05 Two Eyes

Chapter 05 Two Eyes “ What’s a ship’s log?” said Annie. “ It’s a diary of an ocean trip, ” said Jack. He peered at the computer screen and read a log entry: MONDAY, JULY 5 “ Hey, that was just last week, ” said Jack. He read further: COLLECTED ROCK AND SHELL SAMPLES MAPPED OCEAN FLOOR FOUND TINY CRACK IN HULL

“ This is like your notebook, ” said Annie. “ Yeah, the oceanographer was writing notes on the computer, ” said Jack. Jack and Annie read further: TUESDAY, JULY 6 CRACK HAS WIDENED MUST RETURN TO REEF SOON “ A crack where?” said Annie. “ I don’t know, ” said Jack. He read further: WEDNESDAY, JULY 7 MORE TINY CRACKS CANNOT BE FIXED HEADING BACK TO REEF TODAY

“ Uh-oh. This doesn’t sound good, ” said Jack. He read further: THURSDAY, JULY 8 DEFECTIVE SUB RETURN TO REEF LEAVE FOR HELICOPTER TO TRANSPORT TO JUNKYARD “ ‘Defective’ means broken, right?” said Annie. “ Yep, ” said Jack. “ So this sub is broken, right?” said Annie. “ Yep, ” said Jack. “ And it was waiting to be taken away by a helicopter. To a junkyard. ” “ Yikes, ” said Annie.

“ Now we really have to get back, ” said Jack. “ Let’s try pressing the waves picture, ” said Annie. She pressed the waves picture on the computer screen. The mini-sub began to rise slowly. “ Oh, good, ” said Jack. The sub went past a small coral mountain. It went past schools of fish and waving plants. “ Oh! ” gasped Annie. Jack gasped, too.

Two eyes were staring out from behind a giant sea plant. They looked human—except they were as big as golf balls. The sub moved past the giant plant. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. “ What—? Whose—?” sputtered Annie. “ Don’t ask, ” said Jack. They stared back at the plant. Just then, a long arm came out from behind it. Then another arm came out. Then another—and another—and another—and another—and another—and another! Jack and Annie stared in horror at a giant octopus. “ It’s coming after us, ” said Annie. Slowly, the octopus crept through the water. Its eight arms reached for the mini-sub.