4 Flamingo Lagoon

Chapter 4 FLAMINGO LAGOON Jack and Annie stepped off the pier. They walked up a sandy road into a small town. They passed a few small shops: Seaside Gifts, the Green Lizard, the Tortoise Tavern. "This isn't much of a town," said Jack. "It seems pretty empty." "Maybe the active volcano is keeping most tourists away," said Annie. "That's silly," said Jack. "The fisherman said it's completely safe here." "True," said Annie. "But bad news can scare people." "Stop," said Jack. He pointed at a sign marked WILDLIFE TRAIL. "There's the path that the fisherman told us to look for." He and Annie left the road. They walked down a pebble path shaded by tree branches.

"Oh, wow! A pink iguana!" said Annie. They stopped to look at a huge lizard resting on a branch. The iguana had pale pink skin with dark stripes. "It looks like a tiny dinosaur," said Annie. "The Galápagos are the only place on Earth where pink iguanas live," said Jack. "They've been here about five million years." "I know," said Annie. "Come on, there's the boardwalk over the lagoon," said Jack. He and Annie headed over the raised wooden walkway. As they crossed the murky water, they saw even more wildlife. The dark pond was filled with ducks. Birds were cheeping and flitting everywhere. "Mockingbirds, finches," Jack said. "Herons and flamingos!" said Annie. Blue herons stood in the shallows. A pair of flamingos waded together with slow, graceful steps. They dipped their heads into the water.

"They're like dancers taking a bow!" Annie said. She jumped up and down and clapped her hands. "Yay!" she shouted. "Annie, you need to calm down," said Jack. "If you want people to see you as an expert, you can't act like a kid." "Right, sorry," said Annie. Jack and Annie left the boardwalk. They followed a short trail through a dry, mossy forest. The air smelled of mint. Bright-yellow iguanas and long green lizards rested on tree trunks and branches. The whole island

seemed alive with amazing creatures. The forest soon opened into a clearing. A one-story wooden building was bathed in sunlight. It had a thatched roof and a yard with fencing. A sign said: GIANT TORTOISE CENTER. "That's it!" said Annie. "A turtle expert's dream!" "Right, but when we go inside, remember that experts act cool," said Jack. "Cool is boring," murmured Annie. "Yeah, but knowledge isn't," said Jack. "And we have tons of it." As they walked up to the entrance, two white pickup trucks rolled into a parking area near the center. "Oh, brother, it's the tourists from the Galápagos Cruises boat," Jack said. "What's wrong with that?" asked Annie. "I just hope they don't get in our way," Jack said. "Don't worry," said Annie. "We don't even know what we're supposed to do yet." Jack and Annie stepped into the lobby of the Giant Tortoise Center.

The lobby was filled with wildlife displays and a map of the building and grounds. A tall young woman with a long black ponytail stood at a counter. She wore a green uniform and was quickly making notes as she talked to someone on the phone. "Yes, sir, I understand," she said. "Emergency action was taken earlier today. But now they must try again." What emergency action? Jack wondered. The woman glanced up and saw Jack and Annie. They both pointed to their name badges. The woman's eyes grew wide. "I have to call you right back," she said into the phone. Then she hung up. "Welcome, Jack and Annie!" she said. "I'm Carmen, the only guide at the center right now. No one told me important guests were coming today. Our director should have been here to greet you. But we have an emergency—" Before Carmen could finish, the tourist group from the boat banged through the front door.