Shipwreck Island by S. A. Bodeen

the flint. “I’m not entirely sure how to do this, but I do have a degree in engineering. It can’t be that hard.”
    Marco said, “Wow, too bad we don’t have any matches.” He glared at Nacho.
    Nacho ignored him and said, “I can help! I’ve been studying for my Eco-Scout camping badge.”
    Marco mumbled, “Your hands might get dirty.”
    Nacho scowled. “At least I know how to do it, Marco! Do you?”
    Marco shrugged. “Fine. Go for it.”
    John hesitated for a moment, but then handed the flint to Nacho. “Tell me what you need.”
    Nacho stared at the flint. “Um … first we need rocks.” Sarah and John helped find rocks. Nacho said, “We need to arrange them in a circle.” He pointed to a spot about ten feet away from their makeshift camp under the trees. Marco and John got the rocks and set them up. Nacho said, “Now we need some tinder. Like some small sticks?”
    They went off searching, and Sarah came back with a bunch of small sticks, which she set in the center of the rocks. A few minutes later, her dad brought husk from a coconut.
    â€œWhere’d you find the coconut?” asked Marco.
    â€œIt’s just the husk,” said John. “Someone must have opened it up.”
    Sarah frowned. “Who would have opened it up?”
    Marco said, “Maybe the last people who were shipwrecked here?”
    Sarah glared at him, then focused her attention back to Nacho. “What do we do now?”
    â€œYou need to…” He trailed off. He bit his lip and reached out. He pinched small pieces of the husk between two fingers and gingerly piled them on top of the small stack of kindling. “Is there a knife?”
    John knelt down beside him, holding up a long blade.
    Nacho handed him the flint. “Okay, now you need to take—”
    â€œNacho,” said Marco. “Why don’t you just do it?” He didn’t think his brother would, but he was tired of it taking so long.
    â€œOkay.” But Nacho just stood there, not saying anything. “I’ll be right back.” He ran over to a jug of water and poured some into his hands, rubbed them together, and wiped them on his shorts. He looked up to see everyone watching him. “I wanted to wash off the hand sanitizer.”
    â€œThat’s a first,” mumbled Marco.
    â€œIt could be flammable,” said Nacho. He grabbed a thick bunch of the coconut husk, cradling the scratchy fluff in his hand. He took a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay. Just strike the blade on the flint, like really quick, so the spark will go onto the husk.”
    â€œCareful!” called Yvonna.
    John carefully struck the flint and a spark fell into the husk. Nothing happened.
    Nacho said, “I wasn’t ready. Try it again.”
    â€œSeriously?” said Marco. “I don’t think you know what you’re doing.”
    Nacho ignored him. He took a wider stance, squared his shoulders, and told his stepfather, “Try again. I’m ready.”
    Once again, John struck the flint and a spark hopped into the husk. Nacho immediately held the husk up to his face and blew gently.
    Bits of the husk glowed red and a wisp of smoke drifted up.
    Nacho blew again, and a flame burst up. He quickly crouched down and set the husk on top of the kindling, then added more husk and small sticks, feeding the flame until it was snapping.
    â€œYou did it.” Marco sounded surprised. “Way to go.”
    Nacho grinned and looked up at his brother.
    John said, “Good job!” and Yvonna clapped.
    Sarah sat down beside the fire, watching the flames grow as Nacho gradually added more and more wood to the flame. Finally, she said, “That’s a great fire, Nacho.”
    He looked up at her. “Thanks. I’ve been studying and I knew what to do.” He lifted and lowered a shoulder. “I just wasn’t sure that I