Holding on Series Book 1 and Book 2

By Kate Buckingham

Four kids are stranded on an island.
They only have faith and hope to hold on to.
Will they survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781514419960

Kate Buckingham

This is Lily King’s first novel. She hopes to continue this series. She is working on a couple more teen books. During her free time she enjoys reading sci-fi books and playing tennis. She also enjoys going on lengthy bike rides with her mom and playing board games with her dad. She lives in Berne, IN with her parents and her dog, Mookie.

Book preview

PART 1

CHAPTER ONE

These events have been written in Mandy Biar’s journal.

Day 1, 7:25 a.m.

I woke up to waves colliding against some rocks against the beach. Where am I?

I remember now. I was with my parents and two younger siblings, Mary and Maggie. We were in our room on a ship. Water started to penetrate the room. We ran out of the room and up the stairs. The ship was rocking violently. Somebody handed us life jackets. I remember being pushed into something in the water, but I don’t remember ending up on a beach.

I coughed some salt water up. I checked my waterproof watch and noticed that it was seven twenty-five in the morning. I turned around and saw a tall, blond, skinny figure looking down at me as if I fell from the sky.

Who are you? asked the skinny figure.

Mandy Biar. Who are you? I asked.

Cole Smith, the boy said.

Where are we? another voice asked.

I am guessing on an island in the middle of nowhere, answered Cole.

I stood up and then fell back down to the sand. Cole walked over and helped me stand up.

Do you remember what happened? he questioned me.

I told Cole what I remembered. Then, I looked around the beach. There was a lot of sand, plus there were three beat-up lifeboats. I must have come in one.

Who survived the storm? asked a black-haired girl, who must have been a couple of years older than me.

Well, it looks like just Mandy, you and me, Erika, answered Cole.

And me! a voice said from the shadows.

Who said that? I asked.

Just me, Aaron, said a tall, brown-haired figure.

One week earlier, at Mandy Biar’s house

Mother, can you please make Maggie get out of my bedroom! I yelled downstairs.

Maggie, you need to get out of your sister’s bedroom. Go play with Mary, my mother instructed.

Mandy, why aren’t you packing for the trip? my mother asked me.

Because I don’t want to spend a month at our cottage in France, I whined.

Why not? my mother asked.

Because I would rather stay at home and go to church camp, I said.

We will continue this discussion later, my mother said as a very impatient Maggie was tugging at her.

As I trudged back to my bedroom, I ran into my seventeen-year-old brother, Michael.

Why do you and Madison get to stay at home? I impatiently asked Michael.

Because I can’t miss any more days at work. Plus I don’t want to go, answered Michael.

And Madison, I asked about my brother’s twin sister.

She is going to house-sit, plus she has work to do over the summer as well, Michael continued.

Okay, thanks, I mumbled.

As I trudged back to my bedroom to pack, I almost ran into my eight-year-old sister, Mary. Her hands were full of stuffed animals, and there was even a flimsy one on top of her brown hair.

Sorry, hey, can you please help me pack these? my sister asked me.

I can help you pack a couple of them, but I don’t think they will all fit, I replied.

Well, if I can at least bring Meg, I’ll be fine, Mary said.

That’s good, I sighed as I carried Meg, her stuffed parrot.

On the island

Day 1, 8:21 a.m.

As we searched the beach and boat wreckage that had washed to shore, that day replayed in my mind. As I lifted one of the planks, tears came to my eyes. For there, beneath the plank, was Meg, which I gave Mary on her second birthday. Unable to hold back the tears, I began to sob.

What’s the matter, Mandy? asked Cole as he ran over to me.

This stuffed animal was my sister’s, I cried as I clung to Cole, soaking his T-shirt in tears.

Shhh, it’s okay, Mandy, said Cole.

11:07 a.m.

Erika and I searched the beach for something to start a fire with as the boys searched the woods for something to eat. Fifteen minutes later, Erika and I sat on a dry log. A small fire crackled in front of us.

So tell me about your family, said Erika.

I told her about my parents and my siblings. I mentioned that my family is Christian and that we have a cottage that we vacation at in France.

"I am the oldest in my family. It is my mom, my dad, me, my younger sister, Paris, who is ten, my brother, Curtis, who is seven, and my baby brother, Jack, who is two. Cole and I are cousins.