No Survivors by R.L. Stine Read Free Book Online Page A

hands and held them in front of her. “Here, little bird. Come here, little bird,” she called softly.
    High overhead, a white seagull stopped its flight.
    â€œHere, little bird,” Katherine called softly, sweetly. She held her cupped hands still.
    The bird, a white speck against the blue sky, floated lower.
    â€œCome to me. Come to me,” Katherine chanted.
    The bird swooped gently into her cupped hands. It warbled and fluttered its wings, settling in.
    â€œGood morning, little bird,” Katherine whispered, raising the seagull in front of her. Her green eyes flashed. “Did you know there is another little bird on this island?”
    The gull warbled again, as if answering her.
    â€œMy own little bird is here,” Katherine said softly. She petted the gull’s wing feathers with one long, bent finger.
    â€œMy daughter has come to pay me a visit,” she continued. “She hopes to surprise me. But I am ready for her.”
    Katherine petted the bird gently, making it coo.
    â€œYes, my daughter has come to surprise me. I am not sure which of the visiting girls she is. But I have a pretty good idea.”
    The bird cooed again as the woman petted it. It tilted its head and gazed up at her with one tiny black bead of an eye.
    â€œI will continue to test them,” Katherine told the bird in a whisper. “Soon…soon Deborah will reveal herself. Yes, I will find out which one she is. And then, guess what, little bird? Then…I will surprise her! ”
    Still smiling, Katherine wrapped her fingers around the gull’s throat—and tore off its head.

16
    â€œGo! Go! Go!”
    The two Academy assistants, Mira and Blake, cheered from their canoe as the kids raced over the water.
    April had the lead for a short while. I’m a good swimmer, she thought. I could win this race. It would feel good to win something.
    But Pam soon passed her by with her steady, smooth strokes.
    Pam’s blue eyes flashed gleefully as she swam ahead of April. Kicking her long legs, she put on a burst of speed—and April felt as if she were standing still.
    Pam once wanted to be an Olympic swimmer, April remembered.
    She always wanted to be an Olympic everything!
    Kendra passed April too. And then Phil splashed up beside her. Phil was very pale, with short white-blond hair. He was chubby, kind of round. Bouncingin the waves, he reminded April of a baby polar bear.
    He was breathing hard, groaning with each stroke, spitting water into the air as he thrashed, slapping the surface with his chubby hands.
    April laughed. “Where did you learn to swim?”
    â€œIn the bathtub,” he joked.
    Kristen passed them both. April turned to see Anthony coming on fast.
    The swim race was from the boat dock to the blue rocks, then back to the dock. The bright sunlight made the ocean gleam like a mirror. Seagulls squawked noisily overhead. Mira and Blake’s canoe rocked on the gentle waves.
    Squinting into the sun’s glare, April saw Pam and Kendra reach the rocks and make the turn. Both girls were churning hard now, moving at full speed.
    April kicked harder, trying to pick up her pace. She hadn’t slept well the night before, thinking about the smothering sea kelp and her eerie close call on the beach.
    Now the cold water felt refreshing. It felt good to be getting some exercise.
    She reached the rocks a few strokes behind Phil and Kristen. As she made the turn, Anthony came up beside her. He stroked steadily, his bony arms moving in and out rapidly, his red hair matted to his forehead, falling over his eyes.
    Struggling to keep up with him, April glimpsed Pam far up ahead.
    Is she going to win this race too? April wondered.
    No one is going to be happy if Pam wins every race. Especially since she doesn’t even belong here!
    A high wave rolled over April, pushing her back.
    She saw Anthony dive under it. He came out on the other side, ahead of her.
    April lowered her