hard part,” Anthony added. “We’ll be completely on the other side of the island.”
“No problem!” Marlin exclaimed. April watched him tug something from his pack. A long, silvery blade glinted in the light of Kristen’s flashlight.
“A machete!” Anthony exclaimed.
“That’s pretty scary looking, Marlin. What are you going to do with that ?” Kristen demanded.
Marlin grinned. He made wide chopping motions with the big knife. “Kung Fu Warrior!” he cried.
“Hey—watch out!” Kristen stepped back.
Marlin lowered the machete. “This will help us find our way back,” he said. “I’m going to mark the path.”
He stepped up to the narrow trunk of a palm tree.He pulled the machete back, then swung the blade hard into the soft wood. Choppp .
April stepped up beside her teammates and squinted into the light to examine the trunk. The machete blade had sliced a narrow groove, about an inch deep.
Marlin led the way deeper into the forest. Every few paces he stopped and swung the machete. Choppp . Another slice mark in the side of a tree.
“We’ll follow the cuts home,” Marlin said. “We’ll be back at the village while the other two teams are wandering around lost, calling for their mommies.” He laughed and swung the blade.
Choppp .
“Cool!” Anthony declared. “Totally cool.”
The path curved toward the shore. April could hear the waves washing against the rocks. They all stopped as a lizard was caught in the circle of light from Anthony’s flashlight.
The lizard froze and stared up at them, its round, black eyes reflecting the light.
“Ugly little guy,” Anthony said. He raised his boot. “Should I crush him?”
“No way!” Kristen cried, pulling Anthony back. “Let him go!”
“I don’t think he’s ugly. I think he’s cute,” April said.
“Takes one to know one!” Anthony replied nastily.
“Be careful, Anthony,” Kristen warned. “Or Aprilwill use her powers and turn you into a lizard!”
“That’s not funny!” April cried angrily. “Stop joking about that, Kristen. I told you, I don’t have any powers!”
The lizard suddenly came to its senses and scampered into some thick fern leaves. The path ended at the edge of the trees. Marlin made one more chop mark, then led the way out of the forest, toward the rock caves.
April suddenly felt a chill run down her back. Josh and I were going to explore those caves this morning, she thought. Did Marks really drag Josh away in the middle of the night?
What is Marks afraid of?
The blue rocks—so cold, so eerily cold all the time—were creepy during the daytime. At night, they glowed softly under the moonlight.
As April approached them, the shimmering light made them appear to pulse, to throb— as if they were alive!
She blinked. Stop thinking crazy thoughts, she scolded herself. She hurried across the wet, sandy ground to catch up to the others.
“Wait up,” she called. And then, as she stepped up beside them, April let out a cry.
A shudder of fear shook her body. She grabbed Marlin’s arm. “Stop!” she uttered, her voice shrill with terror. “Stop! Do you hear it? Voices!”
April pointed. “Voices! From that cave!”
The others stopped. Kristen gasped. The flashlight slipped from Anthony’s hand. Listening hard, he made no attempt to pick it up.
Marlin was the first to laugh.
“April, you jerk,” he muttered.
April realized she was gripping his arm. She let go and backed away. “Huh?”
“Of course you hear voices,” Marlin said, rolling his eyes. “It’s the kids on the other team.”
April let out a long whoosh of air. “Oh, wow. Sorry.”
She recognized Dolores from her long, blond hair. Dolores was climbing on a sloping rock hill with her three teammates.
April took a deep breath. Get it together, she instructed herself. Get it together—now.
I’m letting my imagination run away with me, April decided. I’ve got to shape up. I’ve got to relax and try to enjoy my two
“No problem!” Marlin exclaimed. April watched him tug something from his pack. A long, silvery blade glinted in the light of Kristen’s flashlight.
“A machete!” Anthony exclaimed.
“That’s pretty scary looking, Marlin. What are you going to do with that ?” Kristen demanded.
Marlin grinned. He made wide chopping motions with the big knife. “Kung Fu Warrior!” he cried.
“Hey—watch out!” Kristen stepped back.
Marlin lowered the machete. “This will help us find our way back,” he said. “I’m going to mark the path.”
He stepped up to the narrow trunk of a palm tree.He pulled the machete back, then swung the blade hard into the soft wood. Choppp .
April stepped up beside her teammates and squinted into the light to examine the trunk. The machete blade had sliced a narrow groove, about an inch deep.
Marlin led the way deeper into the forest. Every few paces he stopped and swung the machete. Choppp . Another slice mark in the side of a tree.
“We’ll follow the cuts home,” Marlin said. “We’ll be back at the village while the other two teams are wandering around lost, calling for their mommies.” He laughed and swung the blade.
Choppp .
“Cool!” Anthony declared. “Totally cool.”
The path curved toward the shore. April could hear the waves washing against the rocks. They all stopped as a lizard was caught in the circle of light from Anthony’s flashlight.
The lizard froze and stared up at them, its round, black eyes reflecting the light.
“Ugly little guy,” Anthony said. He raised his boot. “Should I crush him?”
“No way!” Kristen cried, pulling Anthony back. “Let him go!”
“I don’t think he’s ugly. I think he’s cute,” April said.
“Takes one to know one!” Anthony replied nastily.
“Be careful, Anthony,” Kristen warned. “Or Aprilwill use her powers and turn you into a lizard!”
“That’s not funny!” April cried angrily. “Stop joking about that, Kristen. I told you, I don’t have any powers!”
The lizard suddenly came to its senses and scampered into some thick fern leaves. The path ended at the edge of the trees. Marlin made one more chop mark, then led the way out of the forest, toward the rock caves.
April suddenly felt a chill run down her back. Josh and I were going to explore those caves this morning, she thought. Did Marks really drag Josh away in the middle of the night?
What is Marks afraid of?
The blue rocks—so cold, so eerily cold all the time—were creepy during the daytime. At night, they glowed softly under the moonlight.
As April approached them, the shimmering light made them appear to pulse, to throb— as if they were alive!
She blinked. Stop thinking crazy thoughts, she scolded herself. She hurried across the wet, sandy ground to catch up to the others.
“Wait up,” she called. And then, as she stepped up beside them, April let out a cry.
A shudder of fear shook her body. She grabbed Marlin’s arm. “Stop!” she uttered, her voice shrill with terror. “Stop! Do you hear it? Voices!”
April pointed. “Voices! From that cave!”
The others stopped. Kristen gasped. The flashlight slipped from Anthony’s hand. Listening hard, he made no attempt to pick it up.
Marlin was the first to laugh.
“April, you jerk,” he muttered.
April realized she was gripping his arm. She let go and backed away. “Huh?”
“Of course you hear voices,” Marlin said, rolling his eyes. “It’s the kids on the other team.”
April let out a long whoosh of air. “Oh, wow. Sorry.”
She recognized Dolores from her long, blond hair. Dolores was climbing on a sloping rock hill with her three teammates.
April took a deep breath. Get it together, she instructed herself. Get it together—now.
I’m letting my imagination run away with me, April decided. I’ve got to shape up. I’ve got to relax and try to enjoy my two
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