Chapter 15
Dan drovethe Zodiac around yet another small island and into a tree covered inlet — Beckett yelled, “A board, wait — Luna’s board. It’s right there!” He stood, the Zodiac rocking under his excitement.
Dan said, “Hold on Romeo, don’t swim it, that’s why we have a boat.”
“It’s right there!” Beckett scanned up and down the hill. A waterfall rushed down the middle of the slope. The banks of the river were fern-lined. Further along was a wooded area. No sign of Luna.
Her board, Steve, was right here, but… he half-stood and peered around. Luna’s trailing board, Boosy, was crashed against some rocks. It did not look good. The pot was overturned. Tree was —
His heart raced. The hill was deserted. Dan pulled to a boulder, and Beckett leaped from the boat as Dan tied it off. Dan called, “I’m coming too.”
“Good, I’m going to the top.” Beckett bounded up the sloping terrain, jumping back and forth across the downward rushing gully, stumbling and splashing.
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Dan scrambled up the hill toward the woods. He was ankle deep in mud so he jogged, splashing through a marshy muck-filled field. He reached the tree line as Beckett yelled, “Nothing, nobody — you see anything?”
Dan peered into the heavily shadowed woods. He crept through the darkness, searching. Something looked weird — a billowing shape glowed a bit farther in. He moved closer to inspect it and found a sopping, overturned, twisted, broken, tent.
“A tent!” Dan spun and caught sight of a lump of a person huddled around her knees, it took two steps to get to her. Luna, her hands pressed to her ears.
He reached out and touched her shoulder and she started screaming.
