Nancy put away her radio and looked at Jack andAnnie. "I don't know how you two got past me.""We're sorry," said Annie.
"This is unbelievable!" said Nancy.
Jack couldn't believe it, either. How did they messup so badly?
"I'm so sorry I brought you here," said Nancy.
"No, no, it'sourfault," Jack said again.
"It's mine, all mine, oh ...," said Nancy. She seemednear tears. "You're just little kids."64Not so little!
thought Jack again.
Gee!
A snowmobile rumbled outside, its engine warmingup.
"Oh, dear," said Nancy. "I've got to lead the groupup a safe route to the crater, or they'll be in trouble.
But Pete should be back here in just a few minutes.
Will you be okay by yourselves till then?""We'll be fine, don't worry," said Annie.
"Good," said Nancy. "Here, sweeties." She pouredsome water into two cups and gave them to Jack andAnnie. "Drink." While they drank the water, Nancyspread a blanket on the floor and turned on the smallheater.
"Lie down here," she said. "Just rest." She patted theblanket.
Jack and Annie lay down. Nancy covered themwith another blanket. "If you get thirsty, drink morewater," she said.
"Thanks," said Annie. Jack was too embarrassed tosay anything. He felt like a preschool kid being putdown for a nap.
65"Okay!" Nancy said with a big sigh. "You kidsnearly gave me a heart attack," she repeated half toherself as she left the hut.
"Sorry," said Jack.
But Nancy was gone.
Soon the roar and rumble of the snowmobiles filledthe air as Nancy led the scientists and journalists upthe mountain.
"We really messed up our mission this time," saidJack, lying under the blanket.
"And we were doing so well, too," said Annie. Shesat up. "Can I see Morgan's rhyme, please?"Jack pulled the rhyme out of his pocket and handedit to Annie.
"Okay," said Annie. She read aloud:
...
then all fall down,Till you come to the Cave of the Ancient Crown,"I wonder if this counts as falling down?" askedAnnie. She put the rhyme into her pocket.
"I don't think so," said Jack. "I don't know what thatmeans. And there's no 'Ancient Crown'
66in Antarctica. It's all science and research and rulesand helicopters and snowmobiles....It's the realworld...." His voice trailed off.
"Well, I know one thing: I don't want to waste timelying around here," said Annie. She threw off theblanket and stood up. "At least I can take a fewpictures while we wait for Pete.""You really feel like doing that?" said Jack.
"Not really, but I'm going to try," said Annie.
"I don't think you should," said Jack.
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon," said Annie. "MaybeI'll see an ancient crown.""Yeah, sure," said Jack.
Annie put on her goggles and ski mask and headedoutside.
Jack reached into his pack and pulled out theirbook. He took off his glove and looked upancient crownin the index. He wasn't surprised to find it wasn'tthere.
Jack put the book back in his pack and took out hisnotebook. He read over his notes:
67Goslow!
Stay with others! Cracks in ice! Never touchwildlife!
Jack's hand was cold, so he put his glove back on.
He put away his notebook, and then laid his headback down and closed his eyes. He just wanted tosleep. The warmth from the small heater felt good.
The sound of the snowmobiles was fading into thedistance. As he started to fall asleep, the words of hisnotes ran through his mind:
Go slow.... Stay with others.... Cracks in ice....
Oh, no!
thought Jack. He sat straight up. He tossed off theblanket. He threw on his pack and rushed out of thehut.
The wind was blowing the snow into icy clouds.
Jack pulled up his ski mask and lowered his goggles.
"Annie!" he shouted.
"What?" Her voice came from the distance.
68Jack caught sight of her. She was aiming hercamera up the slope at the smoking crater of themountain.
"You have to come back now!" he shouted, walkingtoward her. "You shouldn't be walking around byyourself!""Okay, okay." Annie put her camera in her pocket.
"Come on," said Jack. He took Annie's hand. Theyheld on to each other and walked through theblowing snow, toward the hut. "Remember Nancy'srules?" said Jack. "There are deep cracks in-- AHHH!"Before Jack could finish, the ground beneath himgave way and he and Annie crashed through a thinlayer of snow hiding a deep crack in the ice.
Jack and Annie landed on an icy ledge. Clumps ofsnow fell on top of them. Silence filled the air. A thinshaft of light came from the opening they had fallenthrough. It was at least ten feet above them.
"You okay?" Jack said.
"I think so," said Annie.
69They both sat up slowly. Annie peered over theedge of the ledge. "Uh-oh," she said. "Look."Jack looked. He and Annie were on the ledge of aravine that plunged thousands of feet down intodarkness.
"This must be one of those hidden places in themountain Nancy talked about," said Jack, "the onesmade by the lava and hot gases.""It's incredible," said Annie. She reached into herpocket for her camera.
As soon as Annie moved, Jack heard the ice crack.
"Don't move!" he said.
Annie froze.
"Forget pictures," said Jack. "We're facing seriousdanger here. If we move, the ice might break under usand we'll fall thousands of feet.""Got it," said Annie. She took a deep breath.
"Maybe we should use the wand.""We can't," said Jack. "The wand won't work. Wecan only use it for the good ofothers,not just ourselves.""Darn," said Annie.
70They were both still for a moment, listening to theimmense silence around them.
"Okay," said Annie. "The way I see it, if we don'tuse the wand, we'll be stuck here forever. Soon we'llmake the wrong move and fall.""Right," said Jack.
"So we'll never find the secret of happiness forMerlin," said Annie. "Merlin will fade awaycompletely from sorrow. And Camelot will lose hismagic forever.""Right," said Jack.
"So maybe in this case, rescuing ourselves isn't justourgood," said Annie.
"Ourgood is also the good ofothers,like Merlin."7172"Good thinking," said Jack. "Let's try it." Hecarefully twisted around and took off his backpack.
Then he very slowly reached inside and pulled outthe Wand of Dianthus.
"Okay. Five words ...," Jack whispered. "I guess I'lljust wish for it to save you and me and Merlin. Hey,why didn't we make that wish a long time ago?""We couldn't," said Annie. "We hadn't tried ourhardest yet.""Right. Get ready ...," said Jack. He closed his eyes,held up the gleaming silver wand, and said:
"SAVE ANNIE, MERLIN, AND ME!"Jack waited a moment. Then he opened his eyesand looked around. "What happened?" he said.
"Nothing," said Annie.
"So I guess it didn't work," said Jack. He turned toput the wand away. "I guess the rules must--"73CRACK!
The ice broke! The ledge gave way! "AHHH!" calledJack and Annie as they fell through the twilight,down through darkness, down, down, down, downinto blackness. |