’re too excited and nervous! Today you head West, where there’s farmland, opportunity, and the chance to start a new life. It’s getting really crowded in Jacksonville, and your family is struggling to keep its farm business successful with all the competition. Plus, the hot and sticky weather in Florida is wearing on you. Maybe there won’t be as many bugs in Oregon Territory.

  Your parents already sold your farm and homestead to pay for the long trek, so you’re staying at an inn on the edge of town. After a hearty breakfast, your family piles into your farm wagon to start for Atlanta. You plan to buy a covered wagon, or prairie schooner, in Saint Louis. You’ve got your livestock in tow. Betty and Billy are your favorites—they’re goats that don’t get along with each other, but they are friendly to you.

  Your older sister, Emma, hops into the farm wagon next to Ma and baby Jaime. A goat snaps at her dress.

  “Ugh!” Emma tugs at her skirt. “I don’t understand why we had to sell my favorite mirror and keep that thing!”

  You grin. You and Emma fight even worse than the goats. She’s just turned seventeen and cares only about reading and fancy dresses.

  “Children, please behave.” Ma holds Jaime in her arms.

  Pa hitches the horses and climbs up into the front seat. “To Atlanta!” He slaps the reins. Your sheepdog, Dash, barks at the sharp sound and races around your small flock of sheep.

  You cross into Georgia a few days later, make your way through several small towns, and ferry across the winding Ocmulgee River. Pa pulls in the reins, and you rest for a while in the town of Macon. There’s less swampland than in Florida, the trees are taller, and it’s chilly at night.

  How cold will it get on the Oregon Trail?

  * * *

  You reach the sprawling southern city of Atlanta about a week after leaving Jacksonville. You’re traveling at a much slower pace than you expected. You need to reach Independence, Missouri, in early May—but you’re already off to a late start.

  In Atlanta, you restock on food at Matt’s General Store. There’s another family buying goods; they recommend a lot of blankets and coats.

  “Word has it, this year’s gonna be a chiller!” A man with a handlebar mustache leans against the counter.

  The trip West is expensive; you’ve got to save money for the covered wagon and oxen. You hold off buying more blankets, at least for now.

  As you leave the bustling city, cotton fluff floats through the air. The cold wind picks up. You shudder in your light jacket.

  You turn to Emma. “It’s hard to imagine not being hot and sweaty all the time.”

  Emma sighs. “That’s just because you’re always running around in the swamplands.”

  You wish Emma weren’t such a stick-in-the-mud. Right then you notice an odd-looking tree—as if it has a large grin—smiling at you. A good omen for the journey ahead, you think.

  As the day drags on, clouds blanket the sky. Your wagon winds through a thick
wood. Hours later, you open your eyes to look at the landscape. You see the smiling tree again.

  “Pa?” You sit up straight. “I’ve seen that craggy oak before.”

  Pa sighs and stops the wagon. “Yep—me too.”

  “So what are you saying?” Ma cradles Jaime.

  Pa looks around. “I’m saying we’re very, very lost.”

  Emma looks up from reading Pride and Prejudice and rolls her eyes.

  After wandering around for another few hours, you set up camp for the night. A small stream trickles nearby. The wind howls through the trees. You shiver and wrap another blanket around you. You didn’t think it could get this cold in the South.

  You can’t wait to join a wagon train once you’re in Independence. It’s dark and lonely in the woods—you hope you’re not lost forever. With no one else around, you feel especially vulnerable. You start to worry. You’ve heard stories from townspeople about bandits robbing families.

  Then you see a faint campfire through the brush. Someone else camped nearby.

  “Look, Pa.” You point to the glow. “Maybe we should ask them for directions.”

  Pa turns his head. “Maybe we should. But we don’t know who it is. We need to be careful. Bandits all ’round these parts.”

  You and Pa move cautiously through brambles to seek out the campfire. Dash follows. The trees part to reveal a small campsite. A family sits around a roaring campfire. You see three adults and three children.

  Pa approaches cautiously. “Hello, there.”

  A man wearing a colorful shirt decorated with woven ribbons rises to his feet. “Who are you? What do you want?”

  “Terribly sorry to disturb you.” Pa takes off his hat and wipes his brow. “But you wouldn’t happen to know where we are, would you?”

  The family exchanges glances.

  “You’re lost?” The fire glows against the young boy’s face.

  “Hush, Wahya.” The man puts his finger to his lips. “You are about twenty-five miles outside of Atlanta. Where are you trying to go?”

  “Nashville, and then Saint Louis. We’re going on the Oregon Trail.”

  “So are we!” Wahya stands up.

  His older brother nudges him to be quiet.

  The man in the vibrant shirt has a warm smile and motions for you and Pa to sit down at their campfire. You introduce yourselves.

  “My name is Tsayoga,” says the man in the colorful shirt, “and this is my family. My wife, Tsula; her father, Oukonunaka; my daughter, Inola; and my sons, Atsadi and Wahya. We are journeying West too, avoiding as many crowded main roads as possible.”

  Pa nods. “I understand.”

  You find out more about the family. They’re of the Cherokee Nation, and they aren’t leaving their home by choice. Like so many before them, they’ve been forced to journey West.

  “But we can help you get to Nashville.” Tsayoga places a log on the fire and rubs his hands together.

  You lean into Pa’s ear. “What if we travel together?”

  “Maybe.” Pa rubs his chin. “Though they might not want to come with us.”

  Should you ask Tsayoga’s family if they want to travel with you, or continue on alone?

  To continue on alone, turn to page 130

  To ask to travel together, turn to page 112

  You’d like to try to hunt. Despite the freezing morning, you, Inola, and Wahya bundle up and rush outside. It’s so bright that you have to squint. The sun reflects off the glittering white snow, hurting your eyes. It’s hard to keep them open.

  Dash bounds at your heels. You go along with a small hunting party to see if you can find a herd of buffalo nearby.

  But the longer you walk, the more the sunlight burns your eyes. It’s so bright that everyone else has trouble seeing too. The glare reflecting off the snow makes for bad visibility.

  When you get back to the tepee, you blink and everything goes dark. To your horror, it stays dark. The sun’s glare has burned your eyes. You’ve got snow blindness, and you desperately need to get to a doctor. Your expedition West is stalled here.

   THE END

  Return to page 35

  You’re sure Fred is close by. He’s probably just wandered off to look for better grass. Then you hear a coyote howl, which sends a shiver down your spine. You pick up a big stick and creep out of the campsite. Everyone else is fast asleep, even your sheepdog, Dash. You’re tempted to bring him along as protection, but he needs rest too. He’d be very useful in herding Fred back to camp, though.

  The leaves and twigs crackle and crunch underneath your feet as you set off into the darkness of the forest.

  “Fred?” You squint.

  HOO. HOO.

  You look up. Big yellow eyes break through the black. You’ve never seen an owl this big before. This solo trip might have been a very bad idea.

  You keep walking, but soon enough, you’re completely turned around. And you still have no idea where Fred is.

  In the distance, you see another campfire burning low. Around it you see the glow of two firelit faces. Another shadowy figure pulls a horse into the camp. You hold back a gasp. It’s not a horse at all—it’s Fred!

  Thieves! They’ve stolen Fred! You have to warn your camp before they ambush you!

  CRACK!

  You step on a dry branch.

  “Who’s there?” All the bandits spring to their feet.

  You turn and run back to the camp. When you arrive, both families are shaken up and your livestock are gone.

  “Thieves!” Ma shakes her fist.

  You don’t have enough money for new livestock and covered wagons. You’ll never get to Oregon City now.

   THE END

  Return to page 112

  You should try to save money. Saint Louis is about a day from Cape Girardeau by steamboat, which would save you time, but the Oregon Trail is lined with forts and settlements, and you will need money to restock food and supplies several times before reaching Oregon City.

  You, Inola, and Wahya wave sadly at the steamboat as it chuffs up the Mississippi River, leaving your families behind.

  You start off along the Mississippi River for Saint Louis. You’ve left the mountains far behind, and now all you see is flat, open plains dotted with trees. With the wind being so strong, you get cold very quickly. As your wagons plod on, you huddle up near Emma. You cover your cheeks with your hands.

  It’s spring; it should be warmer by now.

  Your bad luck with weather takes another turn for the worse: it rains nonstop for a full week. At night, hail pelts your tents. The ground frosts over and turns to ice. Snowflakes swirl through the icy rain.

  Your animals drag on. Pa’s head hangs low, and he has dark circles under his eyes. He starts to cough, and you’re worried he might be getting sick.

  “The cold tires you out faster.” Tsayoga notices Pa’s weariness too. “You should take more breaks during the day to start fires and get warm. Your family needs you, but you’ve got to take care of yourself, too.”

  Pa shakes his head. “No, I’ll be fine. We’re nearly to Saint Louis.”

  The next day, Pa looks even worse. Should you convince your stubborn father to stop and rest? Or should you keep the pace and continue on to Saint Louis?

  To stop and rest, turn to page 60

  To keep going to Saint Louis, turn to page 118

  Return to page 137

  You stay where you are. The main roads and towns aren’t safe for your Cherokee friends, and you don’t want to separate from them. You’re stronger together.

  “We should find a spot here in the woods.” You rub your hands for warmth. “Build a shelter from logs to barricade ourselves from the wind. We won’t make it to Hopkinsville at this rate, anyway.”

  Pa nods. “Very good idea.”

  “Yes, let’s do it.” Ma cradles pink-cheeked baby Jaime in her arms. “Plus, I’m worried about this little babe. We need to get him out of the cold now.”

  You all fin
d a spot in a grove of trees, where everyone helps to gather logs and twigs to interweave into the trees. Tsayoga and Tsula check to make sure you’re building against the wind. You tie down canvas on top for better roof support. The wind animates it like a dancing ghost. Soon, there’s a roaring fire going just outside the shelter.

  But it’s still not enough. The next morning, you wake up to find the ground covered in frost and ice. Ma is so cold that she can barely move.

  Tsayoga’s brows furrow. “We need to build a better shelter.”

  Pa, Atsadi, and Tsayoga construct a small log cabin, interlocking logs together. You help to lift and stack the wood and make sure any gaps in between are filled with mud.

  Your little log cabin provides warmth and shelter. Outside, the wind howls, and icy rain pelts down onto the roof.

  The horrible weather doesn’t improve for days. Then weeks. On and off, rain and snow beat relentlessly at the door of your one-room cabin.

  A blizzard hits, and you’re snowed in. You never make it out of the mountains.

   THE END

  Return to page 127

  The past few weeks have been hard enough. You take cover and wait until the weather gets better. Knowing that more hailstorms could pass over, you build a shelter in the woods. Once you move on, you won’t be able to use your wagons anymore, so you dismantle your wagon and use the parts to construct a nice, cozy log cabin. You won’t be crossing mountains anytime soon.