Don't Close Your Eyes! by R.L. Stine Page B

stop my legs from pumping up and down.
    “Shhh. Be quiet, Max,” Tara said. “Sit still. Give Inkweed a chance to come out and die.”
    I forced my legs to keep still. I took long deep breaths of the cold cave air.
    I kept gazing around, even though I couldn't see a thing. The darkness was so heavy and thick, it was like being asleep while you're awake. Or in a dream where the whole world has disappeared.
    Nicky and Tara stood beside me as I hunched on the edge of the rock ledge. We waited. And waited …
    I heard a sound. A soft scraping. Growing louder.
    Inkweed! Sliding out of me!
    No.
    The sound came from a distance.
    I sat up straight, suddenly alert.
    I heard a steady rhythm of scraping sounds. Soft thuds. Growing louder. Approaching fast.
    Footsteps!
    My heart thudding, I turned to Nicky and Tara. “We … we're not alone in here,” I whispered.

24
    PERCHEDONTHEROCK ledge, I hugged myself and listened. The footsteps were soft, muffled, as if someone was trying not to be heard.
    “Nicky? Tara? Do you hear it?” I whispered. “What should we do?”
    Silence.
    The soft thuds came closer. Someone—or something—was slowly, carefully navigating the path down from the cavern entrance.
    “Nicky? Tara?”
    No reply.
    They had disappeared.
    How could they do that? How could they leave me here in this freezing, dark cave—all alone with someone approaching … someone very near now … very near?
    “Nicky?Tara?”
    Something bumped my ankle.
    I cried out.
    It pulled back fast.
    I heard the scrape of several paws all around me.
    Something swiped at my leg.
    I started to jump up from the ledge. Before I could move, two eyes stared into mine.
    And slowly, my eyes focused on the creature at my feet.
    A fat raccoon.
    It pawed my leg again.
    “Go away,” I said, panic choking my voice. “Beat it.”
    It didn't move.
    I turned and saw another raccoon staring up at me. And another beside it, pawing at the side of my rock ledge.
    Five or six raccoons came into view. They had formed a loose circle around me. One raised its front paws as if begging.
    What did they want? Did they expect me to feed them?
    They're rabid! I suddenly thought. They're planning to attack!
    Another raccoon raised its front paws and stared at me. Beside him, a fat one scraped the rock ledge with its claws.
    Their circle grew tighter.
    I took a deep breath.
“Go away!”
I shouted.
“I'm not kidding! Go away!”
    My voice boomed through the cavern. Itechoed and bounced off the cavern walls until the words were lost in a jumble of noise.
    I jumped to my feet.
“Scat! Scat!”
    To my surprise, they turned and took off. Their paws slapped the mud as the entire pack ran up the path toward the entrance.
    Breathing hard, I slumped back onto the rock ledge.
    “Nicky? Tara?”
    No. They still weren't back.
    I shut my eyes and tried to force my heartbeats back to normal. I shivered. I'd never been so cold. Or alone. Or frightened.
    Closing my eyes was a bad idea. I suddenly felt sleepy again.
    I felt Inkweed slither around behind my forehead.
    He was supposed to be dying. Taking him to this dark cavern was supposed to destroy him.
    “It's sure taking a long time,” I said out loud.
    I yawned. “A very long time.”
    I felt the evil ghost push at the backs of my eyeballs.
    Something is terribly wrong, I realized. It isn't working.
    Unless I just have to wait longer … ?
    But I couldn't wait here in this freezing cave much longer. I had to get out and see the skyagain. See some light. In this deep blackness, I couldn't tell if my eyes were open or not.
    The darkest place on the darkest night.
    Well, here I am. And it's not working.
    I yawned again. I could feel myself drifting, drifting into the darkness. I could feel it pulling me, deeper and deeper … into a deep sleep….
    And as I started to sleep, I felt my mouth open. And a laugh burst out—a hoarse, dry,
terrifying
laugh that made the cave walls roar.
    Haa haaaaaaaaaaah!
    Inkweed's