Eviskar Island by Warren Dalzell Read Free Book Online

gates.
    Rolling a large carry-on suitcase behind her while struggling to support a large rucksack, Jocelyn Delaney slowly approached.  The suitcase had a broken wheel that caused it to flop from side to side, occasionally falling into the paths of other harried travelers.  Once she had made it past the TSA guard at the entrance to the secure area, Jack rushed to her aid.
    “You must be Jocelyn.  Let me take your rucksack.
    “Thanks.  Yes, I’m Jocelyn Delaney.  Who are you?”
    “Jack Malinowski, I’m one of the other students.  This is Debbie Holloway.”
    Jocelyn shook hands with her new colleagues and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.  “I almost missed my connection in Dallas.  The connecting flight was, like, twenty gates away and I had all this stuff.  But, hey, here I am.”
    “It looks like you were able to bring all your stuff as carry on,” Debbie remarked.  “Jack did the same.  We can go right to the curb and catch a cab to the hotel.”
    “Oh, I have a couple of checked bags,” said Jocelyn.  “The flight number is 703.  They’ll be in bag claim ‘C’.”
    The three gradually made their way down to baggage claim.  Jack was loaded down with his and Jocelyn’s rucksacks as well as his other satchel, a backpack he'd lashed to the top of his rucksack.  Joselyn continued to fight with the damaged roller case as they weaved through a large crowd that encircled the revolving baggage conveyor.
    Jack stood to one side while Jocelyn reviewed the passing bags and chatted with Debbie.  Until now, he hadn’t given much thought to what the other people might be like on this archeology project.  It was the nature of the work, the science, the thrill of discovery that had prompted his interest, and that had been the gist of his application essay.  Sure, he knew there would be other students on the trip, but until now he’d never considered the social situation he would face.
    He watched Jocelyn.  She was cute, no doubt about that.  Long blond hair, expressive eyes, killer-nice curves, all of the signs indicated she had an active social life back home and probably a steady boyfriend.  He suddenly became apprehensive.  Here was someone who most certainly wasn’t like the studious types Jack hung out with.  So, why the heck would she be interested in a field trip like this?
    Something Debbie said made Jocelyn laugh and she abruptly turned her head in time to see Jack starring at her.  He blushed and averted his gaze.
    Soon, a large fabric suitcase emerged from the gullet of the baggage train and plopped onto the carousel.  Jocelyn lunged for it and, with some difficulty, wrestled it onto the floor beside her.  Jack sauntered over to see if he could be of assistance as Jocelyn grabbed a second nearly identical bag and dragged it alongside the other.
    Debbie looked worried.  “Jocelyn, I hope you don’t plan to take all of this on the trip; I don’t think there will be room.  The information we sent out specified that each individual, Morgan and me included, can only take one rucksack full of clothing along with a backpack or other easily transportable carrier containing additional clothing and/or personal effects.  We sent you your rucksack.  All of them, by the way, are the same.  They have an internal volume of over twenty-eight liters, which should be plenty of space for what you’ll need.  I seriously doubt you’ll be able to take all of this.”
    Jocelyn’s smile disappeared.  Her reply was defiant.  “Mrs. Holloway, we’re going to be gone for almost three months .  And, your note said that laundry facilities would be ‘primitive.’  I’ve packed the absolute minimum amount of clothing that I need.”
    “Jack has obviously complied with the rules.”
    “Yeah?  Well, guys are gross.  He’s probably packed only one set of underwear.  We won’t be able to get near him when he gets really ripe.”
    “That’s part of my master plan,” Jack interjected,