The Extremely High Tide!

by Kir Fox

  Nia clapped her hands over her mouth. “Maybe somebody’s stranded on a desert island! That happened in one of Nanny’s telenovelas.”

  “You mean a deserted island,” Jules said.

  “That’s what I said!”

  “No, you said ‘desert.’ ‘Deserted’ means there’s nobody there. Is there even such a thing as a desert island?”

  “Certainly,” Talise said. “Some islands contain deserts. Of course, it depends on what hemisphere the island is located in, and also the size of the island. The larger the island, the more likely—”

  “So somebody’s stranded on some kind of island,” Davy said. “Maybe.”

  “That bottle is ancient!” Jules said. “It’s not trying to tell us anything at all.”

  At last, Ms. Grimalkin joined them. “What an interesting find!” she said, picking her teeth with a very fine fishbone. “Talise, I’m giving you ten points extra credit for your determination.”

  Talise kept staring at the note.

  An extremely strong feeling rose in her chest. Like her very own personal tide. She didn’t know if the message had come from a deserted island. Or a desert island. Or a deserted desert island. Or anybody at all.

  But it had come from the ocean.

  The ocean had sent Talise a message.

  It took a little extra effort to translate, but she thought she understood. She didn’t know whether it was logical, but for once, she didn’t care.

  “The ocean wants me to build a boat,” Talise said.

  Everybody stared at her like she spoke a different language.

  TALISE’S LOGBOOK

  Name: Talise Villepreux

  Date: Friday

  Location: Topsea beach

  Time in: 2:00 Time out: 3:00 Bottom Time: None

  Depth: Extremely Shallow

  Temperature: Warm

  Visibility: Slightly foggy

  Observations:

  My apologies, Logbook: beachcombing is not a form of diving. But today, I found it almost as exciting as a dive. I found a message in a bottle!

  It appears to be a boat schematic, or a simple sketch that shows you how something is built. I have identified four words:

  1. Hull

  2. Engine

  3. Luff

  4. Propeller

  The bottle is obviously quite old. There must be a reason the ocean decided to send it to shore NOW. I believe the ocean wants me to build a boat.

  Do you think that is silly, Logbook? My classmates seem to. But they spend all their free time with their best friends. I spend all my free time with the ocean. Therefore, I am the kid most likely to translate the ocean’s dialect. (With a little help from the library, of course.)

  Building a boat alone will be a challenge. I suppose it’s a good thing I’m used to working without a buddy. In fact, I would prefer to take on this endeavor alone.

  Really.

  NOTIFICATION: TEETH

  Courtesy of the Town Committee for Dental and Coastal Hygiene

  What’s even better than beachcombing for seashells? Beachbrushing . . . for teeth!

  Teeth are a very important part of your skeleton. They’re also fun to collect. Here are some of the types of teeth you might find on Topsea’s beaches.

  Buckteeth: fun for parties

  Sweet teeth: do not eat

  Barnacles: these might look like teeth, but they are not actually teeth

  Horns: also not teeth

  Tusks: also not— wait, these are in fact teeth

  Molars: for chewing

  Elongated molars: longer than necessary, nobody knows why

  Narwhal tusks: fancy sorts of teeth that are often mistaken for unicorn horns; one belongs to a magical animal, the other grows out of a horse’s forehead

  Saber teeth: these teeth are extinct

  Snapped-off fangs: sharp, pointy, mean-spirited, mostly useless

  Oolong: this is a type of tea, not teeth

  Pincers: beware

  Canines: whimsically named after mythological creatures

  Beaks: not teeth—or are they?

  Wisdom teeth: these teeth are quite valuable

  Baleen: these teeth are a trap

  There are many places to display your teeth collection: on your windowsill, under your bed, in a heavy-duty safe. Don’t forget to floss!

  Note: if you ever find a rubber duck with teeth . . . we don’t know what to tell you.

  MISSING LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER!

  by Jules, Fifth-Grade Star Reporter

  It seems the tide isn’t the only thing vanishing lately. Many students have expressed concern about the empty room at the top of the lighthouse.

  Lighthouses are designed to offer navigational aid to ships, boats, and other visitors coming in from the sea. But without a keeper to flash the lights and sound the warnings, Topsea’s lighthouse isn’t keeping anyone safe.

  This reporter believes the clues to solving the mystery lie in the lighthouse itself. Unfortunately, her parents caught her scaling the lighthouse wall before she made it to the top. But never fear, Gazette readers—this reporter may have lost her grappling-hook privileges, but she’ll find another way to crack this story like a clam’s shell!

  Topsea School had been buzzing about Spirit Day for weeks. After all, the spirits only visited once in a blue moon.

  Mr. Zapple, the guidance counselor, hung banners in the halls.

  SPIRIT DAY IS FRIDAY

  Get Ready to Raise Your Spirits (Before They Raise You!)

  Ricky and Micky and Nicky, the cafeteria workers, were planning a delicious soul food menu. And rumor had it Principal King got so carried away planning spirit activities, she’d accidentally floated through the wall of the kindergarten classroom and given them all a good fright.

  Everyone was excited about Spirit Day. Except Davy.

  All his friends had met their spirits back in kindergarten. But unlike them, Davy hadn’t grown up in Topsea. What if his spirit didn’t show up for Spirit Day?

  What if he didn’t even have a spirit?

  “Should I look in the graveyard?” he asked Quincy on Monday at recess. They sat on the jungle gym, sharing Quincy’s homemade chokeberry muffins.

  “The graveyard?” Quincy seemed confused. “No, Ghost Day isn’t for months.”

  “Aren’t ghosts and spirits the same thing?”

  Quincy laughed. “Of course not! Ghosts are okay at hide-and-seek, but they hate capture the flag. Spirits are really good at all games.”

  “Oh.”

  “Besides, you don’t have to look for your spirit. Your spirit will find you.”

  Davy wasn’t so sure.

  On Wednesday, he felt more nervous than ever. “Are there spirits in the beach forest?” he asked Finn and Runa. “I heard there’s all kinds of weird stuff in there.”

  “Nah, those are just made-up stories,” Finn replied. “Well . . . I think they’re made-up. Right, Runa?”

  “Some of them are real!” Runa said. “But don’t worry, Davy. If your spirit doesn’t come to Spirit Day for some reason, you can share mine.”

  Davy’s stomach did a backflip, and then a front flip. “Thanks, but I’m sure mine will show up,” he said quickly.

  On Friday morning, Davy stood nervously in the classroom doorway. His friends seemed to be chatting with their spirits. Davy couldn’t actually see the spirits, of course. But every kid had an extra chair next to his or her desk. Even Earl Grey was snorting companionably with the cushion next to his.

  Davy had an extra chair, too. But he didn’t have a spirit!

  He felt awkward and embarrassed. Just like his first day at Topsea School, when he’d walked into the classroom soaking wet.

  Then he realized something.

  If he couldn’t see his friends’ spirits . . . they couldn’t see his.

  “Good morning, Ms. Grimalkin!” Davy announced, stepping inside. He gestured to the empty air on his right. “I brought my spirit, as you can see.”
/>   Ms. Grimalkin squinted through her tortoiseshell glasses. Davy fidgeted. Could she see right through his lie?

  Then she smiled widely, showing all of her teeth. “Hello there!” she said to the nothing next to him. “So glad you could join us for Spirit Day.”

  Relieved, Davy headed to his desk. He made a big show of scooting an extra chair next to his, then patting it for his spirit to sit down. Ms. Grimalkin took roll, and each student raised a hand at their name. Each spirit raised a hand, too. Or at least, Davy thought they did.

  When Ms. Grimalkin called Davy’s name, he raised his hand. She kept waiting. “Um . . .” Davy elbowed the air. “Raise your hand, silly!”

  She added two checks in her roll book. “Your spirit seems a little shy, Davy.”

  “Mine isn’t,” Nia declared. “That’s why we always win all the Spirit Day games!”

  Talise looked up from the book she’d been reading. “Not all of them,” she said. “As I recall, last year you and Jules tied in capture the flag.”

  “That’s right,” Jules said. “Nia’s spirit tackled me right before I reached her flag, but then she tripped over a seaweed rope and—”

  “Jules!” Nia exclaimed, looking mortally wounded. “You know that was just a fluke. This year, me and my spirit are winning everything.”

  Nia wasn’t just the most dramatic kid at Topsea School. She was also the most competitive. Her biggest rival was usually Jules, her best friend.

  But Davy had been the most competitive kid at his old school. He missed a good challenge! Of course, he didn’t actually have a spirit—but so what? He’d fooled Ms. Grimalkin and all his classmates. Maybe he could be the first kid at Topsea School to win Spirit Day with no spirit at all!

  Davy turned around in his desk to face Nia.

  “Last year, I wasn’t here,” he said, grinning. “So winning everything might be a lot harder.”

  “Oh yeah?” Nia grinned back. “You think you and your spirit can beat me and my spirit?”

  Davy pretended to give his spirit an appraising look. “Yup.”

  “There are three events. Best two out of three wins?”

  “Unless I win all three.”

  Nia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

  They shook hands firmly. Their spirits did, too. Or at least, Davy hoped it looked like they did.

  The kids chatted excitedly as Ms. Grimalkin led the fifth-grade class to the boardwalk. Talise trailed behind, reading her book as she walked.

  “Is that about boats?” Davy asked.

  “Indeed.” Talise showed him the cover: The Great Book of Boatbuilding. “As a bathymetrist, I’ve always been more interested in what’s in the ocean than what’s floating on top of it. But boats are really quite fascinating.”

  Jules turned around. “You’re not really considering building a boat, are you? Because that bottle was ancient! Even if someone did want to build a boat, it was a long, long time ago.”

  Davy noticed Talise’s cheeks were slightly pink. “I think it’d be cool to have a boat,” he said. “Think of all the places you could explore.”

  “But why build one from scratch?” Jules said. “There are plenty of boats in Topsea Harbor.”

  Talise frowned and went back to her book.

  All the classes had gathered on the boardwalk, along with all the staff. Mr. Zapple, the school counselor, waved at Davy from where he stood next to Nurse Xavier and Cosmo, the janitor. Davy waved back.

  Principal King wore a T-shirt that said I’ve Got Spirit, How ’Bout You? and was waving a huge white flag that read Welcome, Spirits! “Welcome, spirits!” she exclaimed. “And welcome, students. Are you ready for some Spirit Day fun?”

  Davy cheered along with his classmates. Principal King cheered the loudest of all.

  Once she’d finally stopped hooting, she divided the kids and assigned a staff member to each group. She sent Mr. Zapple off with the last group of kindergartners, then smiled at Davy, Quincy, Nia, Jules, Finn, Runa, and Talise.

  “Looks like I saved the best group for myself!” She handed each student an extra-strong piece of seaweed. “Our first activity is the three-legged race. Make sure to tie them nice and tight—we don’t want your spirits slipping free.”

  Davy tied one end of the seaweed around his left ankle. Then, glancing around, he pretended to tie the other end to his spirit’s ankle. It dragged on the ground as he joined Nia at the starting line.

  “Your spirit’s looking a little laggy,” she said smugly. Her seaweed swayed at her side, as if her spirit was jogging in place as a warm-up.

  “He’s saving his energy,” Davy replied.

  He twitched his leg, hoping it looked like his spirit was tugging at the seaweed. To his surprise, the seaweed actually floated in the air for a few seconds, wriggling. Then it drooped back to the ground.

  “On the count of three!” Principal King held up her flag. “Ten! Two hundred! Five zillion and one! Seventeen-point-six! Three!”

  She swiped down her flag.

  Davy took off like a shot. So did Nia. They raced ahead of the others, thundering over the boardwalk. Nia’s seaweed stretched ahead, as if reaching for the finish line. Davy’s seaweed dragged behind him.

  “Your spirit’s slowing you down!” Nia taunted.

  Suddenly a head popped up from a gap between two planks. It belonged to Billy, the cranky old woman who lived underneath.

  “Why are you kids tramping all over my roof— Egad!” Billy shouted, ducking as Davy leaped over her.

  Nia let out a triumphant laugh as she crossed the finish line first. She high-fived her spirit, then waited as Davy stumbled to a stop.

  “That’s one for me!” she said.

  Davy rubbed at the stitch in his side. “Hey, I had a troll’s head to hurdle,” he protested, although he knew Billy wasn’t a troll. He also knew that wasn’t really why he’d lost. Nia was fast, and her spirit was even faster.

  Davy was fast, too, but he didn’t have a spirit.

  All he had was a useless piece of seaweed tied to his ankle.

  The next event of Spirit Day was hide-and-seek at the abandoned arcade. When Davy had first moved to Topsea, his friends had showed him how to sneak in. They’d had fun, although he was in no hurry to play Skee-Ball again anytime soon.

  Today, the front doors were open. “Glad we don’t have to crawl through the vent this time,” Davy said.

  Jules elbowed him in the side and put a finger to her lips.

  “I forgot how much I love this arcade,” Principal King said, gazing fondly at the moldy walls and sandy tile floors. “Why was it ever boarded up?”

  Talise glanced up from The Great Book of Boatbuilding. “The PTA president said rides and games are unsafe,” she said.

  “Oh, right. Well, there’s nothing unsafe about hide-and-seek!”

  Scritch-scratch. A light sandpaper-scratchy sound came from behind the prize booth’s rusty gate. All the kids took a step back.

  “Well, there’s nothing unsafe as long as you don’t hide in the prize booth,” Principal King conceded. “Okay, I’ll give you and your spirits one minute to find a hiding place. If I find you, you turn into a seeker. Last student or spirit to be found is the winner. On your mark . . . get set . . . hide!”

  She covered her eyes. The kids scattered.

  Davy crawled under the Cave Escape pinball machine. He hoped the ghost who haunted it wouldn’t mind. Luckily, the machine’s lights and switches stayed dark, and the spinners and rollovers kept still. Quincy had said ghosts were pretty good at hide-and-seek, Davy remembered.

  His hiding place machine made a great vantage point. He peered out as Principal King started seeking.

  She found Jules first, because her curly blond hair was sticking up out of the fifty-point Skee-Ball hole. Then Jules found Finn curled up with the toys inside the claw crane. Then Finn found Runa behind the photo booth. Then Runa found Quincy crouched among the Whack-a-Moles.

  “Ugh, we haven’t
found any spirits yet,” Jules said, standing on tiptoe to check the top of the photo booth. “They’re such good hiders.”

  “Being invisible is an advantage,” Quincy agreed.

  “Usually,” Finn added.

  Davy watched as the kids split up and searched. Runa found Finn’s spirit inside a dusty glass cabinet filled with plastic jewelry—but it turned out her own spirit had been keeping his company.

  “Shoot.” Runa sighed. “Sorry, Finn. I guess we’re both out.”

  “That’s okay!” Finn said. “Our spirits must be best friends, too.”

  “Aha!” Quincy shouted from across the arcade.

  SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAK!

  Quincy pulled Talise from a display case—along with dozens of rubber ducks. “Oh dear!” he said, covering his face.

  “Don’t worry,” Talise said. “They all have rubbed-off eyes.”

  “Whew.” Quincy lowered his hands. “Good hiding spot! The rubber ducks really hid you well.”

  “Thank you. Although they weren’t in there when I climbed into the case.”

  “Why do they follow you everywhere, anyway?”

  “I wish I knew. It’s really quite irritating.” She shook The Great Book of Boatbuilding. A rubber duck fell out. “Oh, I think I see Earl Grey.”

  Talise hurried across the arcade, where Earl Grey and his spirit were hiding in the cobweb-filled vent the kids had used to sneak in. Soon the only hiders left were Davy, Nia, and their spirits.

  Except Davy didn’t really have a spirit. But no one else knew that.

  Davy held his breath as a pair of tennis shoes came closer and closer to the pinball machine. Then Quincy’s grinning face appeared upside down.

  “Found you!”

  “Aw,” Davy said. He crawled out, then stared hard around the arcade. Where could Nia be? All the best hiding spots had been taken. . . .

  Except the fortune-telling machine.

  The extraordinarily creepy fortune-telling machine.

  Bracing himself, Davy marched toward it. He looked behind the machine, then under it. No Nia. He looked at the Madam Flea mannequin inside. Wait a second—the last time Davy had seen this mannequin, it didn’t have any eyes. But now two brown eyes twinkled back at him.