The Twisted Tale of Tiki Island Read online

  “Their medallions!” you gasp.

  “I see them,” Gina murmurs.

  The Tiki warriors both wear medallions exactly like Hooahtoo’s! Decorated with the Tiki Eye.

  Exactly like the eye burned into your hand!

  And now the piece of stone in your pocket is growing warmer. You can feel it right through the straw box.

  Turn to PAGE 53.

  “Climb back up the steps!” you shout to Gina. “It’s our only chance!”

  You lead the way up the steps. Only three of the rotted wood stairs are above the water. You huddle close to the ceiling and try to keep your legs away from the meat-eating fish.

  SNAP! The top step breaks in two! You fall to the next step down.

  SNAP! The next step breaks! You drop to the one below.

  SNAP! The last step cracks in half. You drop into the waiting jaws of the hungry fish.

  It’s over in seconds. The fish waste no time in finishing you and Gina off. All that’s left are your bones.

  But don’t worry. You won’t be alone. As a matter of fact, you’ll fit right in! There’s a whole crowd waiting on deck to welcome you to Captain Bones’s skeleton crew.

  THE END

  You don’t want to wait to find out who — or what — is coming. You reach for the secret door, knocking over a large Tiki mask. It gives you an idea.

  “Here, Gina,” you hiss. “Put this on.” You hand Gina the mask. Then you grab one for yourself. Once the masks are in place, you shove open the door.

  The Tiki warriors stand by the fire. They still clutch the nasty-looking branding tools. As you and Gina step through the door, the warriors glance at you.

  “AAiiiiieee!” one of the warriors cries. He drops to the ground! The other takes one look in your direction and runs screaming from the cave!

  You smile under your mask. “It worked!” you declare. “We scared them off with the masks!”

  “I wonder why these masks scared them so much,” Gina comments.

  You shrug. “Who cares!” you reply. “As long as it worked.”

  You reach up to pull off the mask. As you do, a movement behind you catches your eye.

  You whirl around.

  And scream!

  Turn to PAGE 87.

  The man with the big voice is actually tiny!

  Teeny-tiny!

  Hooahtoo barely comes up to your chest!

  A long white beard flows down the front of his purple robe. Seashells and purple flowers crown his mane of white hair. The purple mist continues to swirl around him. You can’t figure out where it’s coming from.

  Then Hooahtoo stares right at you. There is no color in his eyes. They are as white as his hair.

  Hooahtoo is blind.

  “Show me the thing you have brought with you,” Hooahtoo orders again. He stretches his hand toward you.

  As you stare at him, your eyes are drawn to a medallion hanging around his neck. In the center of the medallion is a jeweled eye.

  You’ve seen an eye exactly like it before.

  On the gleaming stone piece you found on the ocean floor!

  Go to PAGE 36.

  You decide it’s too risky to turn on the flashlight. In total darkness you keep working on Gina’s ropes. “I got it!” you whisper excitedly.

  “Oh, thank goodness!” Gina cries as you pull off her gag. “They’re monsters. I heard them talking. They’re planning to come back from the dead and take over the whole island!”

  “Is that possible?” you ask.

  “Yes! The only thing stopping them before was that they didn’t know the way up. Now we’re here — and they want us to lead them! If we refuse, we’re finished.”

  “And if we don’t refuse?” you ask.

  “Then Tiki Island and everyone on it is finished,” Gina whispers.

  Go to PAGE 119.

  “He’s free,” Dr. Oates declares. “Finally, the spirit of the Tiki King is free. Thanks to you.”

  The three of you stroll back to Dr. Oates’s camp. “You will become a part of this island’s history,” Dr. Oates tells you. “As a reward I’ll give you each a Tiki mask to take home. The islanders would want you to have them for lifting the curse.”

  You and Gina carry your masks proudly. You thank Dr. Oates and head back toward the jungle path.

  Oooops! You trip on a root. You stumble and knock Gina down. You both land hard, shattering your masks into a zillion pieces.

  From the pile of pieces, two new ghosts arise.

  Yup. Two. One for each mask.

  You’ll go down in Tiki history all right. As the clumsy jerks who lifted the Tiki curse — and then started it all over again.

  In duplicate.

  Double trouble, pal.

  Well, maybe the Tiki Islanders won’t be TWO mad at you.

  But, you realize, that may be TWO much to hope for in

  THE END.

  THE END.

  You’re going to the mouth of the volcano.

  The giant lizard is carrying you and Gina to the very top of Kenalua Mountain.

  The lizard steps out of the tunnel into fresh air. Gina gasps behind you. “Look how high we are!” she exclaims. “We must be near the top!”

  The lizard comes to an abrupt stop. It practically dumps you and Gina onto the ground. Then it nudges you from behind.

  “Okay! Okay!” you cry. “I’m going! Sheeesh!”

  You and Gina climb the rest of the way. To the very top of Kenalua Mountain. Right to the walk-way that runs along the mouth of the volcano.

  “Well, here goes,” you declare. You take the stone piece out of your pocket. You glance back at the giant lizard. It almost seems to nod.

  Then you rear back and hurl the Tiki Eye into the heart of the volcano!

  Turn to PAGE 82.

  You decide to go back through the tunnel and try to get help. There are just too many of them to fight on your own.

  You dash into the mouth of the tunnel. As soon as you cross the threshold, the entrance snaps shut!

  You turn and gaze at the blocked passage. Strange gleaming growths hang in front of the entrance to the tunnel. They look just like teeth!

  And the ground beneath your feet has changed. It’s not the sparkling beach of the lagoon. It’s soft and pinkish.

  Whoops! Wrong tunnel!

  In fact, this isn’t a tunnel at all. It’s the throat of some sea monster you’ve never even seen! And never will, come to think of it.

  A loud gurgling comes from farther down the throat. You feel everything vibrate and shake. The creature is swallowing! You’re being sucked down. Down into the belly of the beast!

  GULP!

  Too bad the last meal of this vacation turned out to be YOU.

  THE END

  You decide you’d better pretend to get rid of the stone. Before Gina has a fit!

  “Okay, Gina,” you agree. “I’ll chuck this thing.” You reach into your pocket and pretend to pull out the piece of stone. You act as if you’re throwing as hard as you can.

  “Wow!” Gina exclaims. “Awesome pitch! I can’t even see where it went. Now let’s get out of here!” Then she turns and races down the mountain path.

  You suddenly feel bad about lying to your cousin. And afraid of what might happen if you don’t follow Hooahtoo’s directions.

  “Gina, wait!” you call. “I didn’t really —”

  You dash after her. You need to convince her to go up to the mouth of the volcano to break the curse.

  “Gina!” you call again. She darts around a curve in the path.

  When you round the corner, Gina is nowhere in sight.

  She’s vanished!

  Go look for her on PAGE 38.

  You hear Gina’s muffled cries from inside the closet. You feel so helpless. If you could just open that closet and …

  A bony hand gripping your shoulder interrupts your thoughts.

  “I’ve found the other one!” a scratchy voice bellows.

  You
whirl around.

  And stand nose to nose with the biggest skeleton of all!

  Only he has no nose! Just a gaping hole.

  You gasp in the face of this walking horror show.

  “Allow me to introduce myself,” snarls the fleshless creature. “I am the Master of the Ship, Captain Bones! And you are about to join my crew!”

  Go to PAGE 7.

  Hooahtoo, that’s who!

  “What’s he doing here?” you cry.

  “And where did all that treasure come from?” Gina adds.

  Suddenly, the drums stop beating. Hooahtoo stands. He turns his head in your direction. You and Gina duck away from the edge.

  Did he sense your presence? You know he doesn’t need his eyes to see! Your heart pounds so hard, it sounds as if the drums have started up again!

  You hear Hooahtoo address the crowd. “I am Hooahtoo!” roars the tiny white-haired man. “When the Tiki Eye has been returned to the sacred Tiki Mask, I shall be supreme ruler of Tiki Island. All the power of the island spirits shall belong to me! Those who are with me shall live. Those who are against me shall be sealed in my underground prison. Forever!”

  Oh, no! Hooahtoo told you to trust no one. You never thought that warning included him!

  You and Gina crawl back to the edge of the ledge. You have to see what Hooahtoo is doing! You stare down.

  Hooahtoo holds up a jeweled and golden Tiki mask.

  And it’s missing one eye!

  Go to PAGE 9.

  This part of the reef is shallow. You and Gina float above brightly colored fish that dart around the coral.

  Gina taps you on the shoulder. She points to an opening in the reef. An undersea cave! She wants to explore it.

  You’re about to follow her, when you catch sight of something gleaming on the reef floor. What could it be? you wonder. It’s as big as your fist and comes to a sharp point. Cool! Maybe it’s a spearhead.

  Gina’s already swimming toward the cave. You pop your head out of the water and see Kala waving and yelling from the boat. It’s too soon to head back, you think. What does Kala want?

  Then you see it. A dark fin slicing through the water. Kala was trying to warn you.

  It’s a shark!

  And it’s heading straight for you!

  What should you do? Try to swim into the cave? Or should you grab the spearheadlike thing and use it to protect yourself?

  Quick! Make up your mind!

  If you swim toward the cave in the reef, go to PAGE 111.

  If you dive for the gleaming spearhead, turn to PAGE 40.

  “I’m waiting for an explanation, you little brat!” Dr. Oates bellows. His loud voice wakens Gina.

  “What’s going on?” she cries.

  You frantically search your pockets. “It’s gone!” you wail. “I’ve lost the stone piece!”

  “Get out of here!” Dr. Oates shouts. “And don’t bother me again!”

  You and Gina take off. You dart through the archaeological dig. You trip and stumble through the jungle, all the way to the resort.

  You and Gina lean against a tree, catching your breath. “Thank goodness we got out of there,” you say, panting. “And I never want to hear another word about that stupid stone eye again!”

  Gina nods. “You won’t hear about it from me,” she promises.

  You notice a crowd of reporters on the front lawn of the hotel. “Hey, what do you suppose that’s all about?” you ask Gina.

  She shrugs. “Let’s see,” she says.

  Mingle with the crowd on PAGE 42.

  You and Gina quickly change out of your wet bathing suits in the dockside cabanas. You carry the stone piece wrapped in your towel. You don’t want it to burn you again! Then you head into town.

  You pass a sign by the side of the road. “Check that out,” you tell Gina. You point at the crudely lettered notice.

  “Visit the archaeological dig!” she reads aloud. “See ancient artifacts, explained by Dr. Oliver Oates!”

  “Dr. Oates,” you repeat. “Maybe that’s who we should see about the stone eye.”

  “Yeah,” Gina agrees. “Maybe the thing you found is an ancient artifact. Then Dr. Oates would know all about it.”

  “After all,” you add, “I don’t even know this Hooahtoo guy.”

  “Well, you don’t know Dr. Oates, either,” Gina points out. “If you ask me, it’s a toss-up.”

  She’s right. It is a toss-up. So toss it up!

  Toss up a coin. If it lands on HEADS, go see Hooahtoo on PAGE 81.

  If the coin lands on TAILS, go see Oates on PAGE 10.

  “It’s a deal!” you tell Dr. Oates. “You give us two hundred dollars, and we give you the Tiki Eye.”

  “Wise choice,” he murmurs. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out two hundred-dollar bills and tosses them at you. The bills flutter to the ground.

  Then he snatches the stone piece. “Now take the money and get out of here,” Dr. Oates orders. “I’ve got work to do!” With that, he spins around and heads into the shack. You and Gina pick up the money and head back to the path.

  “I’m going straight to the Swim Shop!” Gina declares. She waves her hundred-dollar bill at you. “I see a new bathing suit, some flippers, and maybe an underwater radio in my future!”

  You can’t resist one last glance at the archaeological site.

  You gasp when your eyes land on a strange figure in the doorway of the shack. It’s Dr. Oates. You recognize his clothes. Only now he also wears a huge Tiki mask! It matches the one he showed you in the book!

  A worker glances up from where he is digging. His eyes meet the eyes of the mask. Instantly, the worker keels over into the hole. Another worker looks up. As soon as she sees the mask she too crumples to the ground, moaning.

  “The mask!” you whisper hoarsely to Gina. “They’re terrified of the mask!”

  Run to PAGE 96.

  The volcano’s rumbling grows louder. You watch the tour guide. Why is everyone running except her? you wonder.

  You turn toward Gina. Her face is white with fear. You grab her sleeve as she starts to run. “Wait,” you urge her.

  You pull Gina behind a thick clump of bushes. You put a finger to your lips. She nods.

  The tour guide pushes aside a shrub. She yanks out a tape recorder and shuts it off. Instantly, the mountain stops rumbling.

  “It worked!” she calls. “The volcano recording frightened them away.” She laughs as she tears off her tour guide badge and throws it on the ground.

  The loudmouthed guy jogs back down the mountain to join her. “Well done,” he congratulates the fake tour guide. “We must keep all outsiders away from the Tiki altar!”

  They reach down into the bushes. Night is falling, so it’s hard to see what they’re doing. You motion Gina to follow you. You creep out from your hiding place for a better look.

  A flash of lightning cracks across the sky. In that flash the tour guide and the loudmouthed guy turn to face you. Only now they look very different.

  And very terrifying.

  Go to PAGE 62.

  Luckily for you, the skeleton guards don’t seem to see you. They peer into the water with blank stares.

  You swim to the surface and gulp in air. You see gun ports spaced along the side of the ship above the waterline. You swim to the closest one and peek in — there’s a cabin with a table and four chairs. Skeletons sit in three of the chairs.

  Gina is tied into the fourth chair! She’s blind-folded and gagged.

  Your best friend is a prisoner of the skeleton crew!

  You have to think fast. Should you swim around to the other side of the ship and sneak on board? Or should you try to get back to Kala and his boat and bring help?

  If you sneak aboard the ship, turn to PAGE 112.

  If you try to get back to Kala and bring help, turn to PAGE 75.

  You have no time to wrestle with a stalagmite. You’ll try the Tiki Eye. Maybe you can use it to bargain for your life. Or ja
b the warriors if they come too close.

  You yank the stone piece out of your pocket.

  “Tiki Eye!” one of the warriors cries. He aims his spear at you and lunges.

  “No!” Gina shrieks.

  Terror makes you feel like everything is happening in slow motion. You stand frozen. Staring at the gleaming spear point. Holding out the Tiki Eye. Then you see something strange.

  The eye is glowing purple!

  You snap out of it — because the warrior’s spear is an inch away from you!

  Your mouth opens in a silent scream.

  Then the spear seems to bounce off an invisible wall!

  The purple glow of the Tiki Eye is acting as a protective shield!

  The warrior tries again. But his spear can’t get through the Tiki force field.

  You don’t know how long the eye’s protective power will last. You have to figure out your next step!

  See what it is on PAGE 126.

  The impact makes you dizzy. The walls spin. Your head pounds.

  No. It isn’t your head that’s pounding.

  It’s the sound of drums!

  You sit up slowly and glance around. You’re on a ledge overlooking a huge cavern. Below, a fire blazes in a circle around a golden throne. Your heart skips a beat at the sight of the hundreds of masked warriors surrounding the throne. All of them carry sharp spears.

  Gina’s out cold on the floor next to you. “Gina?” you whisper, nudging her. “Gina! Wake up!”

  “Huh?” Gina sits up groggily. “Where are we?”

  “I’m not sure,” you tell her. The two of you peer down from the ledge. “Whoa,” you mutter. “Check that out!”