Katie Slivensky - The Seismic Seven

I check the view behind me, lining up the landscape in my cameras frame. Once Im satisfied, I move my thumb out of the way of the shot and hit record.

Hello, everyone! Welcome to this summers adventures! Its sunny with a chance of mountains today here in Montana. Which kind of sounds like the word mountain, now that Im saying it out loud. I pause and tuck some strands of dark hair behind my ear. Over my shoulder, tufts of clouds pass over the scenery, in contrast to the green of the trees and the blue of the sky. Edit note: check if thats how Montana got its name and overlay fact bubble.

I smile extra broadly and continue, knowing later Ill cut that line and put in a video annotation to either confirm my guess or poke fun at it.

Viewers may notice that Im doing my own camerawork this time around, because Aunt Pauline

Bri, now isnt the time, my mom interrupts me, sticking her head out from the door of our motel room. Her hair blows in front of her face, like mine keeps doing.

Mom! I protest.

The door opens all the way, its shadow moving along the pavement in the early morning sun, and she walks out to join me, shaking her head at my camera. Im sure your aunt didnt buy you this just to waste its battery in a parking lot. I thought you wanted to record Yellowstone? Her nose wrinkles, scrunching up her freckles.

I do. I sigh loudly, flicking the switch on the back to stop recording. But no one is here yet, and if I want to make this a full documentary, I need a good intro. How many motels do we get to stay at with this kind of view?

Were supposed to meet the group Ill be working with this summer at 8:00 a.m. here in the parking lot. Its only 7:45 right now, but were up and outside already, because its my parents, so of course were early.

My dad cleans various beverage containers out of our sedan. I know youre excited, he says, cramming another bottle into the bag of recyclables. But when your professor pulls up, do you want her first impression to be you recording yourself?

I grumble. I mean, no, but I dont want to admit that. Instead I kick a rock between my feet and watch the mountains in the distance, trying to imagine how they got their shape. Maybe that will be my next challenge in Earth Builder: replicate a real mountain range. After all, it was replicating the first eruption of the Yellowstone Supervolcano that got me this opportunity to begin with, as much as my parents dislike my obsession with that game. Their faces when they heard that I got an invitation to work with a world-famous geologist because of my video game skills were priceless.

Do you think Aunt Pauline has had any luck with that building they were clearing yesterday? I ask, checking my phone and changing the subject.

If she has, that means shes probably too busy to text us about it, my mom replies, trying to sound reassuring for both my sake and my dads, since its his sister. I know youre worried, Bri, but wed hear if anything went wrong. Were her emergency contact, remember?

I nod, putting my phone down and going back to the new, super fancy camera my aunt got me as a present for winning this contest to work at Yellowstone for the summer.

Bri. My mom gives me a look.

What? I ask, flipping the camera around and pretending like I was just fiddling with it. Aunt Paulines going to want to see what Im doing. So will my viewers.

Well, by my viewers, I mean hers, but still. Aunt Pauline and I usually take trips together for the summer, recording for her nature documentary YouTube channel. This year we had to cancel the trip, because LA had a massive earthquake8.4 on the Richter scaleand Aunt Pauline decided to go help with the cleanup and rescue efforts. Shes clearing rubble and helping build temporary shelters.

As much as I miss my aunt, I cant lieI am excited for the chance to create a documentary on my own. Ill finally be able to show her that I can be more than just the kid cohost. Plus, I get to do it in Yellowstone! She and I were here last summer, and it was amazing. I have so many ideas of places to film.

Have I mentioned how proud we are of you? Dad says, walking over to hug me.

Dad. I squirm. My bony elbows dig into my stomach as I push away from him.

So proud. Even though I hate this part, he says. I thought with your aunt away, Id get to keep you for a summer. But youre just too talented, so Im losing you again.

I look to Mom for help with eye-rolling, but shes welling up. That catches me off guard. Do they cry every summer when I leave?

Before I can say anything else, a blond family comes out of two of the other motel rooms. Why they were in two rooms rather than one, I dont know. One kid with them looks to be thirteen-isharound my age. Hes wearing glasses and is kind of scrawny.

The other kid with the approaching family looks maybe nine or ten, despite having her face loaded with makeup. Shes much tanner than the rest of her family and walks ahead of them, her flip-flops smacking against the ground loudly.

Hey! she calls toward me.

Uh, hey? I answer.

You waiting for Dr. Grier? Shes still yelling, even though shes close enough now that she could probably drop her voice to a normal level.

Yes, we are, my mom says for me.

Well, shes not coming. The park manager is picking us up instead and taking us to meet her, the girl says, pulling out a tube of bright red lipstick and reapplying it, despite definitely not needing any more. I look back at her family, trying to rein in my judgment but failing spectacularly. They all seem clean-cut and put together, pretty much the opposite of the mess in front of me. I met her last night. Her names Ms. MacNamary. Shes okay. Kind of runs Yellowstone, so shed better be. Im Kenzie, by the way. She juts out her hand.

I shake it. Brianna, I reply.

That back there is Todd. She gestures.

I can introduce myself. The boy frowns. Their parents look at each other, and then at Kenzie, with a mixture of sympathy and frustration.

Todds got some work to do on his people skills, but I bet we can make a real human out of him by the end of the summer, Kenzie says.

I laugh, despite a look from my mom.

My dad creases his forehead, adjusting the sunglasses that are pushed up into his receding hairline. Kenzie, are you part of the crew that Dr. Grier has invited?

Sure am, she says. Im thirteen, by the way. If youre confused. I get that a lot.

Oh. I blink, feeling my cheeks redden. You have to be twelve to be eligible for the contest to work with Dr. Grier, so I way misjudged her age. Wow, yeah. Sorry. So, is this your brother, or... ? I gesture at Todd.

I cant tell who looks more appalled. Todd, Kenzie, or the man and woman with them.

Oh god, no! Kenzie gags. No way, nope.

Definitely not, Todd says. We just met.

The woman looks at my mom. Were Todds parents. Kenzie arrived last night without a legal guardian, so Laurathe park managerasked if I wouldnt mind sharing a room with her.

My grandma sent me on my own, Kenzie says. I can travel by myself. Ive done it before. But motel regulations or something said I had to have an adult with me. She arches an eyebrow, looking up at me. Rules, am I right?

I think Im a whole foot taller than her. I resist the urge to reach out and fix her ponytail, which is half pulled up with a pile of waves falling out of it.