Lost on Brier Island by Jo Ann Yhard

Author:Jo Ann Yhard [Yhard, Jo Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUVENILE FICTION/Social Issues/Death & Dying, JUVENILE FICTION/Animals/Marine Life
ISBN: 9781551098814
Publisher: Nimbus
Published: 2011-05-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

“I thought you hated skateboarding,” Adam said. His head was bent low over his board as he adjusted the wheels.

“I do. I mean, I did.”

“So, why do you want to go?”

“That’s all you do now. We never go exploring anymore.”

“This is more fun,” he said. “All you did was draw flowers and stuff while I climbed trees by myself.”

“I did that too!”

“Ha! Only if I pulled you up the tree,” he laughed.

“Stop teasing me!” Alex frowned.

“Sorry. You can go, okay?”

“Okay.”

“But you’re not gonna like it,” he muttered, expertly flipping his board upright. “Skateboarding is higher on the scare-o-meter than climbing trees. Higher than roller coasters, too.”

Alex gulped.

At the Halifax Commons skatepark, she watched in awe as Adam did amazing tricks, each higher and faster than the last. He really was fearless, she thought.

“All right, sis, you’re up.”

“Give me your helmet!”

He laughed and handed it over. She pulled the strap on the helmet as tight as it would go. Everyone was watching her.

“Get on and I’ll push you around a bit so you can get used to the feel of it.”

“Okay.”

Alex stared at the skateboard. She willed her feet to move. They didn’t. Seconds, then minutes, ticked by. The others got tired and returned to their boards, flying around her.

“C’mon, sis, you can do it. Don’t be scared. I’m right here.”

“All right, all right, don’t rush me!” Alex put her right foot on the back end of the skateboard and shifted her weight to that same foot, like she was stepping onto a stair.

“Not on the tail—”

“Ahh!”

The skateboard flipped up and Alex lost her balance. She would have been sprawled on the pavement if Adam hadn’t grabbed her.

“Gotcha!”

Laughter erupted around her. She felt her face flush.

“It’s all right,” he whispered in her ear. “Ignore them. I’ll teach you when no one’s around to tease you, okay? Watch, I’ll show them a new trick. Then they’ll forget all about laughing at you.”

He grabbed the board and zipped off.

“Wait, your helmet…” Alex tugged at the strap, but he was gone.

“Stupid law anyway,” he shouted back to her. “It’s more fun without it!”

Alex watched as Adam set up for a jump. He had on a grey hoodie with an anime skateboarder on the back, baggy jeans, and blue sneakers—skate shoes, he called them.

He was flying towards her. He let out a loud whoop and leapt off the board into the air…

Alex opened her eyes, a tear trickling onto her cheek. The familiar dream was fading along with the achingly real sound of Adam’s whoop of excitement. Alex lay there, wishing she could turn back time and fix everything, like they did in science fiction movies. Fix Adam, fix her parents…fix herself.

Sunlight was streaming through the window and a rumbling sound filled the air. She lay still, cocooned in her comforter in the cool early morning. Turning her head, she discovered the source of the mysterious noise. Two bright green eyes surrounded by orange fur were six inches from her face.

“Morning, Marty,” she sniffed, reaching over to pat the chubby tabby snuggled by her side.

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