Lost (6 page)

Nacho knelt in front of the trunk and inspected the latch. He pushed it and rapped his knuckles on it. He shook his head. “I think we need a key or something.”

Cash asked, “What about a knife? Do y'all have one of those around here?”

Sarah started to say, “Yeah, over—”

“Just stop.” Marco interrupted her. “All of you. We're not going to wreck it just to see what's inside.”

Nacho wrinkled his nose at Marco. “Who put you in charge?”

Marco jabbed a thumb at his own chest. “I found it. I dragged it off the boat.”

“My dad helped, probably,” said Sarah. Then she shrugged. “But you're right.” She ran a hand over the top of the trunk. “It's too pretty to mess with. Maybe there isn't even anything in there.”

Nacho looked disappointed. “Whatever.” He sat back down and picked up his vines.

Sarah sat down too.

Cash's gaze lingered on the trunk for a beat too long before she turned and joined them.

Marco watched her for a moment. Then he retrieved the burlap bag and carefully covered up the trunk before joining the others. He finished his vine and began another.

Sarah said, “Captain Norm believed in mermaids.”

“Huh?” asked Marco.

Sarah nodded. “He told me about it. When he was young he sailed in the Caribbean and he met sailors who believed they saw mermaids.”

Marco made a face. “You're kidding.”

Sarah shook her head, “No, I'm serious! So maybe he thought the trunk was some kind of mermaid thing. With some kind of mermaid magic.”

Nacho said, “Mermaids aren't magic.”

Cash asked, “How do you know?”

Nacho said, “The aquatic ape theory.”

Marco laughed. “What are you talking about?”

“Seriously,” said Nacho. “I saw it on Animal Planet.”

Cash rolled her eyes at Sarah, who asked, “What did it say?”

“Well, the theory is kinda cool.” Nacho got a serious look on his face. “So like millions of years ago, there was a lot of flooding along the coasts of all the land on Earth. Half our ancestors went inland, but half went into the water.”

“Ancestors?” Marco raised his eyebrows. “Like cavemen?”

Nacho shook his head. “Probably older than that. More like ape ancestors.”

Sarah shook her head and concentrated on her rope. “I don't believe it.”

“You don't have to.” Nacho smiled at her. “It's just a theory. Anyway, the ones that went in the water adapted. And the theory is that's where the mermaids came from: a branch of evolution that went into the water.”

Sarah said, “You know how ridiculous that sounds, right? Apes in the water?”

“Maybe.” Nacho shrugged. “But here's the really cool part. There are lots of things about us modern people, which back up the theory that we once lived in the ocean. One.” He held up a finger. “Humans are the only primates with webbing between the fingers.”

Marco glanced down at his hands and spread them out. He was pretty sure that the slight webbing could be explained in any number of ways
other
than that the human race used to live in the ocean.

Nacho held up another finger. “Two. Humans have way less body hair than other primates. It would have created drag in the water.”

“Olympic swimmers do shave their whole bodies,” said Cash.

Nacho held up another finger. “Three. Humans are the only land animals with a layer of the same fat that helps insulate dolphins and whales.” Another finger. “Four. Humans can hold their breath longer than any other land animal. Oh! And five.” He snapped up his thumb. “We're the only land animal with an instinctive ability to swim.”

“Other land animals can swim,” said Marco.

“Yeah,” said Nacho. “But it's not as natural as it is with humans.”

Sarah and Cash exchanged a glance. Marco didn't want them to make fun of Nacho, so he said, “Well, it's just a theory. Interesting anyway.” He wanted to get off the subject, so he asked, “Anybody want to help me start tying the bamboo together? Maybe there's enough to make another platform.”

 

7

About an hour later, they had several ropes made and another group of bamboo poles tied together. The rectangle was big enough to fit across the remaining space between the trees. Sarah said, “Let's get it up there before my dad gets back. We'll surprise him.”

“I think we should wait,” said Nacho. “That's pretty high up.”

Marco shook his head. “No it's not. We'll just connect vines to it, like a pulley, and I'll go up there and reel it in.” He climbed up to the platform already there and sat on it. His feet dangled over the edge. “Okay, hook the vine in between two poles and secure it.”

Cash and Sarah did as he asked, then Nacho helped them lift it up as Marco strained to pull it. “You guys gotta hold it higher!”

Sarah grunted as she shoved the platform higher. What did he expect from them? She yelled, “We're trying!”

“You're the one that wanted to do this before your dad got back!” snapped Marco.

Sarah made a face at him. But he was right. “Fine,” she said. “Let's do it.”

Marco leaned back for more leverage and managed to get the edge of the bamboo over the platform already in place. He grabbed hold of the edge and said, “Okay, now just push it a little more.”

“We are!” said Nacho.

“On three,” said Cash. “One big push.”

Sarah adjusted her hands that were hurting from holding on to the bamboo for so long. “Okay. Ready.”

Cash said, “One. Two. Three!”

Groaning, the three of them shoved the platform as Marco pulled, and enough of it got over the edge that it tipped up and out of their grip.

“You got it?” called Sarah, crossing her fingers. Marco was hidden by the bamboo.

“Yeah!” called Marco. The bamboo went flat and he was visible again, kneeling on the platform.

Sarah stepped back so she could see what he was doing. He set the new section of platform in place next to the other, then leaned over the side with a wide grin. “It's perfect. Just hand me some vines so I can tie it into place.”

Cash already had a handful of rope, and tossed it up.

Nacho said, “Here. I made something.” His arms were full of vines. But with a flourish, he flung them out, hanging on to the very end.

“A ladder?” asked Sarah.

“That's so cool,” said Cash.

“Will it work?” Marco was gazing at them, his face shiny with sweat from the exertion.

Nacho nodded. “Let's try it.”

Marco reached down as Nacho tossed up the end of it. Marco secured the top of the ladder with more braided vines, then unrolled the rest of it, so it wavered in the air. “Who wants to be first?”

Nacho looked skeptical.

Sarah didn't want him to feel bad if the ladder didn't work. Maybe it would work for her, since she was so light. She raised her hand. “I'll do it.” She kicked off her flip-flops and grabbed ahold of the nearest vine rung, which was about at chest level. “I might need a boost.”

Cash came up behind her and said, “Here, let me give you a piggyback.”

Sarah climbed up on Cash's back, grabbed a higher rung, and managed to get one of her bare feet onto the lowest rung. Then she slowly began to climb.

The vines cut into her hands and feet, but not too badly. She quickly reached the top where Marco took her arm and pulled her up onto the platform. She sat there and caught her breath as she looked around. To be up that high in the tree on such a wide, sturdy platform made her feel safe. She smiled.

Marco grinned. “It's cool, huh?”

She nodded at him. “Let's get the mattresses up here.”

The mattresses were smaller, and not quite as unwieldy as the bamboo had been. The four of them managed to pad the platform within half an hour. Cash and Nacho tossed up pillows and blankets, and Sarah quickly made a cozy nest of the space. She plumped up one last pillow and arranged it with the others. “There.”

“It looks great,” said Marco. “Way better than the cave.”

Sarah pointed at the branch where she spent the night the crabs invaded. “Or my perch.” Sweat dripped down her face and she wiped it off. “I'm thirsty.”

“Me too,” said Marco. He went down the ladder, then Sarah followed. She jumped the final three feet or so, landing in the sand. She brushed herself off and accepted the bottle of water Nacho handed her. “Thanks.”

Cash was wiping sweat off her face. “I'm so hot.” She gazed down at the beach. “I want to swim, but the salt water makes my hair all stiff and salty.”

“Mine too,” said Sarah.

Marco said, “I know where we can swim. And it's fresh water.” He reached into a canvas bag and pulled out a bottle of shampoo. “And you can even wash your hair.”

Sarah didn't want to leave the safety of their camp. She wanted to wait for her dad. But swimming, getting clean, and being refreshed? That sounded way too good to pass up. She took the bottle from Marco, picked up a towel off the pile from the boat and said, “Show us where to go.”

 

8

Marco went to check on his mom. She was asleep and he wondered whether leaving her was a good idea. But he was so sweaty and hot. Cooling off in fresh water was too tempting. She would be fine if they weren't gone too long.

He grabbed a towel off the pile. “Okay, anybody got a watch?”

Nacho raised his wrist.

“What time is it?” Marco asked.

“Ten,” said Nacho.

“We have to be back by eleven, okay?” Marco glanced back at his mom once more. “I don't want to leave her more than an hour.”

“My dad might be back before then. Should we leave a note?” asked Sarah.

Marco shook his head. “He'll figure we're just looking for food or something. Besides, we'll be back soon.” He started off toward the trees, everyone falling in behind him. He set a fast pace, not wanting to waste all their time walking, in order to leave plenty of time for swimming. He was tired, and didn't feel like talking. Apparently no one else did either. Their footsteps, and the occasional swish of foliage as they brushed past, were the only sounds he heard.

They reached the clearing with the house, but Marco walked right past without giving it a glance. Now that they had the platform in the trees, they had no use for the building. He turned the corner at the side of the house and stopped at the curtain of vines.

“I hear water,” said Nacho.

Sarah nodded.

Cash said, “Me too.”

Marco swept aside the vines and stepped through, holding them up for the others. Sarah gasped as she walked past Marco, stopping at the edge of the crystal-clear stream. “It's beautiful,” she said.

Cash squealed. “Look at the fruit trees!” She stood under a mango tree, gazing up.

Marco stopped beside her and reached down on the ground for one that looked perfectly ripe and not too bruised from the fall. He set down his towel and took his knife out of his pocket. “This will be a little messy, but…” He cut off the peel and handed the skinned slippery orange fruit to Cash.

She held it to her mouth and bit into it. The juice dripped down her face as she grinned. “Delicious.”

Marco grabbed a few more and put them in his towel. “Let's go.”

“Wait.” Nacho had his towel tucked under his arm, a fat, dark green avocado in each hand. He held one to Marco. “Can you cut it open for me?”

Marco sliced the avocado in two, popped out the pit, and handed one half back to Nacho.

“Hey,” said Nacho.

“We can get more,” said Marco. He put the other half in his mouth, scraping out the insides with his teeth.
Delicious.

Sarah was kneeling by the stream, splashing water on her face. Marco said, “Come on, we're almost there.” He led the way around the corner as the sound of rushing water got louder. He turned to see the reaction of the others as the waterfall came into view.

Cash's eyes widened as Sarah set a hand over her mouth. Nacho yelled, “Oh yeah!” He tossed his towel on the ground, followed by one avocado and what remained of the other. He tore off his T-shirt and jumped in the water. Out of sight for several seconds, his head popped back up, a wide grin on his face. “Awesome!”

Cash kicked off her flip-flops, pitched the rest of the mango into the bushes, and jumped into the pool fully clothed. She popped back up, sputtering.

“You okay?” yelled Marco.

She nodded, laughing. “Colder than I thought.”

Sarah set her flip-flops next to her towel, then sat on the bank and let her feet sink into the water. “Nice.”

Marco took off his shirt and dropped it on the ground with his towel. “You going in?” he asked.

“In a minute.” She kicked her feet, splashing. “Just taking my time.”

“We're on a schedule, you know.” And before she could react, Marco put both his hands on her back and shoved her in the water. She bobbed back up, scowling. “I was going to go in on my own time, you know!”

Marco laughed and cannonballed next to her. He heard her screech even though he was still underwater. He surfaced, then took a face full of water as she splashed him. “Hey!” he called.

She laughed. “I owed you.”

“Where's that shampoo?” called Cash.

Sarah grabbed it from the bank and pushed off from the bottom, bouncing her way over to Cash. The two squirted shampoo into their hands and quickly sudsed up their heads. Marco went over for some, and called out to Nacho, “Dude, you should wash your hair too. Don't know when we'll get a chance again.”

Nacho splashed around a bit before he complied, but within ten minutes of getting in the water, all four had dripping, fresh-smelling hair. Marco threw the bottle of shampoo onto the bank.

“What was that?” asked Cash.