The Shark Rider Read Free Page B

said nothing. That almost made it worse. They walked in deafening silence for several more minutes.
    â€œHead over to the Snapper bungalow to unpack, and then why don’t you visit the Rehab Center. They’ve got some new patients and could probably use your help with at least one of them.”
    Tristan stared at the man dumbfounded. “Okay.”
    He waited for the director to yell or say something about how reckless he’d been or how his actions could have put the camp at risk. But the man just waved his hand in the direction of the bungalows. “Get a move on.”
    Tristan turned and sprinted down the path, still thinking about the reaming-out that was sure to come. He nearly ran straight into one of the park’s meandering streams. Stopping short and teetering at the water’sedge, he watched as twenty small golden cownose rays swam by like a flock of underwater birds. Each ray gracefully waved its velvety fins up and down. A school of fish trailed behind. It was a menagerie of color and size. There were several large turquoise parrotfish, a few smaller blue and yellow surgeonfish, and lots of skinny two-inch-long multicolored striped fish.
    Everything in the park seemed somehow bigger and better than before. The streams, fish, and lush tropical plants were all larger, fuller, and more vibrant than he remembered. Or maybe it just looked that way because he was so happy to be there.
    When Tristan came to the jungle wall, he thought about Jade. She was the one who showed him the secret way to pass through. It had been her last summer at camp. Jade was eighteen now, and, like most teens that age, her ocean talents had begun to fade. The director said it had something to do with changing hormones.
    Tristan stood staring at the wall. The tangle of thick green thorny vines and smooth gray tree trunks was so dense it appeared almost solid. He now understood why they used the jungle wall to keep the park’s regular visitors out of the campers’ more private areas. After a few minutes of searching, Tristan found the sea turtle–shaped stone. He was about to jump onto it when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone approaching. He turned to the stranger.
    â€œExcuse me,” the man said a little too quickly. “Could you tell me where the, uh, Wave Pool is? I wason my way there with my daughter and seem to have gotten turned around. Can’t find her or the pool.”
    Tristan stared at the man. He wasn’t anywhere near the Wave Pool. He was about Tristan’s parents’ age and wore a T-shirt that read I “heart” Dolphins along with a pair of flowered, poop-brown shorts. Other than his truly ugly sportswear, there wasn’t anything abnormal about his appearance. But for some reason, something just seemed off about the guy, and Tristan didn’t like the way he was looking at him. Besides, he didn’t seem very upset about losing his daughter. Tristan’s mother would already have called in the FBI.
    Tristan pointed down the path. “The Wave Pool is back that way on the other side of the park. Look for the signposts with colored arrows on them. The Wave Pool is the light blue one.”
    â€œOh, must have missed that. Thanks.”
    The stranger hesitated and peered suspiciously at Tristan and the jungle wall. He then abruptly turned and went the way Tristan suggested.
    Tristan watched the man go. Feeling uneasy, instead of going through the jungle wall he took a trail that paralleled it. After a few minutes, he doubled back and scanned the area. The man was nowhere in sight. Tristan swiveled around one more time to be sure he was gone and then hopped onto the sea turtle rock. The wall’s interlocking vines began to wiggle and squirm. Like big green snakes, they withdrew into the wall, revealing a shadowy entrance. He leapt onto the fish and then the whale-shaped stone. Soon he forgotabout the stranger looking for the Wave Pool. The dim