No Survivors by R.L. Stine

the rocks.
    She still couldn’t believe it had been Kristen all along. Kristen had fooled everyone. She betrayed April for her own revenge. And yet April didn’t want to see her lose this fight. Kristen was trying to stop someone who was truly evil.
    And now the two of them began rolling, over and over. Screaming. Spitting. The snake darting and snapping. Katherine clinging to the fat spider body.
    Howling, clawing at each other, they rolled down the steep slope of rocks.
    Thunder rumbled and a bright streak of lightning cracked across the sky. A sudden wind rose, and the waves began to swell and toss.
    Lightning turned everything stark white. The air suddenly went cold. April wrapped her arms around herself, shivering.
    Still, mother and daughter fought. The cloak was tangled between them as they rolled down…down…
    And splashed into the ocean below.
    Thunder crashed, and the waves rose. Became even wilder. Became covered with white foam.
    April and Pam hugged each other as they gazed down at the waters.
    Who will win the battle? April wondered.
    Who will come floating back up to the surface?
    The waves slammed against the rocky shore.
    A curtain of steam rose up from the blue-green waters. The steam hissed as it floated over the island, over April and Pam at the top of the hill.
    And then the hissing faded to silence.
    April didn’t move. She gazed down at the water. The waves were gentle now.
    No Katherine. No Kristen.
    They did not return.
    â€œThey’re both gone,” she murmured.
    Happy cries behind them made both girls spin around.
    Marlin and the other four kids came running out of the cave. They were laughing and shouting joyfully. And they looked healthy and alive again.
    â€œHey!” Marlin called. “Hey! What’s happening? Where have you been?” He gave Pam a puzzled look. “Who are you?” he asked.
    â€œWho won the competition?” Dolores chimed in.
    They don’t remember anything, April realized. They don’t remember that they’ve been the witch’s prisoners all this time.
    And then April saw Donald Marks climbing the rocks. He was grinning, taking the rocks two at a time.
    â€œThe witch must be dead!” Marks shouted happily. “You kids are back, and I’m me again! Her spell is broken!”
    He stepped up to April and the others. His smile suddenly faded. He frowned. Reached into hismouth. Pulled out a seagull feather.
    Tossing it to the ground, he turned to them. “I am so sorry for all that has happened,” Marks said. “I hope you can forgive me for what I did.”
    The kids stared back at him in silence.
    No one knows what to say, April thought. We’re all too stunned.
    â€œI apologize if you were frightened,” Marks continued. “But what a finish to our TV show! What an amazing finish!” He turned to the cave. “That’s a wrap, guys! We are outta here!”
    April heard applause.
    Startled, she turned and saw a camera crew stepping out of the cave.
    â€œGood job, everyone,” Marks called. He ran over to slap the camera guys on the back. He shook hands with them. “I think we’ve got a winner!” he declared.
    He hurried back to the kids. “The boats are waiting. Let’s get a move on.”
    April followed as everyone started down the rock hill.
    â€œPeople will be talking about this show,” Marks said, a beaming smile on his sweating face. “You kids were wonderful. I think you’re all going to be big celebs!”
    April hurried to catch up to him. “Are you telling us this was all just a TV show?” she asked. “Everything that happened?”
    Marks nodded, still beaming. “I had the best special-effects team money can buy. I hope you all weren’t too frightened. I had to let you be a little frightened—or else the show wouldn’t be real enough.”
    That’s impossible! April thought. It couldn’t have