Stranded Read Online Free Page A

could hide the expression on my face. “I think you’re good.” He had that milky pale skin that looked like it would burn in five minutes, and he also looked like the type of guy who’d rather fry than put on sunblock.
    â€œThat’s right!” Isaac laughed, before hardening his expression to a leer. “I am.” His voice was a low moan, and he gave me an obvious wink. “I definitely am.”
    I think I’m gonna be sick.
    Despite the sun, a shiver raced up my spine, and I climbed into the canoe, scooting hurriedly to the front, careful to keep my paddle balanced on my lap as the waves hit the hull with hollow metallic slaps. And with one quick shove from Chloe we were off the rocks, gliding out onto open water. I couldn’t help but sigh with relief.
    Chloe heard me and agreed. “Now this is more like it.”
    I turned around, grateful to be sitting. However long we had to paddle, I knew it would be a huge improvement over portaging. Chloe had her red bandana wrapped around her head, sunglasses on, and a paddle resting on her knees. “I looked online for days at all the pictures, but it doesn’t compare to actually being here.”
    â€œI know.” I had to admit it was a pretty good view. I dipped my paddle in, taking a tentative stroke. “I’ve never been this far up north.”
    â€œLike a whole other country.”
    What skills Chloe and I lacked during the portaging portion of the trip we made up for on the water. It was a natural thing for us in the canoe. We seemed to know when to switch our paddles and when I should let her steer, and our matched strokes glided us like an arrow over the surface. This was the part that didn’t feel like work.
    â€œWhat’s that thing?” Chloe pointed over my shoulder, and I adjusted my sunglasses, squinting.
    â€œA duck?”
    â€œNah,” she said. “I saw it dive and come back up way over there. Do you think it’s a loon?”
    â€œWell, we are on Loon Lake.” I scanned the flat water. The breeze was calm, the entire surface a perfect mirror of the sky.
    The loon rose suddenly, like a miniature submarine breaching the surface, all bright black and glittering white, and so close I could count the speckles on its wings. It had a small silver fish pinched between its pointed beak; its blood-red eye blinked at us with reptilian detachment. I had never seen a bird this close; if I leaned over, I could touch it with my paddle.
    The loon swallowed the fish in a slick gulp, and in another blink it was gone beneath our boat, black and white flashes reminding me of a swimming penguin.
    I dipped my paddle back in and twirled it like a swizzle stick, my throat itching like I’d just swallowed a spoonful of sand. Something important had happened, but neither Chloe nor I spoke.
    We paddled on. Chloe set the pace, maintaining a good distance between the kayak and the canoes, and we went along like that for a long while, enjoying the silence.
    When the sun was overhead, we reached the inlet. I jumped out into waist-deep water, shocking myself to breathlessness, but after the long sweaty morning, I couldn’t say that the sensation was unpleasant.
    â€œOooh!” A plunk and screech behind me let me knowthat Chloe had just done the same. “That woke me up!”
    â€œNo kidding!” I exhaled, letting the cold bite into my legs, and we hauled the canoe up onto the sandy beach. I plopped down next to it, breathing as though I had just finished a race.
    â€œA good swim will help,” Chris said as he watched the rest of the caravan angling toward the beach. Isaac’s canoe, I noticed with glee, was last, and a good distance off.
    â€œGreat idea,” Chloe replied. “My arms feel like they’re gonna fall off.”
    â€œYou’ll feel a lot better after a dip.” Chris smiled. “Like brand new.” He turned back as Wes and Jeremy glided in, grinning