A second later, the bottom of the world seems to drop away. Waves, spray, big rocks, they all blur together. I’m instantly soaked from head to foot, and that’s fun, too. Like the coolest ride in the coolest water park ever. The raft bobs and tips, and a couple of times it almost flips over. Or that’s what it feels like. I think most of us are screaming, partly in terror and partly for the sheer fun of it. And we’re all improving with the paddle work. The only one not cheering is Imani, but from the way she handles her paddle, I’m guessing this isn’t her first rafting experience.

Sky has his hands full keeping us upright. Suddenly we’re spinning backward and it’s all I can do to stay in the raft, let alone follow Sky’s shouted instructions.

“RED RED RED!”

He’s digging like mad with his own paddle. We’re heading right for a huge white boulder, waves breaking all around it. I don’t know what to do, or how to help. We’re doomed for sure. But somehow Sky shoves us off, and then we’re spinning the other way and I get a face full of water that makes it hard to see.

Next thing I know, we’re out of the rapids and slowing down as the river widens. Our screams turn to cheers.

We made it!

And maybe if we’d stopped right there, all of us would have survived.

3. The Luckiest Kid in the World

We make camp on a sandy beach, as promised, under yellow-tinted cliffs that put us in shadow long before the sun goes down. We unload the raft, drag it as far from the water as possible, and tie it to a scraggly tree. The place is beautiful in a slightly spooky way, the way the cliffs have been carved out of the sandstone ravine. It’s so different from New Hampshire that we might as well be on Mars.

Sky calls the camp Tranquility Base. “First thing, set up our tents. Five tents in line with where the raft is tethered. Cindi will assist. While you’re doing that, I’ll get the campfire going.”

After the tents are set up, Sky asks us to gather around the fire. “I understand that none of you really know each other. For the most part you attended different elementary schools, is that correct? Okay. I also gather that some of you are wondering how you got picked to participate in this program. It came out of the blue, right? A letter in the mail, offering you the chance to participate. All I know about the selection process is that you’ve been chosen because the Byron James Foundation thinks you might benefit from the experience. Clear?”

Some of us nod. Deke catches Tony’s attention and rolls his eyes.