the sun.”
“The sun?”
“You know, for navigation.”
Violet gritted her teeth. “Okay, how?”
“How should I know? You’re the captain. Duh.”
It’s a good thing she’s restrained by that metal harness, Charlie thought, seeing the look of death in Violet’s eyes.
“Just turn us around,” he said calmly. “At least then we’ll be heading away from the rough water.”
The water was, in fact, starting to get rough. A heavy wind had kicked up, stinging their faces with salt spray. Charlie was shocked by how quickly the weather had turned against them.
“You may be right,” Violet said a little nervously, glancing around as increasingly big waves pounded their small boat, causing it to soar and fall like a child’s toy. She turned the wheel.
Nothing happened.
The boat continued to head in the same direction, seemingly drawn now by some strong, unseen force. Huge ocean waves sloshed over the side, threatening to swamp them.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie shouted over the rising howl of the wind.
“I don’t know!” Violet yelled back. “It’s like I’m not steering it anymore! Something’s pulling us!”
“That’s probably either the north or south pole,” Theodore reasoned, “depending on what side of the globe we’re on, of course.”
“What?” Charlie yelled. “The Nightmare Academy is nowhere near the poles—it’s someplace tropical, obviously!”
“You don’t know where the Academy is?” Brooke asked incredulously as another massive wave washed over them.
“Well, no!” Charlie shouted back, wiping the stinging ocean water from his eyes. “No one’s ever told us!”
“I guess that’s not so strange,” Brooke reasoned. “They don’t really teach you that stuff until you’re an Addy.”
“So where are we?” Theodore screamed.
Rain began to lash them in thick sheets. Lightning cracked across the dark sky.
“The Bermuda Triangle,” Brooke shouted as the boat began to spin wildly with the current. “The Nightmare Academy is in the Bermuda Triangle!”
They stared at her, speechless.
“The Bermuda Freaking Triangle?” Theodore yelled. “Are you kidding me? We’re in a death trap! Do you know how many planes and ships have been lost here?”
“Not really,” Brooke shouted.
“Tons! This is unbelievable! We’re gonna die!”
“Stop that!” Violet shouted. “We’re not gonna die!”
“Actually,” Charlie said, looking over the side, “I think we just might.”
The ocean began to spin in a giant whirlpool, and their small craft raced crazily around its edges. Far below, deep beneath the churning water, they could see a gigantic glowing red disc.
It was an alien, incredible sight.
“What is that thing?” Brooke yelled, astonished.
“I have no idea!” Charlie shouted.
They shot down the center of the whirlpool until their tiny speedboat was plunged underwater, spiraling out of control, drawn by the strange red disc. As they neared it, Charlie began to realize how truly massive it was—at least a mile from side to side. It grew in his vision until it filled the world. He strained against his shoulder restraint, trying desperately to free himself, but the metal harness was now tightly locked. There was no way to escape from the small boat that was violently hurtling them through the cold, breathless depths, toward the swirling, mysterious object at the bottom of the sea.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE BT GRAVEYARD
Charlie couldn’t breathe.
He didn’t know how long he’d been underwater—maybe minutes, maybe only seconds—but he did know that if he didn’t get oxygen soon, he was going to die. His lungs burned and a cold blackness began to close over his vision like a coffin lid. He could see his friends around him, drowning, unable to escape the sinking boat. His eyes locked onto Violet’s. He saw panic in them…and also a dim acceptance.
His heart sank.
Once again, he had led them down a dark and lonely path that seemed to end in certain
“The sun?”
“You know, for navigation.”
Violet gritted her teeth. “Okay, how?”
“How should I know? You’re the captain. Duh.”
It’s a good thing she’s restrained by that metal harness, Charlie thought, seeing the look of death in Violet’s eyes.
“Just turn us around,” he said calmly. “At least then we’ll be heading away from the rough water.”
The water was, in fact, starting to get rough. A heavy wind had kicked up, stinging their faces with salt spray. Charlie was shocked by how quickly the weather had turned against them.
“You may be right,” Violet said a little nervously, glancing around as increasingly big waves pounded their small boat, causing it to soar and fall like a child’s toy. She turned the wheel.
Nothing happened.
The boat continued to head in the same direction, seemingly drawn now by some strong, unseen force. Huge ocean waves sloshed over the side, threatening to swamp them.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie shouted over the rising howl of the wind.
“I don’t know!” Violet yelled back. “It’s like I’m not steering it anymore! Something’s pulling us!”
“That’s probably either the north or south pole,” Theodore reasoned, “depending on what side of the globe we’re on, of course.”
“What?” Charlie yelled. “The Nightmare Academy is nowhere near the poles—it’s someplace tropical, obviously!”
“You don’t know where the Academy is?” Brooke asked incredulously as another massive wave washed over them.
“Well, no!” Charlie shouted back, wiping the stinging ocean water from his eyes. “No one’s ever told us!”
“I guess that’s not so strange,” Brooke reasoned. “They don’t really teach you that stuff until you’re an Addy.”
“So where are we?” Theodore screamed.
Rain began to lash them in thick sheets. Lightning cracked across the dark sky.
“The Bermuda Triangle,” Brooke shouted as the boat began to spin wildly with the current. “The Nightmare Academy is in the Bermuda Triangle!”
They stared at her, speechless.
“The Bermuda Freaking Triangle?” Theodore yelled. “Are you kidding me? We’re in a death trap! Do you know how many planes and ships have been lost here?”
“Not really,” Brooke shouted.
“Tons! This is unbelievable! We’re gonna die!”
“Stop that!” Violet shouted. “We’re not gonna die!”
“Actually,” Charlie said, looking over the side, “I think we just might.”
The ocean began to spin in a giant whirlpool, and their small craft raced crazily around its edges. Far below, deep beneath the churning water, they could see a gigantic glowing red disc.
It was an alien, incredible sight.
“What is that thing?” Brooke yelled, astonished.
“I have no idea!” Charlie shouted.
They shot down the center of the whirlpool until their tiny speedboat was plunged underwater, spiraling out of control, drawn by the strange red disc. As they neared it, Charlie began to realize how truly massive it was—at least a mile from side to side. It grew in his vision until it filled the world. He strained against his shoulder restraint, trying desperately to free himself, but the metal harness was now tightly locked. There was no way to escape from the small boat that was violently hurtling them through the cold, breathless depths, toward the swirling, mysterious object at the bottom of the sea.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE BT GRAVEYARD
Charlie couldn’t breathe.
He didn’t know how long he’d been underwater—maybe minutes, maybe only seconds—but he did know that if he didn’t get oxygen soon, he was going to die. His lungs burned and a cold blackness began to close over his vision like a coffin lid. He could see his friends around him, drowning, unable to escape the sinking boat. His eyes locked onto Violet’s. He saw panic in them…and also a dim acceptance.
His heart sank.
Once again, he had led them down a dark and lonely path that seemed to end in certain
Similar Books
