Trapped!: The 2031 Journal of Otis Fitzmorgan Read Online Free Page A

Instead, my mom and dad had
     been feeding my love of art and detective work since I was a toddler. All the art history books, home training, and museum
     trips had paid off. They helped me rise to the top of my class and stand out as a government investigator.
    “From what I can tell, you're just anxious,” Crockett was saying to Mr. Noonan. “You need to relax.”
    “How can I? This is terrifying! I'm a writer, not an astronaut! Going up, I slept most of the way. But now we're going down!
     I feel like we could crash at any minute!”
    “Are you traveling with anyone?” Crockett asked.
    “His daughter, Charlotte, is on board,” I answered for the man. “I'd get her but I don't think she's too crazy about me.”
    Crockett cocked an eyebrow at this but stayed focused on Mr. Noonan. “I'm going to go get your daughter,” Crockett told him.
     “I'll be right back.” And he rushed out of the room.
    But it didn't look as though Mr. Noonan would be able to wait. I had to do something. I took Crockett's spot, crouching down
     next to the man. “Hi,” I said. “Remember me?”
    He nodded but looked too panicked to speak. To make things worse, Teddy chose that moment to pop his head out of my jacket
     pocket. He greeted Mr. Noonan with a little yap.
    “Get that thing away from me!” he shrieked, startling Teddy and sending him skittering to the floor.
    “Teddy, go see her.” I pointed to Lysa, who was sitting curled up on a couch. “Do you mind watching him for a second?”

    TEDDY YAPPING AT MR. NOONAN
    Lysa shook her head and gave me a little smile. Teddy clicked and hopped over to her.
    I put my hand on Mr. Noonan's shoulder. “You're a writer, so you must have heard the phrase 'a little knowledge is a dangerous
     thing,' right?”
    “I think a little ribbon is even more dangerous. And that's what this Climber is hanging from! A teeny-tiny ribbon!”
    Good, I thought, at least he's able to make a joke. I had an uncle who was afraid to fly. When he found out that it was safer
     than driving a car, he changed his mind. “How would you like some background on the Elevator?” I asked him. “It might make
     you feel better.”
    Mr. Noonan nodded. “Okay, fine. Anything to take my mind off where we are!”
    I quickly searched my memory for facts. “To build this Elevator, a spacecraft was launched into geosynchronous orbit over
     Earth. That's 22,300 miles over the equator.”
    “You're losing me!” Mr. Noonan cried.
    He was right. I was being too technical. I had to keep things simple and positive. “The spacecraft lowered a ribbon made of
     superstrong material down to Earth as it kept moving outward into space. When the ribbon reached Earth's surface, it was attached
     to a base station in the middle of the ocean near the equator. Because hurricanes don't pass over the equator, it reduced
     the number of violent storms—”
    “Hurricanes?” Mr. Noonan squealed.
    Darn! I thought. I could tell he had been starting to relax. And then I had to go and talk about hurricanes!
    I smiled and switched gears. “Two hundred and fifty small mechanical climbers stitched on additional ribbons to widen and
     strengthen the original one. That took three years. The ribbon we're riding on—”

    THE SPACE ELEVATOR ON THE RIBBON TO EARTH
    “The ribbon that's holding us up is thinner than paper, right?” Mr. Noonan asked, but the panic was gone from his eyes, and
     he seemed more interested than worried.
    “That's true, and it's only about three feet wide. But it's strong enough to support a Climber carrying about 30 tons of supplies
     and equipment.”
    “And people?” he said, and I could see he was making another little joke.
    “Yes,” I nodded, chuckling. “And people.”
    I kept talking about the technical aspects of the Elevator. Slowly he relaxed, and at last, the color returned to his face.
     He put a now-steady hand on my shoulder. “Thank you,” he said as he started to get up. “I do feel