No Survivors by R.L. Stine

know Pam likes to compete, April thought. But she is taking it a little too far.
    Kids gathered around April. Mira and Blake came running over. “What happened? We saw you struggling.”
    â€œSome kind of weird current,” April muttered. “I’m fine now. Really.”
    No, that is a lie. I’m not fine, she thought.
    April still felt dizzy. She could feel the powerful waves battering her, pushing her one way, then the other.
    They all began to walk back to the Academy Village.
    Those waves weren’t natural. They attacked only me, April thought. For everyone else, the water was as gentle as a bathtub.
    She stepped up to Kristen and whispered in her ear. “No more excuses. You and me—we’re going exploring. At the rock caves. After lunch. Okay?”
    Kristen’s face tightened with fear. Then she nodded. “Okay,” she whispered back. She swallowed hard. “I hope they don’t light two torches for us tonight.”

18
    At lunch, Donald Marks announced a free afternoon for everyone. “The camera crew is waiting for a piece of equipment to arrive,” he told them. “Until it does, you can all relax and enjoy the island.”
    April and Kristen exchanged glances. “Perfect,” April said.
    The sun was high overhead as they set out for the rock hills. The air felt heavy and wet. Waves of heat rose up from the sandy ground.
    Kristen pulled a red and white baseball cap over her head. She sighed. “Wow, it’s blistering hot today. Everyone else will probably stay in the water.”
    She wore yellow short shorts and a sleeveless white T-shirt. Her shoulders were pink, sunburned from the morning swim race.
    Their sandals crunched over the yellow sand. April stepped over a large crab shell. A strong, fishy aroma swept over her from the ocean.
    She gazed out at the water. The waves were lowand gentle again, splashing softly against the shore.
    The sand ended where the rocks began. April felt the cool air floating up from the rocks.
    She gazed to the top of the hill—but had to shield her eyes from the glare of sunlight.
    What is waiting for us up there? she wondered.
    Kristen mopped her forehead with the back of her arm. “We forgot to bring water,” she said. “I’m boiling hot.”
    â€œIt will be cooler in the caves,” April replied.
    Kristen grabbed her arm. “We’re going into the caves? Are you sure we should? Maybe we should just explore outside the caves.”
    â€œDon’t chicken out on me now,” April pleaded. “We have to find Marlin. That’s the whole reason we came back to this awful island, remember?”
    Kristen squeezed her sunburned shoulder. “I came for a tan,” she joked.
    April gave her a half smile. She knew Kristen believed her. But even Kristen didn’t seem to take the witch completely seriously. Even Kristen didn’t seem to realize how much danger they were in.
    Leaning forward, they began to climb. Despite the hot sunshine beating down on them, the blue rocks were slippery and wet and icy cold.
    â€œThese sandals keep sliding,” April complained. “I should have worn my sneakers.”
    Somewhere above them, a seagull uttered a loud squawk.
    April raised her eyes and saw the bird flapping close over their heads. It opened its beak in another hoarse squawk.
    â€œIt’s trying to tell us something,” Kristen moaned. “That’s bird talk for stay away.”
    The climb became steeper. Sweat rolled down April’s forehead. She brushed back her bangs and mopped her forehead. The rocks scared her. There was something evil in them, she could feel it.
    â€œAlmost there,” she muttered. She could see the black opening of a cave at the top where the rocks leveled off.
    They were nearly to the top when April heard the scuff of footsteps on the rocks.
    Startled, she let out a gasp.
    And a voice behind them shouted, “Ah-ha! There