Running Scared by Gloria Skurzynski Page A

in this cave by itself. Someone’s gotta be back there.”
    â€œThere’s no one in this cave, Stoney. That’s impossible. It’s after hours. No one could get in unless they jimmied open the locked door like we did.”
    â€œNothin’s impossible. We need to check it out.”
    In the blackness, Jack, Sam, and Ashley froze, not even breathing.
    They heard footsteps coming toward them. Suddenly two brilliant, luminous eyes, 12 inches apart on what looked like an enormous head, drilled into them from no more than 20 feet away.
    â€œThe Chupa—!” Sam screamed. “Ch-chupa—G-g-g-goat….”
    â€œSam—no!” Jack cried.
    But Sam had bolted, running crazily away from them, his feet churning in the soft cave dirt until he disappeared into darkness.
    A voice said, “It’s kids. I saw them. Three kids.”
    â€œWhere did they come from?”
    â€œOver there—on your right!”
    The two stabbing lights were not eyes, but two individual headlamps, one on each of the men. Since the men were about the same height, when they stood side by side, the lights looked enough like a pair of eyes to scare Sammy out of his wits, making him think the Chupacabra had come after him. In the confusion, Ashley screamed, “Catch him! Catch Sammy! We can’t lose him again.”
    Moving fast, the man named Stoney reached them, yelling, “What did you kids see?” as he grabbed Ashley’s sore arm.
    â€œOuch! That hurts! Let me go! We didn’t see anything. It doesn’t matter. We have to get Sammy before he gets lost again.”
    It was then that they heard a wild wailing, not too far away in the tunnel, about as far as a terrified eight-year-old might be able to run in little more than a minute.
    â€œCome on, Stoney, let her go!” Ryan said. “It sounds like one of them’s in trouble.”
    â€œHey, you and me will be in trouble if these brats saw anything, and they go blabbing about it. I’m not going after some dumb kid and spoil what we got goin’ here.”
    â€œYou don’t know this cave, and I do. It’s dangerous,” Ryan said as he pushed past Jack and Ashley to follow the sound of Sam’s shrieks. “I’m not letting any little kiddie in here.”
    â€œHey, get back here, you!”
    But Ryan was already moving rapidly along the tunnel, with Jack and Ashley running after him.

CHAPTER NINE
    S toney stayed behind, yelling, “Don’t blow this job, man! Think of the money!” But Ryan pushed ahead, following the light of his headlamp as he unfastened a flashlight from his belt. When he turned that on, brightness flooded the cave as though a small sun had risen, and the sudden brilliance burned Jack’s eyes, nearly blinding him. Jack still hadn’t gotten a good look at either of the men, but he could tell that Ryan was thinner and younger than Stoney, and he wore a thick leather belt that all kinds of tools dangled from, like a repairman’s. Ryan moved swiftly. The tunnel seemed to be as familiar to him as his own backyard.
    â€œH-h-help! J-Jack!” Sam wailed.
    â€œHold on, Sam—we’re coming!” Jack called out to the boy. Now that there was light to mark the path ahead, neither Jack nor Ashley had trouble keeping up with Ryan. They hurried behind his retreating figure.
    Ryan stopped suddenly and turned to Jack, and this time, Jack could make him out clearly. He had pale blue eyes, the kind that looked almost colorless, and long orange-red hair pulled back into a ponytail. His skin was marked by a constellation of blemishes that reached all the way to his helmet.
    â€œIs that the kid’s name—Sam?” Ryan demanded. Jack nodded, while Stoney’s rough voice barked, “Get back here. This is not our problem!”
    Ignoring Stoney, Ryan turned once again down the narrow tunnel, his light sweeping in front of him in a brilliant arc.