explorer academy THE STAR DUNES TRUDI TRUEIT under the Stars National Geographic
WE DON’T INHERIT THE EARTH FROM OUR ANCESTORS WE BORROW IT FROM OUR CHILDREN Native American proverb 24 7681 S 15 2959 E
1 RUSSIA GEORGIA ARMENIA IRAN AKSARAY TURKEY CRIMEA Black Sea TURKEY NORTHERN CYPRUS CYPRUS Mediterranean Sea SYRIA LEBANON IRAQ A DROP OF WATER splashed onto Cruz’s forehead Emmett he moaned feeling the bead roll down his temple One more minute Cruz was drifting off again when another drop tapped him on the bridge of his nose Okay okay His roommate was right They’d be in big trouble if they were late to class Cruz yawned his eyelids fluttering You win Emmett I’m The creamy white ceiling he expected to see was instead a forbidding black hole up he gulped He remembered now Cruz was not in his soft warm bed in cabin 202 on board Orion Explorer Academy’s flagship vessel Not even close He was huddled at the bottom of a cold damp cave somewhere outside of Aksaray Turkey Cruz’s neck was tipped back His head rather than being cradled in his cloud of a pillow was awkwardly butted up against unforgiving unforgiving rock The last thing he recalled before falling asleep was peering up into the stone well he’d fallen down Cruz had scanned the void for any hint of light any sign that help was on the way He had seen only darkness darkness then And now Achoo With the sneeze Cruz’s head snapped forward A cramp shot through his neck Ow he yelped and his cry echoed back to him Ow ow ow Cruz scooted out from under the dribble of water Bones lay 5
