M.J. McIsaac - Alien Road

Would you stop that?

Ash jumps off her beach chair, frowning at the freckled boy in khakis and golf shirt sitting in the sand between us. Karl Barrington. Hes been digging a hole with his popsicle stick and flicking sand everywhere since he sat down.

Sorry, he grumbles.

Youre not sorry at all, snarls Ash, wiping sand off her legs.

I roll my eyes and try to focus on my sketchpad. My drawing of Wraitha wicked-looking masked super villain of my own creationis only halfway done. Its for my graphic novel. My dad convinced me to start one over Spring Break. Said it would be good to try and make a story out of all these characters Im always coming up with. I want to finish it before the vacation is over so I can show him when I get home. But with Ash and Karl around all the time, its hard to focus.

I said I was sorry, Karl snaps. Why would I say it if I didnt mean it?

Because youre still doing it! Ash shrieks, pointing at the sand Karl keeps flicking out of his little hole. Ridge, make him stop it!

I dont know why you think I have that power, I tell her.

He listens to you.

I look over at Karl, sitting in the sand. Weve been at Juneberry Beach two whole days and the kid still hasnt put on a bathing suit. Just the same designer khakis and various colors of identical golf shirts. I didnt know they were designer, but Ash did. Ash is a label girl. She loves labels. Especially the kind that seem to be plastered all over Karl and his family. She knows what kind of sunglasses Karls dad wears, and what kind of purse Karls dads girlfriend Gina carries around. Shes impressed by their shoes, watches, even their luggage. And she talks to me about it. All. Day. Long. I dont know why she thinks I care. None of it means much to me. But I do know that labels like those mean Karls dad is rich. Filthy rich. How a guy like Karls dad became friends with my mom and Ashs mom, Ill never understand.

Karl stares at me, as if expecting orders.

Knock it off, Karl, I say. Im sick of listening to Ash whine.

With a horrified guh noise, Ash kicks the sand, sending it flying into my face. Its in my eyes, my nose, my mouth. I taste the hard, salty grains grinding on my tongue. I spit. Beside me. Karl laughs.

By the time I blink away all the grit, Ash is storming back to the house. Her house. The one she lives in with her mom, Jes. I can see her sitting on the deck with my mom and Karls dad and his girlfriend. She waves to Ash and Ashs arms flail wildly. I dont know what shes saying, but I know shes not telling them anything good.

All four of them turn and look in my direction. Mom frowns.

Great, I mutter.

As soon as Mom gets ahold of me, I know she is going to lecture me about being nicer to Ash.

Jes is Moms friend from university. She invited me and Mom to come visit her for Spring Break. Sounded all right to mea week in the Florida Keys with lots of time to draw, and maybe even some time on a jet ski. And I heard that Jes had a teenage daughter. Cool, I thought, Spring Break with a high-school girl. But then that high-school girl turned out to be Ashwhiny, boring, mean old Ash.

She hates me, says Karl.

Yeah, I nod, spitting out more sand. She hates me too. At least you get to leave soon.

Karls face goes kind of funny. His mouth twists to one side, like he isnt so happy about that either.

What? I ask. Id sure rather be out on your fancy boat than stuck here with Ash.

Karl shrugs and looks down at the sand hole. You can have my spot.

I laugh. Dont tease me, Karl. Id take your place in a second.

I mean it. Like I said, Karls dad is filthy rich. The only reason hes even in Florida is because the private yacht he chartered for Spring Break launches from here. Then theyre off to sail the Caribbean in luxury. Chartered. I learned that word recently too. Fancy rich people dont rent things. They charter them. Karl told me theres even a Jacuzzi onboard. And some kind of inflatable slide thing that they can set up if they want to. He told me it goes from the top deck down into the ocean. I dont even know what that would look like. But I know it sounds awesome.

Karl doesnt smile. Just stares down miserably at the sand.

Whats the matter?

Its not safe, he says.

What isnt? The boat?

He shakes his head.

What then?

He looks at me, his mouth twitching. I think hes deciding whether or not to say. Finally, he speaks again. Do you know how were getting to the Caribbean, Ridge?

Awesomely?

No! Karl says, waving his hand at me. Not awesomely. Dangerously.

Dangerous how?

Dont you know where we are? Using the popsicle stick, he draws what looks like the southern tip of Florida in the sand. He adds some of the islands of the keys branching off. This is where we are. Now look here, the Bahamas. He makes a bunch of dots a little further south of Florida. He makes another dot to the left of that. Puerto Rico. Then a bit to the north he makes another dot. Bermuda.

Im impressed. I definitely didnt know my geography that well when I was ten. Heck, Im thirteen and I still dont know it that well.

Okay? I say, not sure what any of this is supposed to mean.

Karl scoffs. He draws a line from Florida, along the Bahamas, to Puerto Rico. Then another line up to the Bermuda. And one more line, back to Florida.

A triangle.

Its the Bermuda Triangle, Karl whispers.

I cant help it. A laugh bursts out of me. I brush the sand off my sketchbook. The Bermuda Triangle? Thats not real, Karl. Thats just an urban legend.

He scowls. No, it isnt! He jumps to his feet, pointing at the sand. Do you know how many boats have disappeared in this area? Countless! Ive read all about it!

Okay, Karl, I say, trying to get a hold of my laughter. Maybe your dad should hire the coast guard to protect your floating mansion from aliens or ghosts or whatever you think is out there.

No one knows whats out there, he says. Thats why its so dangerous!

I shake my head and go back to my drawing. The hood of my Wraith character looks smudged. Great. I try to rub the smudge out but I only make it worse.

Dang. Ive been working on this character for two weeks, and now Ive gone and smudged it. Correction. Ash and her angry sand kicking smudged it. How am I supposed to fix it now? Am I going to have to start all over again?

Karl stomps his foot. Ridge, youre not even listening to me!

Listening to what? I snap. Im sorry, Karl, but its hard for me to feel bad about you and your luxury boat cruise. Being afraid to go on a trip like that because of the Bermuda Triangle is the most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard.

He doesnt say anything to that. But his chin starts to quiver. Now I feel like a real jerk.

Before I can apologize, he takes off running for the house.