Sunny Daze by R.J. Ross Page A

perking up.  “Can I get my sketchbook out of the RV for that?”
    “Of course!” Skystep says.  Pan looks over at her, just watching as she goes into “artist” mode.  He can actually see her embracing her new role, he thinks with amazement.  “Does anyone have anything else they want to show me?”
    Max and Jack look at each other, the same slightly baffled expressions on their faces.  Max shrugs, turning to Pan rather than replying.  “Sunny ran off after the earthquake.  He said he needed some time alone.  I think he freaked himself out a bit.”
    “I see,” Pan says.  “I’ll go find him.”  He moves closer to Max, leaning over to whisper silently.  “Keep her occupied.  Find out if she knows anything about Kunnins.  She’s utterly crazy, so it might take a bit of work.”
    There’s only a tiny twitch of Max’s lips in response to that.  “You,” Skystep says, appearing right in front of Max, “you look like an artist!”
    “Um, well--” he says, looking around, “I hate to admit it, but I’m not very artistically inclined.”
    “Come on, Max, you’re just being modest!  His stick figures are the best,” Jack taunts him, grinning evilly.
    “And you?  What art do you do?” Skystep asks, turning on Jack.
    “Metal sculptures,” Jack says, perfectly straight-faced.  “If y’got it, flaunt it, right?”  Now, Pan thinks as he watches her start bullying the boys about art, to see how they keep up their real camp duties while dealing with her--after he gets Sunny back, that is. 
    He heads into the RV, glancing over at Ace, who’s digging through the extra supplies.  “I don’t promise she knows anything about art,” he says quietly, “so don’t get your hopes up.”
    “But--” Ace says.  After a thoughtful moment he shrugs. “Neither does the art teacher at our school,” he admits, shrugging.
    “Keep an eye on Cubby for me, would you?” Pan asks, pulling out a t-shirt and a pair of jeans to change into.  “Of the three left, you’re the second one I would trust with my boy.”
    “Pan--” Ace starts out, only to stop as Pan pulls on a pair of sunglasses.
    “What?”
    “When you get back--um--well, Jack found something before he fixed the crack.  But Sunny comes first, right?”
    “Right.”  Pan steps outside, staring blankly at a gigantic metal sculpture in the middle of the clearing.  It’s a massive corkscrew looking piece made out of metal stolen from various bases.
    “And what do you call it?” Skystep says in a fake snooty accent, standing next to Jack.
    “I call it…” Jack starts out, only to stop as Cubby races to the top of the abstract looking slide and goes down it with a happy laugh, “Cubby’s playground?” Jack offers a bit stupidly.
    “Wonderful!” Skystep says, clapping happily.  “I want to try it!” she adds, jumping to the top of the statue.
    “Good job,” Pan says, patting Jack on the back before racing away.
    A few moments later, Max steps over next to Jack, a scowl on his face.  “Did anyone get the chance to tell him what we found?”
    “Don’t think so,” Jack says.
    “Make a swing, next!  We need a swing!” Skystep yells from the top of the slide.
    “I think we should check it out ourselves, tonight,” Max says.
    “Yeah.”
     
    ***
     
    “Look, Adanna, I--” I say, speaking into the ear attachment that goes with my phone.  Dad has this habit of building strange things without thinking, right?  So I figured all I really need to do is leave my phone out where he can find it regularly and I get free stuff to go with it!  It works really well, too.  This little earpiece can be switched from phone calls to the school com link and back with just a single word.  Right now, though, I look like I’m mouthing something.  But even with the sound of all the people working around me, Adanna can hear my heartbeat over this thing.  “I messed up.”
    “Yes, you did,” she says.  My girlfriend is so