Atherton #3: The Dark Planet (No. 3) by Patrick Carman Page B

outside--except far larger. Its head alone was covered not
    in stones but glowing red boulders. Supercharged beams of
    white light shot from its empty eye sockets. The monster's head
    swung back and forth in a cloud of blue. It didn't seem to be
    bothered by firebugs bouncing off the sides of its molten head.
    The head was eyeless, noseless-- senseless but for the great
    rock-coated mouth that ate every thing in its path.
    Its body snaked back into the rocks. This thing and the tunnel
    were one--the thing and Atherton were one! There was no
    separating them.
    This must be the keeper Dr. Kincaid spoke about, thought
    Edgar. I don't know how to get past it. I shouldn't have come
    down here!
    The monster appeared to be drunk on firebugs as its head
    slumped forward and then sprang to life again. Edgar stood at
    the top of the main tunnel where it split like a T. The monster
    was down the left side, and on the right lay a passageway
    leading, Edgar guessed, to more trouble.
    I can't go back out, and if that thing finishes with the firebugs it'll
    come after me next. I've got no choice but to run as fast as I can
    to the right.
    The firebugs were thinning out fast when Edgar made his move.
    He made the fateful guess that this creature, like the others
    outside, was attached to Atherton like a spring. If he could move
    quickly enough he might be able to outrun it.
    The monstrous head was energized from its dreamy meal of
    glowing blue bugs. Its head lashed hard and the lights from its
    empty eye sockets locked on Edgar. Someone had entered its
    realm, and the giant stone-covered beast was not pleased. Its
    head slashed forward, firebugs and flaming boulders flying
    every which way. Parts of the monster actually broke free,
    careening toward Edgar. Orange froth sizzled and charred the
    walls black.
    The mouth of the beast opened full and wide, big enough to
    swallow ten Edgars in one crashing bite. Out of its mouth flew
    thousands of firebugs and streams of lava. The stone jaws
    slammed shut short of Edgar, but the wave of hot air sent
    firebugs flying every where.
    As the monster careened backward on its own internal spring,
    its head smashed back and forth against the tunnel walls. The
    deafening noise of rocks crashing into each other sounded like
    the world was coming to an end. The movement created a draft
    that pulled at Edgar's shirt and dragged the firebugs back into
    the mouth of the monster.
    The beast, battered and angry, retreated into the rocks and
    disappeared from view. Edgar felt unbearably heavy and tired.
    The weight of all that had happened on his journey finally
    toppled him to the ground.
    Little did Edgar realize that he was staring down the tunnel to
    the very place Vincent and Dr. Kincaid had dreamed about.
    Edgar was closer than he knew to something he couldn't have
    imagined.
    A way back to the Dark Planet.
    CHAPTER 6A LEAP OF FAITH
    "What do you mean he's not back yet? He shouldn't even be
    gone yet!"
    "How could they do this?" Isabel went on. "It's like they tricked
    us--tricked Edgar!--so they could get what they wanted."
    "Try to stay calm," reasoned Samuel. "We don't even know for
    sure what's going on yet."
    The two of them were standing in a grove of second-year trees
    tying strings around clusters of figs along with a number of other
    adults and children who might be able to hear them. Samuel
    was trying to keep her from giving too much away.
    "How can you say that?" said Isabel, her words like a storm
    against a door that might break free at any moment. "They sent
    us away. They knew we wouldn't let him go to the edge alone,
    without support... without us there for him. It matters, Samuel.
    You know it matters to Edgar."
    Samuel couldn't deny that Edgar was doing something that
    might very well get him killed. For all his strength and skill and
    courage, he was still only twelve and without parents to protect
    him.
    "Do you think Edgar is easy to fool?" asked Samuel. "I mean,
    do you think he would