No Survivors Read Free Page B

about hearing the woman’s voice on the wind. Then seeing the snake that rose in front of her. And how it hissed the words No survivors .
    â€œThat’s really creepy,” Kristen said. “Are you sure?”
    â€œPositive. It was totally real,” April said. “But I know what you mean. Normal snakes don’t talk. So how come this one did?”
    Kristen shook her head angrily. “It must have been the woman in the blue cloak. The witch. I bet the snake was controlled by her magic.”
    April stopped. She pulled a prickly burr off the shoulder of her T-shirt. “How can we go on playing games when we know there is real danger on this island?”
    Kristen didn’t answer for a long while. Finally, she said, “What else we can do, April? I mean, how do we fight a witch?”
    â€œI don’t know,” April admitted. “But we can’t just wait. Marlin is somewhere on this island. I know he is. When we were back home, I heard his voice. Hewas calling to me. It was so strange. He’s here, and he needs our help.”
    â€œI wonder if Jared and Dolores are with him.”
    â€œWe should be searching for them,” April said. “We should be exploring the rock caves. Trying to find them.”
    â€œOw!” April’s hand flew to her temple. The blue crescent was burning. It felt as if someone had touched it with red-hot metal.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Kristen asked.
    April squeezed her eyes shut against the pain. Stop it, she thought. Please make the pain stop.
    A second later the pain was gone. April glanced around, surprised. She felt her pulse throb at her temples.
    â€œApril, are you okay?” Kristen sounded scared.
    April nodded. It was almost as if someone else caused the pain—and then stopped it.
    â€œWeird. I…have the feeling we’re being watched,” she told Kristen.
    â€œWatched?”
    â€œSomeone’s been listening to us. And I think she just let me know that she doesn’t like our plans.”
    April raised her eyes to the fat branches of an old tree. She gasped when she saw a flash of blue on a limb halfway up.
    It was the same blue as the blue cloak.
    â€œShe’s there!” April cried. “Kristen—she’s up there!”

5
    April grabbed Kristen’s arm. “She’s in the tree! She’s watching us!”
    They heard a cough.
    The tree branch creaked, and the leaves parted.
    April stared up at a middle-aged man in blue shorts and a blue T-shirt. He held a video camera in one hand.
    â€œSorry if I scared you,” he called down. “We’re supposed to stay out of sight.”
    April’s mouth hung open. She took a deep breath, trying to force her heart to stop racing.
    â€œI—I thought you were someone else,” she stammered.
    She realized she was still squeezing Kristen’s arm. She let go and took a few steps back.
    The video guy laughed. “You were expecting someone else to be up a tree?”
    â€œYou surprised us. That’s all,” Kristen said.
    â€œJust pretend I’m not here,” the man said. “Goahead and finish your race.”
    The two girls took off, following a narrow path through the trees. April’s legs felt shaky as she jogged.
    â€œMarks wants everyone to think this is all a TV show,” she said.
    Kristen sighed. “And they all believe him. No one else thinks they’re in danger.”
    â€œBut we are,” April said. “We’ve got to find Marlin. And then we’ve got to find a way to get off this island. Before anyone else disappears.”
    As they moved through the island forest, the air became hotter, steamier. Insects chirped. Birds called to one another from the swaying treetops.
    April stopped to mop her forehead. She could feel the back of her T-shirt clinging to her sweaty skin.
    She took a sip of water, then tilted the bottle over her dark hair and let the water run down