Suspending Reality

by Chrissy Peebles

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Book Trailer for the series: http://youtu.be/viwT0M8Ms_g

  Episode 1

  “Vanquish fear and panic. Value living. Remember your goal: getting out alive."

  –U.S. Army Ranger Handbook

  I strolled toward my two best friends, Mike and Jack, who were standing near the stern of the boat. A faint light flashed in the night sky from the east, and I pointed. “Hey, was that lightning?”

  Mike poured a pail of chum into the sea before he offered a smile. “Nah, not on my vacation.”

  “Hey, that’s our last bucket,” I said.

  Mike set the pail down and wiped his hands on his tie-dyed board shorts. “It’s five a.m. Night fishing’s over. I let the fish have the rest of the bait.”

  Jack rummaged through the colorful, flashy lures in my dad’s tackle box. “With all that chum floating in the water, maybe I’ll catch myself a 100-pound tuna.”

  He smiled as I grinned. I loved the way he could always make me smile. We’d known each other since we were babies, and I couldn’t ask for a better friend.

  Standing at the railing, I leaned over. Powerful deck lights above illuminated the green water of the Pacific Ocean. I smiled as streaks of yellow and silver swarmed around the sailboat.

  Mike playfully nudged me with his elbow. “Aren’t the tuna amazing? I just want to jump in and swim with them.”

  I blew a long strand of black hair from my eyes. Yep. That’s Mike for you—full of crazy ideas and too much energy he doesn’t know what to do with. Of course he’d want to jump in. And I had no doubt he’d do it.

  A roll of thunder rumbled in the distance. A summer storm? No, couldn’t be. I lifted my head. Nothing but twinkling stars filled the black velvet sky.

  I grabbed Mike’s arm as he swung his leg over the rail. If he jumped in, I was going to give him a piece of my mind. “Don’t you even think about it!”

  Grinning as if daring me to stop him, he jumped down and pulled me close. He placed his strong hands on my hips, his touch sending shivers down my spine. I had a secret crush on Mike for as long as I could remember.

  He winked, lowering his voice. “Okay, fine. I promise, no free diving—at least not until daylight.”

  I arched a brow. “Are you crazy? I bet sharks all the way from Australia can pick up the scent from all those fish guts you just dumped. You barely survived your last run-in with Jaws.” I pointed to the jagged scar on his calf.

  “Hey now. My battle scar”—Mike toyed with the shark tooth dangling from a black cord around his neck—“and this nifty little souvenir here, make me who I am today.” His lips curled up. “Let’s not dwell on the marine life, okay? How about later today we hit the beach again?”

  Jack gave him a playful punch on the arm. “Listen, Surfer Boy, that isn’t happening. The only place Casey’s dad can even try to control you is on this boat, far, far away from everyone else.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”

  I grinned at Mike’s miffed expression. Just because he was a teenage surfing star, even featuring on MTV’s hit reality show Surf’s Up, didn’t mean he’d get any special treatment here—at least not from Jack or my parents.

  Jack’s sapphire blue eyes narrowed and his brown hair whipped around in the wind. “You dove off a ninety-foot waterfall when nobody was looking, you got us thrown out of a village, you—”

  “Ah, come on!” Mike interrupted. “The chief had it all wrong. That little girl with the big brown eyes ran straight to me, and all I did was pat her on the head. She was the cutest little thing.”

  I pondered as I watched dark clouds roll in from the east. Mike finds everyone cute—everyone but me. My gaze dropped from the sky to meet his. “Yeah, but you know it’s an insult to touch anyone’s head in Fiji.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Guess I forgot that part. Anyway, we didn’t deserve to get kicked out. And Casey, even your mom agrees with me.”

  Jack laughed and threw a wet rag in his direction. “You know that’s only because our moms are all best friends, and—”

  Smirking, Mike pointed the remote control at the CD stereo in the cockpit, increasing the volume until Jack’s voice was drowned out entirely. I watched him inch closer, his hot breath brushing my cheek as he whispered in my ear, “C’mon. Let’s jam to the beat of steel drums.”

  I felt my heartbeat speed up. Mike was just being flirty, as usual. To him, life was all about having fun, and nothing more. “C’mon, Jack!” I yelled over my shoulder, as Mike’s hand clasped around mine, making my skin tingle. His warm, soft fingers rubbed against the back of my hand lightly as he pulled me toward the deck.

  “Dance with Mike?” called back Jack. “No thanks, I’d rather put away our fishing stuff.”

  Well, to each his own. Now I could give Prince Charming my undivided attention. Mike smiled and kissed my hand before letting go.

  “I’m beginning to feel the rhythm of the tropics.” I swung my hips to the beat while my hands swirled above my head. I stared into Mike’s piercing eyes. With eyes so green, it was no wonder four magazines had splashed his perfect face on their covers. Well, that along with his shaggy blond hair and that hip Malibu style.

  A booming noise cracked through the air. I cupped an ear to hear above the music. Was that thunder? No, that had to be a loud, thumping bass note. The forecast hadn’t mentioned rain; but then again, I swore I saw lightning.

  Mike pointed up at a twinkling light in the Caribbean night sky. “Hey, what’s that?”

  I studied the odd light as it flashed red, green, blue, and white at regular intervals. Maybe it was a great and glorious sign from the cosmos, telling the world that Mike and I were meant to be together. I laughed at my own dumb logic. It couldn’t be a plane, because it would’ve already flown over us. “It’s a star…or maybe Venus.”

  His gaze swung back between me and the horizon. “I’ve never seen a star or a planet change colors like that. Have you?”

  I shook my head. I’d never seen a star change colors at all. Is that even possible? “Weird, huh?”

  “Totally. It almost looks like a UFO.”

  I playfully slugged him. Sometimes his imagination was over the top. “No way!”

  “No? What is it then?”

  I shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”

  “Why don’t we go ask our very own walking encyclopedia?”

  I chuckled. “Yeah, Jack knows everything.” Jack had broken the “dumb jock” stereotype: what’s wrong with being smart and a Heisman trophy sure bet all rolled into one?

  Strong gusts of wind rocked the sailboat. My balance wavered and I grabbed onto Mike’s arm. “Whoa. It’s getting a little choppy out here.”

  He pulled me close. “I think it’s going to rain.”

  I blinked. Overhead, a brilliant burst of light ripped across the sky. Thunder crashed. My pulse spiked as I broke Mike’s embrace and looked up at him, our eyes connecting. His forehead creased in a worried frown, and for a moment, I knew exactly what he thought: No way do we want to be on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a storm gathering above our heads. We sprinted to the bow, where Jack and my parents waited.

  Dazzling streaks of lightning crisscrossed the night sky, quickly followed by a howling wind. My breath quickened. Lifting my hands, I felt light droplets on my skin. I swallowed as I tried to calm my nerves.

  My dad gripped the rail and struggled to keep his footing. Rain poured, and the waves grew larger. “Looks like this fishing trip’s over. Everyone downstairs. I’m taking us back.”

  Upon hearing this, I thought
about the ironic humor in being stuck at the hotel all day while my friends enjoyed ninety-degree weather back home in California.

  A bolt of electricity branched across the clouds like a neon spider web. Another crash of thunder made my mom jump. She wrapped an arm around me as the boat shuddered. “Don’t worry, honey. You know your dad’s an experienced sailor.”

  “Compared to other storms I’ve encountered before, this will be a piece of cake.” Captain Dad forced a smile and headed for the wheelhouse.

  Jack bolted after him. “Need any help?”

  “No. Just get yourself and everyone else below deck where it’s safe.”

  “I agree!” shouted my mom, water streaming down her face and hair. “Let’s go!”

  I heard my dad yell over the whine of the wind, “Everyone. Life vests on. NOW!”

  Just then, a huge plume of salty white spray burst into the air and splashed over me. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand as I motioned to Mike and Jack. “C’mon, guys!”

  My mom charged through the sheets of rain, thunder crashing overhead. Me and the others followed. Angry waves exploded against the hull and filled the air with tumbling water.

  The boat pitched as a wave broke over the side rail, ramming into my legs. I grabbed hold of a deck chair mounted to the floor to try and steady myself. Water, four or five inches deep, spread across the fiberglass exterior, threatening to wash my feet from under me. Should I veer off course to get a life jacket and chance being thrown overboard? No way. There are plenty downstairs, and I want off this deck.

  I slowly made my way toward the cabin door. Just above me, another crack of thunder exploded. Goosebumps pimpled my skin. There was more blindingly white light before the single streak of lightning broke into several branches. I breathed in and out deeply, hoping to make it to the cabin. Once I was behind that door, I knew I would be okay. I had no doubt my father could steer Wind Dancer safely back to the island.

  The boat lurched again. Sodas and chunks of ice from the open cooler shot past me, barely missing my head. Shivering, I shielded my face with an arm, clenching my teeth as I inched forward. Almost there. Stinging rain pounded down harder. I took one more brave step and slipped, falling on one knee. The pain surging up my leg made me bite my lip to stifle a scream. No need to worry the others.

  As I pushed myself up, an enormous wall of water rose high above us, crested, and slowly fell over our heads like a collapsing building. I tried to scream and swallowed a lungful of bitter seawater as I slammed into something hard. I wrapped my arms around it—the rail—and clung with all my might. A shudder ripped through my body. Salt stung my eyes and throat, but I didn’t dare let go.

  “Casey!” My head jerked toward the sound of my mother’s frantic scream. As the water passed over her, I caught a glimpse of my mom’s face. My mother shrieked, terror in her wide-open eyes, her mouth gaping, her hands reaching out for help as she was torn from the boat and swallowed by the dark, furious sea. “Mom!” I yelled.

  My heart lurched. This isn’t happening. It can’t be. In a blur, I scrambled up, coughing and choking. Crying, I screamed hysterically and scoured the undulating water. “Help! My mom’s gone overboard.” I continued to peer into the rain, but I couldn’t see a thing. My heart drummed harder against my chest, and when I could breathe again, I let out another horrified wail. I decided I’d do for my mother what I knew without a doubt that my mother would do for me: She would find me no matter what, rainstorm or not! I untied a red and white life ring, climbed over the rail, and positioned myself to jump.

  Jack grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back. “What the heck do you think you’re doing? Get down.”

  Strong arms encircled my waist. I struggled against Jack’s iron grip as he lifted me off my feet, pulling me back on deck. “Are you crazy?” he yelled above the crashing waves.

  Another shot of adrenaline surged through my veins. “Let go of me! The wave! It…it swept my mom overboard. I’ve gotta help her!”

  “No.” Jack refused to let me go, shaking his head adamantly. “You’ll get yourself killed out there.”

  I punched and kicked, hitting him hard. Doesn’t he get it? That’s my mother out there! “I don’t care!” I shouted furiously through a veil of tears. “My mom needs me.”

  “Calm down,” he said in my ear. “Would your mom want you to jump in there? No, she wouldn’t, and you know it.”

  I continued to struggle, but my attempts became less forceful, my body giving in before my will. I turned to face him. Water drizzled from his nose, chin, and hair. Letting out a breath, I said, “But my mom’s…she’s…out there.”

  Jack leaned over the edge and yelled, “Mrs. Smith!” He glanced over, his eyes wide. “Where’s Mike?”

  “I dunno.” I swiveled one of the deck lights directly at the ocean, swinging the yellow beam in a wide arc. My voice thundered through the storm, shaky as it was. “Mom? Mom? Mike? Where are you?” Even if they couldn’t hear me over the ocean roars, I hoped they might see the light and try to swim toward it. The wind whipped across my face as I cried out, “Do you see them?”

  Jack shielded his eyes and peered out through the driving rain. “Nothing.”

  Suddenly a muffled yell pierced the air. “Mike?” I shouted.

  Jack’s head whipped around, and he pointed toward the bow. “Over there.”

  A familiar figure emerged through the gloom. It was indeed Mike, and he hadn’t fallen overboard. I clutched my chest and let out a long sigh of relief. The thought of anything happening to him tore at my heart. Now I could focus all of my energy on finding my mom. I threw my arms around Mike, tears flowing down my face. I spoke between sobs. “I’m so glad you’re okay, but my mom went overboard”—I gripped his wet shirt tightly—“and we have to find her.”

  “What?” said Mike, staggering backward. “Where’s your dad?”

  “He’s in the wheelhouse,” I shouted. “C’mon!”

  “If another wave hits, hang onto anything you can find that’s bolted down.” Jack was trying to be brave, but he could never fool me. I saw the fear in his eyes.

  Something cold swirled around my ankles. Water. Rushing in. And fast. I gasped. Floating floorboards, cushions, charts, and magazines sloshed about the deck. What if this boat sinks like a giant rock? I froze, my breath caught in my throat.

  Mike shook my shoulder, terror etched in his voice. “Crap! We’re sinking.”

  I saw my own fears mirrored in their tense faces. “Keep moving!” I grabbed their hands, and we raced through the fierce wind and rain. When we finally reached the wheelhouse, I flung the door open and shouted for my father.

  Lightning flashed, and in the brightness, I saw that the tiny room was vacant. The windows rattled, and heavy rain beat against the glass. The microphone dangled from the radio, almost touching the ground. My father’s floppy fishing hat slid across the wet floor.

  I trembled as a feeling of dread encompassed my body. “Dad! Where are you?”

  ***

  Goosebumps covered my arms as Wind Dancer teetered on the crest of a mountainous swell. Tilting forward, the sailboat dropped through the air like an elevator in free fall. I clenched my teeth, gripping the doorframe till my knuckles went white. When the boat slammed into the trench, a towering surge of spray crashed over my head. Pushing back wet strands of tangled hair, I wiped my eyes. Jack staggered and grabbed hold of the steering wheel.

  Mike stumbled to his feet and yelled over his shoulder, “You two stay here. I’ll hunt for your dad.”

  Without me? No way! I opened my mouth to object, but Mike was already bounding down the deck. I let out a breath. “Wait, Mike! I’m coming with you!” A strong breeze swept over me, and I wondered whether he’d heard me.

  Mike spun around as rain sheeted down, his drenched clothes clinging to his body. I dashed after him, not realizing he’d spoken until he threw up his hands. “What?” I shouted over the ear-splitting thunder.

  “I said, you’re
the only one who knows how to use the radio.” Mike cupped his hands around his mouth to make himself heard.

  I flicked my long hair out of my face. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right.

  “Okay, I’ll get help. Find my dad.” I shot a last pleading glance at him before I turned on my slippery heels.

  “I promise. I’ll look everywhere!” he shouted.

  I skidded back to the wheelhouse, desperate to get to the radio. As I flung open the door, Jack scrambled to help me inside. Together, we battled the strong wind until the door finally clicked shut.

  “I’ll send out an SOS,” I panted, my heart hammering.

  A flash of lightning illuminated the night sky. I switched on the radio and picked up the microphone. I jumped when a violent clap of thunder cracked above me, as if someone had snapped a bullwhip just inches from my ear. With shaky fingers, I tuned in to Channel 16. My voice broke as I forced myself to speak. “Mayday, mayday, mayday! This is Wind Dancer. Can anybody hear me?” I gripped the receiver tightly with both hands. “Somebody, please answer!”

  No response. I threw a terrified glance toward Jack, who was pulling at his wet shirt.

  “Do you have the right channel?” he asked, his gaze focused on the intercom.

  I swallowed past the lump in my throat and nodded. Water streamed off my hair and down my cheeks. I steadied myself against the cockpit wall, using it to keep my balance as waves crashed violently over the bow.

  “Try again.” Jack stepped behind me and rubbed an encouraging hand over my back.

  Surely someone will hear us. I inhaled and kept trying, over and over, until the radio crackled, fuzzy with static.

  “Vessel in distress, this is Silver Bullet. What assistance do you need?”

  I gasped. Thank God somebody answered. I grasped the microphone to quell some of my trembling. “Please help,” I croaked, my throat dry and sore from shouting. “My mom fell overboard, and my dad’s missing. We’re sinking. Please send the Coast Guard…the Navy…anybody!”