by Perdita Finn
“Look!” shouted Eleanor. She pointed as Alvin, Simon, and Jeanette ran across the beach toward them. The chipmunks dived onto the raft.
“But where’s Dave?” said Brittany, alarmed.
Dave was still hanging by his fingers over the gorge, and crazy Zoe was looming over him, her feet still just inches from his hands.
“Help me up!” begged Dave.
“What am I supposed to do now?” said Zoe, seemingly unaware of Dave’s plight. “My treasure is gone.”
“You can go back,” said Dave.
“To the Crusty Anchor? Don’t you think they’ve given my shifts away? All I had left were those jewels, and now they’re gone forever. My life is ruined.”
Zoe lifted up a foot and was about to step on Dave’s fingers when she saw Ian coming toward her.
“I know it’s tempting to blame Dave,” Ian said to her. “I’ve been there. I wish I could get back all those years I spent plotting revenge. All that time wasted. All that energy wasted. All those pizzas I had delivered to his house wasted.”
“That was you?” said Dave.
“Not now, Dave,” said Ian, keeping his eyes on Zoe. “Yes, you could let him fall. And I could go back to the raft with the chipmunks and be their manager again, making tons of money. So really, I’m good either way. But let me tell you something. Hate, anger, regret—those weren’t just the names of the members of a girl group I once signed. They were what consumed me. And at some point, you have to let go…”
Zoe looked down at Dave’s fingers.
“Not of Dave,” Ian said quickly. “Of those emotions. Or not. I’m good either way.”
What would Zoe do? Even she didn’t know. But the volcano had begun to explode.
Large clumps of lava were crashing down on the beach when Ian, Zoe, and Dave finally appeared, running as fast as they could. They reached the beach! They were in the water. They hurled themselves onto the raft at the very last minute. Ian threw Dave an oar, and the two men began paddling as hard as they could.
Smoke was everywhere. The beach was now covered in hot lava. But they had made it.
When at last they were far enough away from the island to be safe, Zoe was the first to speak. She apologized at once to Jeanette. “I don’t know what to say. I guess I was just so obsessed with the treasure, I kinda went a little crazy, huh? I’m really sorry. We all are.” She had her precious balls in her hands, and she made them nod apologetically.
“Apology accepted,” said Jeanette. She actually felt a little sorry for Zoe. She was just so nuts. After a moment, she pulled the bracelet off her wrist and offered it to her.
Zoe was unbelievably touched. “Really? Look, guys, it’ll be a new beginning—for all of us.”
Dunlop the tennis ball smiled. So did Jeanette. She turned to Simon. “I hope you don’t mind. Simone gave it to me.”
“It’s okay,” said Simon shyly, barely able to meet her eyes. “Even the most perfect gem cannot compare to your beauty.”
Jeanette stared at Simon, amazed. Suddenly Simon realized what he’d just said. Maybe there was a little Simone in him after all! He smiled as Jeanette rested her head on his shoulder.
Alvin scampered over to Dave, who was rowing beside Ian. “Um, Dave?” he asked hesitantly.
“Yes, Alvin?”
“I just wanted to say, now that we’re not all dead and all … sorry I was acting like a child on the ship and kinda ruined our family vacation.”
Dave stopped paddling and looked at Alvin, impressed. “It’s okay. Sometimes a racehorse just needs a little room to run.” Simon had been right after all.
“That is very wise, Dave,” said Alvin. “I like where your head’s at.” He held up a paw for a fist bump, and Dave tapped his fist to Alvin’s and then pulled him in for a hug.
Ian’s face fell. “What, no love for Uncle Ian?”
“You put us in cages!” squealed all the chipmunks together.
“Seriously? We’re still talking about that? New topic. I just saved Dave’s life.”
Theodore’s little face squished up as he thought. “Okay, but I’ll be watching you, mister.” He pointed to his eyes and then to Ian.
“Hey, Alvin, do you still have that pocketknife?” asked Dave.
“Sorry,” said Alvin sheepishly. “I meant to give it back.”
“No, I want you to keep it,” said Dave, smiling.
Alvin couldn’t believe it. “Really?”
“And maybe you can use it to signal that helicopter,” said Dave, pointing to one he had just seen in the sky.
Everyone started cheering.
Alvin flipped open the blade of his knife and expertly began using the metal to reflect the sun. He flashed, “SOS.”
Dave nodded to Alvin. He was really proud of him. He was some chipmunk.
Chapter 32
The spotlight hit the stage at the International Music Awards. The music began. Six high-pitched voices started singing. The crowd went wild! Simon harmonized with Jeanette. Theodore and Eleanor shared a microphone. And Alvin and Brittany, singing together at last, stole the show. The Chipmunks and The Chipettes were back—and they were better than ever!
Dave and Ian watched from the wings.
“It’s good to be back, isn’t it?” said Ian.
“It sure is,” agreed Dave.
“And I don’t just mean in a ‘not stranded on an island’ kind of way. I mean, I’m back, Dave! Back in business! I just made a deal for Zoe to sell her story to Hollywood. Huge bidding war.” He named the famous movie star who was going to play Zoe—and the rap artist he wanted to play himself.
“Actually, Mr. Hawke?” An almost unrecognizable woman interrupted him. It was Zoe. She was all cleaned up and wearing a trendy outfit. She looked great. She’d even washed her tennis ball, Dunlop. She was holding him—and a movie script. “I had a question about some of the dialogue. I really don’t think Dunlop would say that.”
In her hands Dunlop nodded in agreement. Ian smiled tightly.
Dave laughed out loud. “Welcome back, Ian!”
Onstage The Chipettes and The Chipmunks were rocking the house, but toward the end of a song, Alvin held up a hand to quiet the band. “I wanna send a shout-out to a very special person in my life. Without him, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’m talking about my dad, Mr. Dave Seville!”
Dave waved from the wings, a little embarrassed.
“C’mon out, Dave!” urged Alvin.
Reluctantly, Dave stepped out onto the stage and into the spotlight. The crowd cheered. Dave waved shyly again.
“You and I, we’ve been through so much together, huh?” said Alvin. “You were there with me in the casino.”
People in the audience were whispering to each other, surprised. What was a little chipmunk doing in a casino? Dave looked ashamed. “No, no, it’s not what you think,” he tried to explain.
But Alvin interrupted him. “You were there with me when I blew off the side of the ship on a kite.”
There were more disapproving murmurs from the audience.
“That’s really not how it was. I was asleep!” said Dave, trying to defend himself.
Someone in the audience gasped.
Alvin chuckled. “And who could forget when we almost fell off that rotten log bridge?”
Now Dave was mad. “Okay, that’s enough, Alvin.”
“But no words could ever express how it felt when you threw that knife at me!” Alvin squeaked.
The audience couldn’t believe it.
And neither could Dave. Just when he thought things were going to be easy, Alvin was back, as mischievous as ever. Just like old times!
“Alvinnnn!” he shouted.
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