Operation M.I.A: Missing in Action (IN NEED OF REVISING)

Chapter XXI

An alligator.

"Sean, we need to hurry! Use all the strength you've got!" I urge, pulling on the stick as hard as I can. Luckily, by this point, the top half of their bodies has made it to land. A few more quick tugs and we finally are able to pull them fully to shore, right as the alligator lunges from the water and takes a big snap at Mackenzie, barely missing.

Mackenzie screams when she realizes this, and once she's on land, she kicks the alligator in the roof of its mouth hard. She then scrambles backward until her back is against a tree. Mia, Sean, and I proceed to do the same. The alligator slowly turns around and makes its way back underwater, which allows the four of us to slide down into a sitting position and breathe a sigh of relief.

SKYLAR

Music: Starshine Beach Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy 2

While Mia, Mackenzie, Sean, and Shanna are investigating whatever's in the nearby forest, the rest of us are just chatting by the riverside. Honestly, it shouldn't have been a surprise for us to hear screaming from within the forest, and yet when we do hear it, we all jump up and run for the trees.

"Is everything okay?" Heath yells once we all make it through. In front of us is a small swamp with some old-looking, deformed plant life growing out of it. Our friends rest on the other side of the swamp, breathing heavily.

"Yeah... we're fine..." Mia pants, taking deep breaths.

"Y'know, now that I think about it, that was probably a will-o-the-wisp. That glow you saw was just created by gases igniting within the swamp, so it wasn't actually anything shiny," I explain.

Mia, Mackenzie, Sean, and Shanna look at me with looks that say, "Well, that would've been nice to know earlier." Sean even says that exact phrase aloud.

"I'm guessing you got stuck in the swamp and barely made it out with your lives?" Luke asks. A nod from Mackenzie is his answer.

"Typical," Luke mumbles, shaking his head.

Our short walk out of the swamp is done mostly in silence. I'm actually kinda grateful to leave this area; the scent here isn't exactly the most pleasing.

As we start our flight, Avery clutches her stomach and says, "I don't know about any of you, but I didn't get a chance to have breakfast this morning, so I'm starving."

Heath takes a look at the hovercraft's monitor and says, "It's around 12:15 where we live. Now would probably be a good time to take a break and find someplace to eat." Everyone else agree unanimously, so we fly back to Mexico City to find somewhere to go for lunch. Sam has a good chunk of money in the hovercraft's glove compartment, so paying for all ten of us won't be an issue.

We end up deciding on a place called Cabanna Polanco. Our group splits into two tables once we get settled. I end up in a booth with Heath and Luke to my left, and Sam, Elle, and Avery across from me. A waiter comes by for us to order drinks. I simply order myself a water. I then grab a menu (which is in English, thank God) and start looking at what I want to order.

"You know, this is nice," Avery comments while she searches her menu.

"Yeah... not exactly the most normal way to have lunch, but you work with it," Sam nods.

After placing our orders, it only takes our food around ten minutes to arrive. I simply ordered a small plate of quesadillas and a taco. For the most part, nobody really speaks until we're all close to done with our food and Sam receives the bill (which, considering six of us ordered food, isn't that bad).

"So... are we just going to ignore the elephant in the room?" Heath asks, his voice at whisper volume.

"What do you mean?" Elle asks, finishing the final sips of her soda.