Marco sighed and sat down.
John would make them go to that little house. Though the day was hot, Marco shivered.
21
As soon as her dad and Marco had started dumping loads on the beach, Sarah began sifting through them. More than willing to help with the day’s task, she couldn’t help but hope it took longer than expected, so that the platform wouldn’t get built in the monkey pod trees and they’d be forced to go stay in the house that her dad and Marco had found.
She came upon the trunk. “Whoa.” She ran a hand over a mermaid and smiled. “This is too cool.” She jiggled the lock, to no avail. Maybe her dad would be able to get the thing open. For the time being, she gave up, sat down, and watched them row back to the beach. When they got close enough for her to see the dinghy didn’t have nearly enough wood to build a platform, she stifled a grin and swallowed down the joy bubbling up in her throat. They would be in a building that night! Four walls, a roof, a floor … No vile, villainous crabs chasing them up into trees. She jogged down to the beach and met them. “Dad? Where’s the rest of the wood?”
He patted her head. “I need to rest awhile.” He glanced back out at the boat. “The platform will get built. Just not today.”
Marco pointed at the sky. “What about the storm?”
John said, “Let’s hope the boat is still standing after it hits.”
Sarah’s heart began to pound. “There’s a storm coming?”
Nacho ran up to them. “Are we going to build a platform in the trees?”
“Not today,” said John. “But maybe tomorrow.”
“So we’re sleeping on the beach again?” Nacho asked.
“No,” blurted Sarah, and the three of them looked at her. “I mean, we can’t right? If those crabs come back…”
Marco said, “We could build up the fire and be ready.”
Sarah looked at her dad. She didn’t want to sleep on the beach, and before she could stop it, her eyes filled with tears.
He set a hand on her head. “Last night was rough, huh?”
She nodded, unable to speak.
John looked at the boys, then back at her. “I think, just for tonight, we should pack it up and spend the night in the house we found.”
Marco said, “But what if a ship comes and we’re not here! It’ll leave without us.”
John shook his head. “That sky is looking darker all the time. A ship is not going to come through that, so I don’t think we’ll miss anything.”
Marco didn’t say anything as he walked away down the beach.
Sarah wiped her eyes and tried to smile. “What do we need to pack?”
At the pile of supplies, Sarah helped Yvonna stuff a few bags with food and water as her dad and the boys rolled up bedding into bundles they could carry. They stacked everything near the edge of the woods, then sat down for a meal of peanut butter and jelly on hot dog buns before heading out on their hike.
BOOM!
Ahab began barking.
Sarah glanced up and saw everyone looking at the sky behind her with wide eyes. Slowly, she turned. She dropped her bun in the sand and her legs nearly buckled beneath her.
The sky to the west was red.
Not like a sunset. Not even like a sunrise. Not like anything she’d ever seen. It was as if someone had squeezed a whole handful of cherries and let the juice drip down the entire western sky.
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight,” recited Nacho. “Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.” He shrugged. “There’s no verse for middle of the day.”
Because there wasn’t supposed to be a red sky at two in the afternoon. Sarah’s heart began to pound. “What is that?” she whispered.
Other than Ahab’s constant barking, no one made a sound. Everyone simply watched.
Slowly the red streaks wrapped around each other, joining up, swirling together, moving faster and faster until they were a deep blur that suddenly stopped, a pulsing crimson orb in the sky. Then, it began moving straight for the beach.
John jumped up. “Grab what you can!” He shoved a backpack at Marco. “Run!”
Marco’s jaw was slack, his eyes wide with fear. “Where?”
“To the house! Do you remember how to get there?”
Marco nodded. “Are you sure it will be safe enough?”
“There’s nowhere else!” shouted John.
“The cave,” said Marco.
Sarah shivered. She hated caves.
But her dad nodded and asked, “Do you know how to get there?”
“I remember.”
John grabbed Nacho by the shoulder and shoved a canvas bag into his hands. “Take this and follow your brother.” Nacho shifted the bundle and grabbed his backpack with his free hand, then ran after his brother to the trees.
Sarah threw on her backpack, grabbed a bundle of bedding, and began to run after them before her dad could even tell her to. Ahab ran beside her. As she reached the trees, she glanced back.
The smear of red had stalled, was simply a whirling mass hovering in the sky. Sarah breathed out in relief.
Ahab growled.
Suddenly, as if switching into gear, the orb surged, getting closer to the beach with every second. John and Yvonna scrambled, shoving things together.
Sarah yelled at them, “It’s coming!”
They looked up, then took what they could carry and ran toward Sarah, who raced toward the trees. Nacho’s blue shirt was just visible ahead of her, and she aimed for that, trying to keep her footing in the tree roots and vines. Her heart pounded and she struggled to catch her breath. She’d lost it more from fear than exertion. What was that thing in the sky? And what would it do if—when—it reached the shore?
Sarah caught her foot on a vine and fell, landing on the bedding she carried. “Ooommpphh!” Ahab stuck his nose in her face.
Immediately, her dad was there, yanking her up by the arm. “Come on! Go! Go!”
Sarah grabbed her bundle. Nacho and Marco weren’t in sight anymore. “Which way?”
Her dad paused. He was breathing hard and sweat ran down his face. He pointed. “That way. Follow right behind me.”
With Ahab at her side, Sarah stayed on her dad’s heels and she heard Yvonna running behind her. Just when Sarah didn’t think she could run any further, they emerged in a clearing. He stopped abruptly.
Sarah looked past him to Marco and Nacho. Beside them, the dark mouth of a cave yawned, and her dad pointed the flashlight inside.
“Hurry!” Marco yelled.
Sarah reeled around.
The red orb was above the treetops, getting nearer and growing bigger. She ran into her dad’s back as she tried to squeeze into the cave behind him, everyone else crowding in after them, their panting loud in the enclosed space. The flashlight didn’t light more than a few feet in front of them, but her dad kept going, away from the mouth of the cave, Ahab at his side. There seemed to be nothing but steep walls on either side of them, and after about fifty yards, the walls widened into a room. Her dad stopped and turned to face them. “Let’s stop here.”
Sarah glanced behind them. “Are we far enough in?”
As if to answer her, Ahab moved to the edge of their light, looking back the way they’d come. He tilted his head and froze. No one said anything, and Sarah realized she was holding her breath.
Then Ahab’s tail began to wag slightly and he turned around to face them. He sat down on his haunches and panted. Sarah breathed out. “I think it’s safe.” She dropped her load of bedding and collapsed on top of it, hoping that she was right.
22
Marco breathed in, but the air seemed to stick halfway down, not letting him get as much as he wanted. With shaking hands, he picked up a bottle of water and drank, trying to calm himself. Don’t think about it, he told himself. But he couldn’t help it.
Ever since they’d arrived at the island, what was supposed to be their safe haven, one strange thing after another had happened. First, there had been
the red bird. And then the glass bottle and the woman’s voice. Then, just before dinner, that weird wail. And of course the Attack of the Monster Crabs, followed by the sleepless night, and then …
That red thing in the sky.
Goose bumps sprouted on his arms. He took another swig of water. Think about something else.
His mom was spreading out the few blankets and pillows they’d carried with them, while Sarah helped John make some sandwiches.
Marco’s stomach churned. He couldn’t even think about eating.
His gaze went to Ahab, who was asleep. He couldn’t help but think that if something bad was going to happen, the dog wouldn’t be so calm, right? Marco glanced at the entrance to their part of the cave, which was in shadow.
He was glad they chose the cave instead of the house. Something about that place gave him the creeps. Not that the cave was that homey, but it just seemed like it had less of … a history. When he was around the house, he couldn’t shake the feeling that whoever had lived there before wouldn’t want them there.
“Marco?” Nacho sat down by him. “How long do you think we’ll have to stay in here?”
Marco shrugged. “No clue.”
His little brother whispered, “Someone is gonna have to go look out there, right?” His eyebrows knotted and he sucked in part of his lip.
Marco gently elbowed him. “Not for a while. It was probably just some weird weather.”
“Seriously?” Nacho didn’t look convinced.
“Sure.” Marco nodded. “We’re totally safe in here.”
His mom asked John, “What was that thing?”
Marco’s stepfather scratched his head. “Maybe some weird weather thing?”
Marco raised his eyebrows at Nacho, as if to say See? I told you. But Marco didn’t believe for a second that any weather had caused that red thing. He’d seen; it had chased them.
He looked over at Sarah. She had a skeptical look on her face that showed she didn’t think it was the weather either. She spoke up. “Something is going on with this place.” She looked pointedly at Marco. “Tell them.”
Marco’s mouth dropped open, and he quickly snapped it shut. He frowned. “Tell them what?”
Her eyes narrowed. “What you saw. In that house.”
Both Yvonna and John peered at him, waiting. He wasn’t about to tell them about the bird or the perfume. And he definitely wasn’t going to tell them about the woman’s voice. What good would it do? Even if he wasn’t going crazy, and he really had seen and heard those things, telling the others would only make things worse. He had no idea how long they would be on that island, and scaring everyone even more would not help things at all.
Sarah said, “Come on! Don’t you think after what you told me, and then that red thing in the sky—” She pointed toward the cave entrance. “Don’t you think you should tell them?”
“Marco?” asked his mom. “What did you see?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head and gestured toward John. “He was there. We didn’t see anything.”
“The bird!” said Sarah. “Tell them about that.”
Her dad asked, “The bird in the fireplace?”
Sarah’s forehead wrinkled. “You saw it?”
Her dad shook his head. “Not exactly.” He asked Marco, “What about the bird?”
Marco shrugged and tried to sound matter-of-fact and calm, about the opposite of what he was actually feeling. “I have no idea what she’s talking about. It was just a bird.”
“No it wasn’t!” cried Sarah. “He told me.”
Marco felt bad as he forced a smile. “It was a joke. I was trying to freak you out.” He shrugged. “Sorry if you thought I was serious.”
“You were!” Sarah glared at him. “I could tell.”
“How? You’ve known me for like three days!” He held up his palms. “I was just messing around.”
Tears welled up in Sarah’s eyes, and she crossed her arms and plopped down, facing away from all of them. Her dad went and sat beside her, and put an arm around her shoulders.
Marco swallowed. Sarah was right. And although he felt bad for being mean, he just wasn’t ready to let the others know the truth … that something was seriously off about the island.
And that he believed they were in far more danger than anyone suspected. But they were already alert to some dangers, and had already found a safe place to stay. So what difference would it make whether or not he told them everything? His mom was already scared enough; he didn’t want to make it any worse for her. Or his little brother.
23
Sarah sat down on the bedding and fumed. She didn’t believe for a second that Marco had lied to her about what he’d seen. But if he’d told her the truth, that meant he was lying to their parents. And Nacho. But why?
“Are you mad at him?”
“Huh?” Sarah asked.
Nacho dropped a beach towel beside her and plopped down on top of it. “My brother. He can be a pain sometimes.”
Sarah huffed. “Sometimes?”
Nacho nodded. “Yeah.” He pulled off his backpack and set it in his lap. He unzipped it and pulled out a bottle of hand sanitizer. He used some, then held up the bottle to Sarah. She stuck out her hand.
Sarah rubbed her hands together as she watched him pull out a notebook. “What’s that?”
“My Eco-Scout stuff. I’m trying to earn badges, so I have to study a lot.” He flipped open the notebook.
“You did a great job starting the fire.” Sarah was sincere, because she’d been very impressed. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to do it.
“Thanks,” said Nacho. “It’s kind of the first outdoor thing I’ve done.”
Sarah frowned. “But I thought Eco-Scouts were all about the outdoors.”
“Yeah, they are. I’m not that comfortable in the outdoors, I guess.” He shrugged.
She smiled at him. “Well, you could have fooled me.”
“Really?” He raised his eyebrows.
She nodded.
He smiled, then began to page through the notebook.
Sarah asked, “Is that more boating stuff?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’m kinda trying to get my mind off that for the moment.”
Sarah nodded. “I get that. So what is it?”
Nacho pointed at a page. “I’m studying for my astronomy badge.”
Sarah frowned. “I thought Eco-Scouts were just about the Earth. I mean, our planet.” She shrugged. “It is the only one we have, right?”
“Maybe not.” Nacho’s eyes widened and he lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “Scientists think that the first truly Earth-like alien planet is going to be spotted next year.”
“What?” Sarah scrunched up her nose. “We’re on the only Earth.”
Nacho shook his head. “That’s what we’ve thought all this time.”
“But what would happen if they found another … Earth?”
Nacho swallowed and said, even more quietly, “We would have to rethink our place in the universe.”
Sarah wondered what that would be like, to know there was another Earth out there, maybe even with a girl like her living a parallel life. Was that even possible? She rolled her eyes. “Are you just messing with me?”
“No!” Nacho shook his head. “Really, I’m not. Check this out.” He flipped through his notebook and pulled out a newspaper clipping. “See? Back in 1995 they found the first planet that had a sun like ours. And since then, they’ve found more than eight hundred worlds beyond our solar system. In the last few years, astronomers have found several exoplanets that have one or two of the same traits as Earth.”
She asked, “What’s an exoplanet?”
Nacho said, “Planets outside our solar system.”
“Oh.” Sarah looked at the clipping, a black-and-white photo of a tiny planet. “Like what kind of traits?”
Nacho shrugged. “Like size or surface temperature.” He paged through and pulled out another clippi
ng. “Here.”
Sarah skimmed the article, which was an interview with an astronomer. She stopped and went back to reread one part: the part where he said he was certain Earth’s twin would be discovered in the next year. She looked up at Nacho. “Is this for real?”
Nacho nodded. “Since the Kepler Space Telescope launched, it’s flagged more than twenty-three hundred potential planets.”
“What’s a potential planet?” asked Sarah.
“It might just end up being an asteroid or something,” explained Nacho. “So they have to follow up, make sure it’s the real deal.”
She handed the clipping back to him. “So what happens if they find one? It’s not like we have a spaceship to get there.”
Nacho shrugged. “Maybe we won’t have to.”
“Why?” asked Sarah.
“Because whoever lives on those planets might be smarter than we are. They might already know how to come to us.” Nacho buried his head back in the notebook.
Weird kid, thought Sarah. But then maybe she wasn’t giving him enough credit. He knew a lot of stuff she hadn’t known when she was ten. She smiled. Actually, he knew a lot of stuff she didn’t know now. She was rather glad he was there, although she wished his older brother wasn’t.
And she reached into her own backpack and pulled out Harry Potter, hoping that some time at Hogwarts would help take her mind off the fact that they were stuck in a cave on a deserted island that was turning out to be stranger and stranger the longer they stayed.
24
Marco shivered and pulled on his sweatshirt. With him wearing only a T-shirt and board shorts—and after sweating in the heat of the day—the chill air inside the enclosed space was not easy to get used to. But despite the dank and clammy cave, and the faint sound of constantly dripping water, Marco found himself content for the moment. They were safe and dry and whatever was outside didn’t seem to be coming for them.
John had charged two solar flashlights from the boat earlier that day, and they shone brightly, lighting up the cave to the level of a bunch of candles. Ahab was asleep, leading Marco to believe they weren’t in any danger at the moment.