When all the kids at the bus stop realized that all the grown-ups had vanished,

they knew that someone had to step up and bring order to this new world and fast.

When they realized the bus wasn't coming and there obviously wasn't going to be any school today,

Nora and Luke jumped on their bikes and went through the whole neighborhood, knocking on doors

and calling all the kids in every house to a meeting in their front yard.

And one by one, kids started trickling out of their houses.

Some looked scared and some looked confused.

And a few were still in their pajamas, but all of them came.

And Nora counted heads.

Everyone seemed okay, except for the one person who was missing.

Hey, where's Mia? Nora said.

Mia was Nora's friend, and she lived a ways down the street. She was an only child, which meant

she had no brothers or sisters to keep her company.

Nora grabbed her bike and without another word,

she peddled down the street as fast as she could.

Sure enough, when she got there, Mia was home alone,

sitting on the front porch with her dog curled up in her lap.

Mia, Nora said, pack a bag, you're coming to stay with us.

Mia's face went from worried to relieved in about half a second. Really? Really, Nora said,

and bring your dog too. Meanwhile, Luke was on the phone calling his friends Owen and Logan. Hey, are your parents gone too? Come over.

Bring food if you have it and bring your brother and sister too.

By that evening, Luke and Nora's house was full.

...