Aliens in the Sky by Christopher Pike Page A

to cool off. “I wouldn’t mind hanging out up there till it gets dark.”
    â€œWhat do you think is causing this heat?” Adam asked.
    â€œCould be an inversion layer,” Watch said.
    â€œOr a curse from Ann Templeton,” Sally said. “Madeline Templeton’s seductive and evil descendant.She likes the heat. She likes all us kids to suffer in it.”
    Adam shrugged. “I’m for going,” he said, glancing at Cindy, “if it’s all right with you.”
    Sally leaned over and spoke in a loud whisper in Watch’s ear. “Notice how our dear Adam doesn’t make a move without checking with his sweet Cindy.”
    Cindy glared at Sally. “He’s just being polite. That’s spelled P . . . O . . . L . . . I . . . T . . . E. Look it up in the dictionary and check the meaning. I know you’ve never heard of the word.” Cindy spoke to Adam. “My mother doesn’t care what I do, as long as I’m home before dark.”
    â€œMy mother doesn’t care what I do as long as I don’t die,” Sally muttered.
    Adam stood. “Then it’s decided. We’ll ride up and stay until sunset.”
    The others also stood. Sally, as usual, wanted to have the last word.
    â€œLet’s leave before sunset,” she said. “You never know what the dark might bring.”

2
    T he bicycle ride up to the reservoir was harder than Adam had imagined. Even though they had to pedal on an incline most of the way, it was the temperature that really sapped Adam’s strength. He was feeling wobbly when they arrived and climbed off their bikes. Fortunately, they had each brought a large plastic bottle of water.
    â€œI feel a lot cooler now,” Adam said sarcastically as he opened his bottle and held it up to his lips. “Now that we’re here.”
    â€œIt’s like being in an air-conditioned mall,” Cindy agreed, playing along and reaching for herwater bottle. Her face was red from the sun and exertion.
    â€œGive it a chance. It actually is cooler here,” Watch said, stepping to the edge of the reservoir, which was a rough oval, maybe a quarter of a mile long and half that in width. The water was a strange gray color. The surrounding bank was almost entirely devoid of trees. All of their words seemed to die in the air the instant they left their mouths. Watch continued, “It’s got to be at least ten degrees cooler.”
    â€œI feel refreshed from our ride,” Sally said, although she had already plopped down on a boulder and drained half her water bottle. “I think my suggestion was a good one.”
    Cindy had brought a bag of sandwiches. Finding shade beneath one of the few trees, they sat down and ate. As they munched and talked and drank, Adam did begin to feel cooler. They had set off for the reservoir after four. It was now quarter to five and the heat was just beginning to ease up. But it was still too hot to do much exploring, not that any of them were in the mood to poke around another cave.
    Watch had a pack of cards on him and wanted to play poker. Apparently Watch and Sally playedtogether often. Adam was curious, although he had never played the game before and didn’t know the rules. But Cindy was uneasy.
    â€œMy mother doesn’t approve of gambling,” Cindy said. “She says it’s immoral and disgusting.”
    â€œThose two words fit me nicely,” Sally said jokingly. “Listen, we’re just going to gamble with pebbles. We start with twenty each. It’s not really gambling unless you have real money at stake. I mean, how can your mother be upset if you lose a pile of rocks?”
    Cindy chuckled. “You have a point. All right, I’ll play as long as I don’t have to wager my next week’s allowance.”
    Watch explained the rules of five-card stud, and for the next hour or so they played many