Stranded by Chris Tebbetts & Probst Jeff

Author:Chris Tebbetts & Probst, Jeff [Probst, Jeff]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2013-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

“Hi, everyone, it’s Jane B. again, reporting for Evanston Elementary.”

Jane stood on the rocks next to the Lucky Star, holding her camera out in front of her. The sun was just coming up, and the others were all still asleep. But she’d been awake for hours, scratching her bug bites and trying not to think about how thirsty she was.

It was a surprise when she’d found the camera in one piece after the crash. Jane knew it was waterproof, but apparently, this one was shipwreck-proof, too. The battery still had most of its charge, so there was plenty of time to work on her report, if she wanted.

“Today is June thirtieth, and it was supposed to be the sixth day of our trip,” she continued. “I kind of skipped a day yesterday, but let me show you why.”

She moved the camera sideways now, to take in the huge hole in the side of the boat. It looked like a giant had taken a bite right out of it.

“That’s the boat we were sailing on, until we crashed here,” she said. “We don’t even know where we are, exactly. I’m just calling it Nowhere Island for now. These rocks where I’m standing are Dead Man’s Shelf. And up there . . .”

She leaned way back to show the place at the top of the cliffs where they’d built the signal fire.

“That’s Lookout Point. Oh, and over here is Benson-Diaz Beach. See?”

The names were just something she’d thought up lying in her bunk, wide awake most of the night. Later, if she could find some dry paper and a pen, she’d start making a real map, too.

“Jane? What are you doing down there?” Vanessa called out from the deck. She’d just come outside, still looking sleepy, but her dark hair was pulled neatly off her face in a short ponytail, and she’d put on clean shorts and a T-shirt. She looked ready for business.

For some reason, Jane felt embarrassed. “I was just working on my report,” she said.

Vanessa gave her a look, the same one adults did sometimes. It was a confused sort of smile, like maybe Jane was too smart for her own good.

“You can work on that later,” she said. “Come on up. I want to have a family meeting.”

“About what?” Jane asked.

Vanessa shrugged, like it should be obvious.

“Everything,” she said.

* * *

In the cockpit of the Lucky Star, Vanessa set out the last can of fruit cocktail, half a bag of marshmallows, and four spoons. There was still a full jar of peanut butter and some canned chili and beef stew they could eat, but for now it seemed like a good idea to stay away from anything that might make them even thirstier.

“Why do we have to have a family meeting?” Carter wanted to know right away.

“Because we have to figure out what to do today, and who’s going to do it,” Vanessa said.

“We don’t need a meeting for that. We can talk while we’re looking for water.

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