Red Midnight, Chapters 9-11 Summaries, Written by the Sing-songy Arleigh W!

Chapter 9

In Chapter 9, Enrique is helping them get past the entrance to the Río Dulce. He is helping because there is a military boat guarding the entrance! They are on El Golfete, and when they are close enough to be seen, they go near the shore. They have to take the sail down because that could be the only way they could escape. After Santiago took down the sail, Enrique told him to rest. When he was resting he was looking for butterflies with Angelina. When they are closer to shore and closer to the military boat, Enrique sees a bright searchlight! They hide quickly behind hanging branches. The searchlight sweeps over them, but doesn’t find them! The bright light was turned off! They wait patiently and then Angelina says, “I think I saw a big white butterfly.”

I thought that the end of Chapter 9 leaves tension because when they move again, if the searchlight goes back on they might be able to be hidden and will be seen.

Chapter 10

In Chapter 10, Enrique has to leave soon and is telling them exactly what to do. He is telling them that whenever they pass a country, they are doing it illegally. They drop Enrique off at an old Spanish fort. When he is leaving, he tells them, “Do not speak Spanish. Pretend you don’t understand them. You must smile and speak Kekchi. Pretend the day is good and nothing is wrong.”

I thought that the end of Chapter 10 leaves tension because we have no idea what will happen to them. They are all alone, and they are sailing on an ocean soon. Anything could happen to them.

  

Chapter 11

In Chapter 11, they are all alone. Just Santiago and Angelina. Angelina thinks there are pigs in the cayuco. He has trouble seeing the North Star. He tells Angelina to go to sleep, the one thing he is dying to do, but he can’t. He has an idea to make one notch on the side of the cayuco for everyday that he survives. He sees something floating in the water. He sees some branches and palm leaves. The takes them, and keeps them in handy for when he needs them. When he asks Angelina to get tortillas, she got them. Then, she didn’t want to eat them because they were soggy and wet. Santiago yells at her to eat it because he is tired and cranky. Next, she has to go to the bathroom. Santiago held her over the ledge so she can do her business and when she is done there are no paper towels. So he rips off part of his sleve and decides this will be their rag for cleaning themselves after going to the bathroom.

I thought that the end of Chapter 11 leaves tension because if they found an island, they could’ve said something like, "Okay we are done, this island is fine to live on" and could’ve given up.

Thanks to our super duper star, Arleigh, for writing this! :)