Surfacing (Spark Saga) by Melissa Dereberry Page B

are not going to believe this one.”
                  “What?”  My heart is racing.
                  “Holy cow.  It’s Zach Webb.”
                  “No way!  Let’s get out of here.”  I am completely mortified.  If he sees us, he’s going to think we are stalking him or something.  I turn and start walking back to the car. 
                  Cricket follows.  “Where are you going?”
                  “To the car.  We can’t just stay here.  I mean, do you really want him to see us?”
                  “True.  Ok, let’s get in the car and wait for a few minutes.  Maybe they will leave.”
                 
                  Cricket turns on the radio low and we both scrunch down in our seats.  “Is that his mom?”
                  “How the heck would I know?  Probably.”
                  “What are they doing ?  It seriously looks like they are planting something.”
                  “Well, people do that, you know.  At graveyards,” I say sarcastically.
                  “I know, but don’t you think it’s strange that they are at this graveyard ?  At the same time we are here?  What are the odds?”
                  I have to admit, it’s a little weird, but probably just a coincidence.  “It looks like they’re leaving,” I note.
                  “Good, we can continue our adventure.”
                  “I’m a little freaked out now, thanks.”
                  “It will be fine.  Trust me.  Ok they’re gone.  Let’s get to it.”
                  “Ok,” I shrug.  “You better get an A on this assignment.”
     
                  After wandering around for about five minutes, you won’t believe where we found ourselves.  Standing right in front of the headstone where Zach had just been.  Weird officially gotten weirder.  My hands are sweating, and my faith in coincidence is dwindling fast.
                  “Woah,” Cricket says, shaking her head.  “This is crazy.”
                  “You can say that again,” I mutter.  “I really don’t think we should be here.”  I look around, half expecting to see Zach and his mom barreling through the graveyard, shaking their fists.
                  “We’ve come this far, right?”  She doesn’t sound all that convinced. 
                  “I guess.”  I am also not convinced, but I try not to let it show. 
                  She starts searching around the headstone while I watch the parking lot.  Why do I feel like we are trespassing again?
                  “Ok, what did that clue say again?”
                  “ Hard stone will not contain me, but its timeless message is of grave concern .”
                  “It sounds like the message isn’t in the stone.”
                  “Or he could be referring to the fact that a headstone doesn’t contain him… meaning, it’s just a piece of stone with a name on it.”
                  “Good thinking!  But that still doesn’t tell us where the message is.”
                  We both simultaneously look at the ground, then each other.  “Oh, no freakin' way, Cricket.”
                  “Wait—it says its timeless message .  The it refers to the stone.  So the message is on the stone.”
                  “And it’s apparently pretty stinking important.  Grave , in fact.”
                  “Edwin G. Webb.  Born September 17, 1952.  Died April 13, 2010.  Devoted father, brilliant scientist, and pioneer.”
                  “Scientist?  Pioneer?  Who was this guy?”
                  “Well, for one, he was apparently Zach’s dad.  And he was