Alien Road

By M.J. McIsaac

Ridge isn't thrilled about the idea of spending his whole Spring Break with his mom, but when they get an invitation from his mom’s billionaire friend to join him on his private yacht for a Caribbean cruise, how can he say no? Karl, the billionaire’s son, is less excited. He knows where they are headed—right into the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. There are dozens of stories about ships and aircraft that mysteriously disappeared while traveling through that legendary region of the Atlantic. Karl thinks it has something to do with aliens. Ridge thinks Karl has been spending too much time on the internet. But when strange and inexplicable things start happening aboard their vessel as it gets closer to the triangle, Ridge starts to wonder if Karl might be right.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781459827004

M.J. McIsaac

M.J. McIsaac is the author of several books for young people, including Boil Line and Underhand in the Orca Sports line and the Orca Currents title Alien Road. She has a master's degree in writing for children and is an accomplished illustrator as well. She lives with her family in Whitby, Ontario.

Book preview

images/cover.jpgimages/img-2-1.jpgimages/img-4-1.jpg

Copyright © M.J. McIsaac 2021

Published in Canada and the United States in 2021 by Orca Book Publishers.

orcabook.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Title: Alien road / M.J. McIsaac.

Names: McIsaac, M. J., 1986- author.

Series: Orca currents.

Description: Series statement: Orca currents

Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20210093668 | Canadiana (ebook) 20210093676 |

ISBN

9781459826984 (softcover) |

ISBN

9781459826991 (

PDF

) |

ISBN

9781459827004 (

EPUB

)

Subjects:

LCGFT

: Novels.

Classification:

LCC

PS8625.

I

837

A

79 2021 |

DDC

j

C

813/.6—dc23

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020951460

Summary: In this high-interest accessible novel for middle readers, thirteen-year-old Ridge goes on a boat trip through the legendary Bermuda Triangle.

Orca Book Publishers is committed to reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources in the making of our books. We make every effort to use materials that support a sustainable future.

Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

Edited by Tanya Trafford

Design by Ella Collier

Cover artwork by Ella Collier

Author photo by Crystal Jones

Printed and bound in Canada.

24 23 22 21 • 1 2 3 4

Orca Book Publishers is proud of the hard work our authors do and of the important stories they create. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it or did not check it out from a library provider, then the author has not received royalties for this book. The ebook you are reading is licensed for single use only and may not be copied, printed, resold or given away. If you are interested in using this book in a classroom setting, we have digital subscriptions with multi user, simultaneous access to our books, or classroom licenses available for purchase. For more information, please contact [e-mail].

ivaluecanadianstories.ca

For Jess

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Acknowledgments

Chapter One

Would you stop that?

Ash jumps off her beach chair, frowning at the freckled boy in khakis and golf shirt sitting in the sand between us. Karl Barrington. He’s been digging a hole with his popsicle stick and flicking sand everywhere since he sat down.

Sorry, he grumbles.

You’re not sorry at all, snarls Ash, wiping sand off her legs.

I roll my eyes and try to focus on my sketchpad. My drawing of Wraith—a wicked-looking masked super villain of my own creation—is only halfway done. It’s for my graphic novel. My dad convinced me to start one over Spring Break. Said it would be good to try and make a story out of all these characters I’m always coming up with. I want to finish it before the vacation is over so I can show him when I get home. But with Ash and Karl around all the time, it’s hard to focus.

I said I was sorry, Karl snaps. Why would I say it if I didn’t mean it?

Because you’re still doing it! Ash shrieks, pointing at the sand Karl keeps flicking out of his little hole. Ridge, make him stop it!

I don’t know why you think I have that power, I tell her.

He listens to you.

I look over at Karl, sitting in the sand. We’ve been at Juneberry Beach two whole days and the kid still hasn’t put on a bathing suit. Just the same designer khakis and various colors of identical golf shirts. I didn’t know they were designer, but Ash did. Ash is a label girl. She loves labels. Especially the kind that seem to be plastered all over Karl and his family. She knows what kind of sunglasses Karl’s dad wears, and what kind of purse Karl’s dad’s girlfriend Gina carries around. She’s impressed by their shoes, watches, even their luggage. And she talks to me about it. All. Day. Long. I don’t know why she thinks I care. None of it means much to me. But I do know that labels like those mean Karl’s dad is rich. Filthy rich. How a guy like Karl’s dad became friends with my mom and Ash’s mom, I’ll never understand.

Karl stares at me, as if expecting orders.

Knock it off, Karl, I say. I’m sick of listening to Ash whine.

With a horrified guh noise, Ash kicks the sand, sending it flying into my face. It’s in my eyes, my nose, my mouth. I taste the hard, salty grains grinding on my tongue. I spit. Beside me. Karl laughs.

By the time I blink away all the grit, Ash is storming back to the house. Her house. The one she lives in with her mom, Jes. I can see her sitting on the deck with my mom and Karl’s dad and his girlfriend. She waves to Ash and Ash’s arms flail wildly. I don’t know what she’s saying,