BECAUSE OF THE COLD.SHE UNDERSTOOD.SHE POUNDED THE FACES,SHE SCREAMED
         
         THEIR UNKNOWN NAMES.SHE RAKED THEIR FACES WITH HER FINGERNAILS AND SHOUTED
         
         TO ANYONE.THE COLD SANK LOWER,AND SHE FOUND HERSELF SINKING.SHE GROPED
         
         AT THE ICE.IT BECAME THICKER.THEN THERE WAS THIS BRILLANT LIGHT.SHE LET HER-

         SELF SINK TOWARD IT.OH IT WAS WARM.ALL SHE HAD TO DO WAS SINK A LITTLE
         
         FURTHER.
         
         
         
           “FIGHT!FIGHT CLAE!” TWO SHARP STINGS WERE DELIVERED TO CLAE’S CHEEKS.
         
         SHE SLOWLY SURFACED FROM HER FATAL DREAM AND OPENED HER EYES.TRACI WAS
         
         STRADDLING HER STOMACH AND SLAPPING HER FACE.CLAE SHOOK OFF THE FEELING
         
         OF DREAD AND DEATH AND GRABBED TRACI’S HAND BEFORE SHE COULD SMACK
         
         HER AGAIN.TRACI GOT OFF HER AND FELL ON HER BACK.
         
           “WHAT HAPPENED?” CLAE ASKED .TRACI SIGHED.
         
         “I THINK YOU HAVE A BIT OF PNEUMONIA AND YOU HAVE NOT THAT MUCH WILL TO
         
         STAY AROUND A WHILE.” TRACI ANSWERED GENTLY.CLAE SAT UNSTEADILY UP AND DIS-

         COVERED THAT MOST OF THE BOYS HAD GATHERED AROUND HER.SHE COUGHED AND
         
         WRAPPED HER SHOULDERS IN THE BLANKET.THE BOYS LOOKED AT HER EXPECTANTLY.
         
           “WE HAVE TO GET STARTED.I KNOW IT’S STILL SUMMER BUT A STORM COULD
         
         HAPPEN.” CLAE RASPED.THE OUTER SHELL OF A COCONUT WAS PASSED TO HER AND
         
         SHE LOOKED DOWN AT THE WATER.SHE DRANK IT SLOWLY ONLY BECAUSE TRACT TOLD
         
         HER TO STERNLY.THEN SHE GOT UP UNSTEADILY AND WALKED OVER TO THE SURVIVAL
         
         KTT.SHE OPENED IT AND TOOK OUT THE LONG SURVIVAL KNIVE AND THE TWO SMALL
         
         POCKETKNTVES.SHE TOSSED THE POCKETKNIVES TO DRAKE AND EDDIE,A STRONG AND
         
         BIG BUILT SIXTEEN YEAROLD.SHE LOOKED AT THE YOUNGER ONES.
         
           “ZACH,MICHAEL,DAVID,CLAYTON AND TRACI,GO GATHER PALM FRONDS AND BRING

         THEM TO THE ROCKS.THE BIGGER BOYS,GO AND GET VINES AND STURDYLIMBS.”