High Tide in Hawaii (4 page)

“Down there,” said Kama. She pointed to a rocky path that led to the beach.

“Let's go,” said Annie.

Annie, Boka, and Kama started down the path. Jack followed, moving slowly and carefully.

When he stepped onto the beach, Jack slipped off his shoes. He dug his toes into the dry, warm sand. It felt as soft as silk.

“Actually, I wouldn't mind just taking a walk on the beach,” he said to the others.

But no one seemed to hear. They had all walked over to a row of wooden surfboards propped against the rocks.

Boka picked out a long board and lugged it over to Jack. “For you,” he said.

Jack took the board and looked up at it. It was as tall as his dad.

“Isn't this a little
big
for me?” he asked.

Boka shook his head. He chose a board for Annie. Then he and Kama grabbed a couple for themselves.

Jack took a deep breath. “I'd like to read a little about surfing first,” he said. He put his board down and pulled out the research book.

“What is
that
?” asked Kama.

“It's a book,” said Jack. “It tells you about things.”

“How does it talk?” said Kama.

“It doesn't talk,” said Annie. “You read it.”

Kama looked confused.

“Jack, forget the book now,” Annie said. “Let's just do what Boka and Kama tell us.” She headed for the ocean, lugging her board.

Jack sighed and put the book away. He left his pack in the sand, picked up his board, and followed the others.

They all stopped at the edge of the water.

“First we need to get past the breaking waves,” said Kama. “Then we'll show you what to do next.”

Together they waded into the cool, shallow water.
The waves don't seem all that big,
Jack thought hopefully.

But as he waded deeper into the ocean, the breaking waves began to look bigger and bigger. When the first wave hit him, Jack leaned against it, lifting his board. He nearly fell over.

Kama, Boka, and Annie moved farther out into the ocean. Jack watched as a wave loomed over them. They all threw their boards over the wave and dove into it.

Jack struggled forward. The next time a big wave came toward him, he threw his board over it. Holding his glasses tightly, he ducked under.

When Jack stood up again, he wiped the water from his eyes and glasses. His surfboard was close by. He grabbed it before another wave came.

Jack kept fighting his way forward. By the time he got past all the breakers, the water was up to his chest.

“We'll paddle out to catch a big wave!” said Boka.

Jack frowned. “But—”

“Don't worry, Jack,” said Kama. “It will be fun!”

Boka and Kama pulled themselves onto their boards. They lay on their bellies and began paddling with their hands out to sea.

Jack and Annie lay down on their boards, too. Paddling over the gentle waves, Jack relaxed. Now,
this
was something he could do all day.

“When I say
go,
paddle fast back toward the shore!” said Kama.

“When do we stand up?” said Annie.

“When you start toward the shore!” said Boka. “Stand up with one foot forward. Stretch out your arms to keep your balance!”

“But don't try to stand up the very first time!” said Kama. “Just ride your board on your belly!”

“I see one coming now!” said Boka.

“Wait, wait!” said Jack. Everything was happening too fast. He had questions.

“Go!”
Kama shouted.

Jack saw a big wave rolling toward them. Before he knew it, Boka, Kama, and Annie were paddling quickly toward the shore. Jack paddled like crazy to keep up.

Suddenly the wave lifted him and swept him forward! Jack zoomed toward the shore with amazing speed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Boka and Kama—
and
Annie!—all standing up.

Jack wanted to be like them. In a flash, he went up on his knees. He put his left foot forward and stood up! For one second he felt like a soaring bird—then he lost his balance!

Jack fell into the water, grabbing his glasses just in time. The wave crashed down on top of him! Water filled his mouth and went up his nose. His board and his lei were swept away.

Jack twisted and turned in the churning water. When his head bobbed up above the water, he choked and coughed.

Another big wave crashed down on him, and he went under again. When he came up, he plunged forward, desperately trying to get to shore.

Again and again, Jack was thrown down and slammed by breaking waves. But each time, he got up and hurled himself closer to shore.

Finally, Jack dragged himself out of the ocean. Feeling bruised and battered, he fell onto the sand.

“Jack!” cried Annie. She ran to him. “Are you okay?”

Jack just nodded. He put on his wet glasses. He felt shaky and mad at himself.
I never should have tried to stand!
he thought.

Kama picked up Jack's surfboard from the shallow water and brought it over to him.

“I told you not to stand,” she said, laughing. “You fell hard.”

It's not funny,
thought Jack.
I nearly drowned!

“The best thing to do is to go right back out,” said Boka.

“You go,” said Jack. His eyes and nose burned from the salt water. “I'll stay here.” He walked over to his pack, picked it up, and took out the research book.

“Come on, Jack!” said Annie. “Try it again! Stay on your belly this time!”

“No, this time I'm going to
read
about surfing first,” he said.

“Aw, you should just try it again,” said Annie. “Not
read
about it!”

She ran to him and pulled the book out of his hands. Jack jerked it away from her. He slipped and fell onto the sand.

Kama and Boka laughed again.

“Why are you laughing?” Jack snapped. “You don't even know how to read!”

Boka and Kama looked hurt.

“Jack!” said Annie. “That was mean. Say you're sorry.”

Jack opened his book and pretended to read it. He
did
feel sorry, but he was too upset to say so.

“Fine, stay here,” said Annie. She went back to Boka and Kama. “Let's go.”

As Jack sat alone on the beach, he looked up from his book. He watched the other kids paddling through the water.

“I don't care,” he muttered. “I'm
never
going back out in those waves.”

Morgan didn't send us here to surf anyway,
he thought.
She told us to build a ship. But how the heck are we supposed to do that?

Jack heaved an angry sigh. Now he was cross with Morgan. He turned to the back of the book and searched the index for “ship.”

Suddenly Jack heard a rumbling from under the sand. The ground started to shake. It shook so hard, the book flew out of Jack's hands!

Jack bounced up and down on the beach. Shells were jumping up and down, too. Rocks tumbled down from the cliff.

It's an earthquake!
thought Jack.

The rumbling stopped.

The shaking stopped.

Jack looked around. Everything was normal again, except some rocks rolled around at the bottom of the cliff.

Jack looked out to sea. Kama, Boka, and Annie were past the breakers. They were sitting on their surfboards, laughing and talking.

Everything seemed okay. But Jack felt sure that something was wrong. He grabbed the Hawaii book from the sand. He looked up “earthquake.” He read:

Oh, man!
thought Jack.
A tsunami might be coming!

Jack had to find out more about tsunamis quickly. He read as fast as he could:

We have to get to higher ground now!
thought Jack, dropping the book.

He ran down to the edge of the ocean. Boka, Kama, and Annie were still paddling out beyond the waves. Jack forgot all about their fight.

“Hey, you guys!” he yelled.

They didn't hear him.

Jack went into the shallow water. “Hey, you guys!” he yelled. “Come back!”

They still didn't hear him.

Jack ran to his surfboard, grabbed it, and ran into the ocean. He fought the breaking waves. Once he was past them, he threw himself on his board and paddled wildly.

The wave swells grew as he paddled. He could hardly see Annie, Boka, or Kama over them. Jack paddled faster and faster, trying to reach them.

“Hey!” he yelled.
“Hey!”

Boka looked back at him. He gave Jack a friendly wave, then turned away again.

I have to get them to come to me!
Jack thought frantically. “HELP! HELP!” he yelled at the top of his lungs.

The three kids jerked around. They paddled quickly toward Jack with worried faces.

“What's wrong?” Annie cried when they got closer. “Are you in trouble?”

“We
all
are!” said Jack. “A tsunami might be coming! There was an earthquake when I was on the beach!”

“We'd better ride in fast!” said Boka.

“Stay on your bellies!” said Kama. “It's safer!”

“Here comes a wave!” cried Boka.

They all started paddling.

The swell of the wave picked them up. They were all swept forward!

Jack gripped the sides of his board as he zoomed along with the others. Suddenly he dropped down as the wave curled under. It felt like a roller coaster! But he stayed on his board as the wave carried him to shore.