Prologue

A wave rolls in with a crash, and you jump back. Water slides across the sand toward your bare feet. When your parents first told you about a vacation by the sea, you were so excited that you bought a new pair of goggles. But the closest you had ever been to the ocean was watching a movie on coral reefs at school. You hadn’t realized it was so... big!

You watch from the beach as your mom and dad—and even your little sister—bob in the ocean swells. Their playful laughter rolls across the waves as fear grips you.

“Come on in!” your dad calls.

“The water’s great,” your mom adds.

You swallow hard. The thought of what might lurk under all of that water makes your knees go weak.

“Th-th-that’s okay,” you reply. “I’ll go grab a snack.”

You run across the soft, sun-baked sand. You hurry up the weather-beaten steps of the condo your parents rented. You enter, and the door creaks shut behind you, blocking out the sound of the surf.

You sigh. It’s going to be a long week.

Several peaceful moments pass. But eventually you notice a loud crash of waves. That wouldn’t be odd, except the sound is coming from inside the condo. It’s followed by faint screams and the echoes of gunfire—the sounds of an adventure.

Your heart pounds. Did someone leave the TV on? you wonder, as you follow the noise into the living room. The racket seems to be coming from a shelf lined with battered, old books: The Call of the Wild, Treasure Island, and Dracula, to name a few. The book that catches your attention is Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Somehow, it seems to be the cause of the bizarre commotion.

You’re afraid to guess what will happen if you pick up the book, yet you can’t help feeling curious. Could this be the thrill of a lifetime? Will it be dangerous? Is there a chance you could get hurt, or worse? You feel strangely certain the answer is “yes” to all of the above.

The sounds slowly begin to fade. Your instincts tell you it’s now or never. You must decide, and you must decide fast. Will you pick up the book, or will you leave it be? What will you choose to do? (Choices are on the next page.)