Running Scared by Gloria Skurzynski Page A

formations.
    â€œCome on, Sammy, say something!” Ashley demanded. “Are you afraid about Consuela? She’s going to be fine.
    Pick up your lantern and walk toward us.” Another pause. “Just do it, Sammy—we’ve got to get back!”
    Jack had always imagined that a cave would echo, but Ashley’s words seemed to get sucked into the blackness. The light ahead didn’t move the slightest bit.
    â€œI guess he’s going to make us go all the way up there to get him,” Ashley sighed. “What a pain he’s turned out to be.”
    It took another five minutes before Jack realized what they’d been walking toward. At first, his eyes couldn’t process the fact that the light wasn’t on the ground, but suspended almost four feet in the air, a small, round circle that didn’t flicker or move like his own candle did. Then, when he finally got within ten feet, he understood. The light they’d been chasing hadn’t been a lantern at all but rather a flat glass reflector fastened on top of a metal pole. The green glow was nothing more than a reflection of their own lantern light, a fool’s gold that had drawn them far into the corridor. They’d been wasting their time; worst of all, Sam was nowhere to be found.
    â€œGreat, just great,” Jack muttered. “We’ve been chasing air.”
    Ashley seemed bewildered as she stared at the reflector. “Sorry. I really thought it was Sam. What is this thing?”
    â€œI guess it’s a marker of some kind. I don’t know what it’s for, but it sure has messed us up. We’ve been gone 15, maybe 20 minutes already. You realize that the rangers are probably already looking for us. This whole thing is getting to be big trouble.”
    â€œI said I was sorry! What else do you want me to do?”
    â€œSo you agree that we’ve got to go back and get help now?”
    Scowling, Ashley gave a terse nod. It wasn’t really her fault, Jack knew. He’d gone along with her plan. But he could feel panic starting to spread through his insides, the same as when he gulped a glass of cold water on a hot day. Time was ticking by, and with each second Sammy could be getting more lost while he and Ashley could be getting into more and more trouble. What were the first instructions drilled into him every time he went camping? Stay with the group. Don’t leave the trail. But here he was, wandering in a cave, away from any adult or ranger. Well, he’d be the leader now. It was time to give it up and get help.
    Holding his lantern high, Jack began retracing his steps. The layer of cave dust was lighter here, which made the popcorn formations appear whiter, like real popped kernels glittering with crystals. He shuddered when he saw a half-mummified body of a bat next to the trail, and wondered how many of the creatures were in these small side passages. They don’t swarm until night, he reminded himself. Just keep going. Don’t think about them. Think about Sam. It was possible Sam had already returned to the tour group, and everyone was sitting at the part of Left Hand Tunnel known as The Beach, just waiting for them to show up. And Consuela—what about her? Had the medics taken her away by now? Had—
    â€œJack, you’re going the wrong way. That’s not the way we came.”
    â€œWhat?” Jack stopped and held the lantern to Ashley’s face. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest as if she were cold, and she was shaking her head.
    â€œSee how this tunnel splits? You’re going to the left. We came from the right.”
    Peering into the darkness, Jack realized the trail divided like an artery. How had he missed it? But his sister was wrong—this was the path they’d walked. He was almost sure of it.
    â€œAshley, this is the right one. Look, when I turn around, I can see the reflector perfectly.”
    â€œBut watch me. I’m