Trapped (7 page)

But Marco and Nacho just looked at each other.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Babies.”

Nacho took Sarah's hand, then Marco's. “It's okay.”

“Fine.” Marco reached out for Leo.

Sarah took a deep breath as they closed the circle again. She hoped she wouldn't regret coming along for the ride.

 

10

They were back in the clearing by the cabin. Marco shivered at the sight of it. The odd squirrel ran past the four of them, darting deeper into the trees. Then Leo on the porch called out, “Dinner!”

The bald man grinned, causing the gills on his face to flutter slightly. “Will I like it?”

The boy laughed. “It's the same as the last meal and you liked that.”

Marco felt Leo shift uncomfortably beside him as the memory played out. The boy's grandfather said, “Here, take this.” He held out the blurred object.

Leo held it firmly in his arms.

His grandfather said, “I want to pick a little fruit. Unless you already made dessert?”

Leo shrugged. “Dinner was hard enough.”

A sudden rustle in the brush on the other side of the clearing caused the old man to halt. The boy on the steps turned back.

A flash of black fur rushed past Marco.

Leo's grandfather whirled about to face the trees, and then froze. The panther with the red tail screamed, then pounced on the old man and knocked him to the ground.

Marco cringed.

Leo's hand tightened around his so hard it hurt.

The cat pinned Leo's grandfather and bared her fangs. Then she lowered her head and began to—

“No!” Sarah cried.

Leo dropped their hands.

Marco was back in the bamboo, cross-legged, sweating. His hands shook at what he'd just seen. No wonder Leo had run from the cabin without stopping to take the perfume bottle. Or anything else.

Sarah covered her face and peeked out through her fingers.

Marco touched Leo's knee. “We'll do whatever we have to. But we'll get you back to your family.”

“You mean what's left of it,” said Leo quietly.

Marco didn't want to say it, but yes, that's what he meant. His eyes went to Nacho, then over to Sarah. At least, technically, he still had everyone he'd arrived with. Leo couldn't say the same.

Sarah stood up.

Marco grabbed her arm and tried to yank her back down. “We don't know if that thing is still around!”

Sarah pulled away. She snatched the white tube and then pushed through the bamboo, Ahab at her heels.

The other three followed. Marco said, “Careful!”

Sarah turned. “It's gone. And we need a plan.”

“A plan for what?” asked Nacho.

Sarah scowled. “Oh, I don't know. Maybe a plan to get my dad unfrozen and get us OFF THIS STUPID ISLAND before one of us gets eaten!”

Leo frowned.

Sarah quickly said, “Sorry.”

Marco swallowed. As soon as they got back to their camp on the beach, Leo would know they didn't have the progenitor. And then what?

Nacho said, “I want to go back to Mom.”

Marco knew he couldn't stall. Plus, he wanted to get back to their camp as much as Nacho did. He'd have to deal with Leo when they got there; there would be no more putting it off. He'd come up with something. He reached out for the weapon. “Sarah, I'll take that back.”

“Oh, right. And one more thing.” Before anyone could stop her, she ran down to the beach and flung the white tube into the waves.

“Hey!” yelled Marco. “We needed that.”

Sarah brushed her hands together. “No we didn't. Let's go.” Sarah set off, Ahab trotting beside her.

“Stupid.” Marco kicked at the sand. He yelled after her, “Why would you do that?”

Sarah turned to face him, walking backward. “Because when you had it, you were in charge. When Leo had it, he was in charge. We're supposed to all be working
together
, so now nobody can be in charge!” She whirled around and kept walking.

Leo and Nacho fell in behind her and the dog.

Marco shook his head and stared out at the water. The tube had sunk beneath the waves. Even if he found it without getting eaten by anything, there was no guarantee it would work.

Maybe Sarah was right. When he held the weapon, he was in charge. But only because he held the weapon. Not because he knew the most or had the best plan. Maybe this would turn out better if they had to rely on something other than a weapon's threat.

He ran to catch up to the others.

The four walked at a brisk pace along the water's edge. Nacho wandered closer to the waves, but Marco pulled on his shirt to bring him farther up the beach. He was worried about the sharkodile making a return appearance.

Not long after that, Marco recognized the curve before their beach.

“Come on!” Sarah began to run.

The others followed. They turned the corner.

Cashmere Bouchard sat near the waves, staring out toward the horizon. Ahab ran to her and licked her face. The girl appeared to startle, then she put her arms around him.

Sarah reached Cash first and stopped to catch her breath as the others caught up.

Marco was sweaty, his throat dry and parched. The hot day was taking its toll.

Cash's hazel eyes widened, but didn't seem to focus. “Who's there?”

Sarah's hands went to her hips. “Who do you think?”

Cash made no move to get up, but she reached out an arm. “I need help.”

Marco stepped closer. A book he'd pulled off the
Moonflight
lay in the sand beside her. The pages of
Lost Treasures of the World
flapped in the breeze. He picked it up.

Cash's eyes still stared straight ahead. “I think something's wrong with me.”

Sarah dropped to her knees in the sand. “Are you sick?”

Cash shook her head. “I was sitting here, reading, and then…”

“What happened?” Marco sunk to the sand on the other side of her, as Nacho stood by his side.

Cash turned her face in their direction, but her eyes remained unfocused. “The lights went out.”

Leo took one slow step back from the group.

Marco started to ask Cash what she meant, but then, instead, he waved a hand in front of her face. No reaction.

Cash had gone blind.

 

11

Sarah gulped. What were they going to do now that one of them couldn't even see?

Nacho asked, “Does it hurt?”

Cash shook her head. “I just can't see.”

Leo cowered behind Nacho.

Marco noticed. “Leo! Do you know anything about this?”

“Who's Leo?” asked Cash.

Nacho said, “He's with us.”

Leo took a step back, but Marco grabbed his arm. “Did you do this to her?”

Cash frowned.
“Who's Leo?”

Nacho said, “The Curator.”

Cash's mouth fell open for moment, then she spat out, “What's he doing here?”

Leo glanced up at Marco. “I told you that I didn't know what the atmosphere of my ship would do to humans…”

Sarah tried to make sense of it all. “So she's blind forever?!”

“What?” Cash started to cry and tried to get to her feet, but she stumbled and fell.

Sarah helped her up.

Leo said, “No, not forever. Just for a while. I think.”

“You
think
?” Cash lunged toward his voice.

Leo stepped back out of her reach. Sarah grabbed Cash's arm. “Listen! He may be our only hope.”

“Are you kidding me?” Cash yanked her arm back in a huff and stood there, looking wobbly on her feet.

Nacho asked Leo, “Are you sure it's temporary?”

Leo nodded. “Fairly sure.”

“What am I supposed to do until then?” yelled Cash. “I'm blind and it's your fault!”

Ahab barked, obviously impatient with all the yelling.

Sarah set a hand on his head. “Cash, we'll stay with you. It'll be okay. The good thing is that we totally believe everything you told us.”

“Oh,
now
you believe me.” Cash plopped to the sand and hugged her knees to her chest. Sarah felt bad that they'd doubted her, but she felt worse that they couldn't do anything to help her. But getting mad at Leo wasn't going to make things better. Or help them free her father.

Marco turned to Leo. “Maybe if you showed her everything you showed us—”

“I can't see!” said Cash. “How can he show me anything?”

As if to answer, Leo sank to the sand beside her and took her hand.

Nacho asked, “Hey. Where's Mom?”

Marco sprinted toward the trees, Nacho and Sarah and Ahab at his heels. They arrived at the camp to find Yvonna curled up on her side on a blanket from the
Moonflight
.

Marco realized he still held the book and tossed it aside as he knelt beside her. “Mom?”

Yvonna reached out and grasped Marco's hand. “Did you find them?”

“I'm here.” Nacho knelt on her other side.

Their mom attempted a smile. “I was worried. Where's John?”

Sarah crouched beside them. Ahab shoved his head under her arm, and she hugged him.

Marco's gaze flicked to her, then back to his mom. “He'll … be here later.”

Sarah's eyes widened, but Marco didn't look at her again. Why was he being evasive? Why didn't he just tell her the truth? But she didn't have any more time to wonder, because Yvonna winced. “Help me up, quick.”

Marco and Nacho each took an arm and pulled her to her feet. Yvonna took a few rapid, shaky steps, then dropped to her knees and heaved into the bushes.

Sarah stood up and turned away. Her stepmother couldn't possibly still be seasick, could she? Even food poisoning should have run its course by now, she was pretty sure. She glanced back at them.

Marco bent over his mom and rubbed her back, murmuring something. Suddenly, hot tears stung Sarah's eyes and she whirled around, moving a few steps away. At the moment, she didn't have a mother
or
a father. And she really could have used one, just then. Not a stepmother who was barfing everywhere. She leaned down to pet Ahab. “At least I have you.”

Yvonna called, “Sarah?”

Sarah swung around.

Yvonna was back on her feet, leaning on Marco and Nacho. Yvonna held out a hand to Sarah. “Sweetie, are you okay?”

Sarah closed the gap in seconds and flung her arms around her stepmother's waist. “Don't die!”

Yvonna's arms circled Sarah, one hand slipping up to stroke her hair. She chuckled slightly. “That's not going to happen.”

Sarah wanted to say so much. How she'd seen her own mom get sick, throwing up much of the time. She didn't see how Yvonna could possibly know she wouldn't die. “But what's wrong with you?” She stepped back, wiping tears from her face with one hand.

Marco took his mom's arm. “You should sit back down.”

He and Nacho led her back to the blanket, and when she was once again lying down, she looked from Sarah to Marco to Nacho. “I promise, I'm not dying. I've had this before.” She shrugged a bit. “Twice, in fact.”

Nacho asked, “And you got better?”

Yvonna laughed weakly. She rubbed Nacho's hair and took Sarah's hand. “You three are going to have a little brother or sister.”

Sarah jerked back her hand.

Marco's eyes widened. “What?”

Sarah had no words. Seriously? They were shipwrecked, a misguided amphibious alien freeze-dried her dad, and now her stepmother was pregnant? Her knees buckled and she dropped to the sand. Ahab plopped down beside her.

Yvonna covered her mouth. Marco grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She barely made it to the bushes before getting sick again.

When she finished, Sarah asked, “So it's morning sickness?”

Yvonna sat back down. “More like all day long. With Nacho, I—” She stopped.

Nacho frowned. “What did I do?”

“Oh, sweetie, nothing. It wasn't your fault.” His mom said, “I ended up dehydrated and had to go to the hospital.” She quickly shook her head. “That won't happen though.”

Sarah stopped her own train of selfish thoughts. She got to her feet, found the nearest bottle of water, and took it to her stepmother. She wasn't thrilled by the idea of a baby, but did not relish the thought of being without yet another adult. As much as she didn't want to admit it, they—she—needed Yvonna. “You should drink.”

Yvonna nodded. “I've been trying.”

“What did they do in the hospital?” Marco's forehead wrinkled, his lips drawn downward.

Sarah realized he was really worried about his mom.

“They gave me IVs.” Yvonna held up the bottle of water. “This will have to do.”

“We have to get off this island.” Sarah met Marco's gaze. “But first we have to tell you about Dad.” She scooted closer to Yvonna. Marco sat next to his mom, who reached out and squeezed his knee.

Marco said, “We found the cave. The one that Cash told us about.”

“Where is Cash?” asked his mom.

“Down on the beach. But, Mom, everything she told us was true.”

“Except that it wasn't exactly a cave. Not like the one we all slept in,” said Sarah.

Yvonna frowned. “What exactly was it?” She glanced the way they'd come. “And, Sarah, when's your dad coming?”

Sarah chewed on the inside of her lip. She had a feeling her stepmother was not going to believe them.

Marco cleared his throat. “It was sort of a spaceship.”

Yvonna rolled her eyes. “Okay. Fine.” She called out weakly, “John! Very funny. You can come out now.”

Sarah said, “We're serious.”

Yvonna shook her head. “I know you're trying to pass the time and have some fun, but I really feel lousy and I just need John to be here right now.” She clapped her hand over her mouth and tried to stand up, but collapsed on her side instead and vomited in the sand beside the blanket.