“Real,” he murmured. “I thought …” He bent down, struggling to calm down and catch his breath.
I turned to the Stranges. “Did you get that on tape?”
Derek shook his head. “Too dark,” he muttered. “Too dark in here for these lenses.” He frowned at the camcorder. “We need more light.”
“Let’s find the mummies,” Margo said softly, glancing nervously at the snakes. “Those snakes must be puppets or something. They wouldn’t have live snakes loose like that in here, would they?”
No one answered. We were too eager to get out of that room and away from the seething snake pit.
But where was the door?
I spun around. And spun around again.
Which way did we come in?
Away from the triangle of orange light, we moved through solid blackness.
And found ourselves in a room we hadn’t walked through. A long, low-ceilinged room.
My heart thudding, I stopped to catch my breath. The air felt heavy and damp. The sour smell of mildew, of decay, followed us.
“Real snakes?” Margo murmured. “Were they real or not?” She had taken off the heart-shaped sunglasses. I caught the fear in her eyes.
Derek placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “They may have been robots. Or maybe computerized puppets. Too dark in there to really tell. Come on, guys. Let’s not stop here. Let’s keep moving.”
“Yeah. Let’s find the mummies!” Luke declared, sounding normal again.
We found them in the next room.
As soon as we entered the long, dark room, we saw the two rows of stone mummy cases standing against the walls.
“Yes!” Luke cried happily. “I’ll bet they’re real too. Real mummies!” He took off, heading to the nearest case.
He stopped short a few feet away and uttered a disappointed groan.
“What’s wrong?” I called, hurrying up to him.
“It’s closed up,” he moaned. “Look. The mummy cases. The lids are all closed.”
I gazed down the long row of mummy cases. Yes. Luke was right. The cases all had stone lids, shut tight.
“What a rip-off!” Luke complained. “How are you supposed to see the mummies if the lids are all closed?”
He tore off down the row, examining case after case. Clay kept close to him, shaking his head.
I followed behind, walking slowly, my eyes running over the heavy stone cases, wondering if they were empty. Or if real mummies from ancient Egypt stood inside them.
The boys had trotted nearly to the end of the room. “Hey, Luke? Clay? Wait up!” I called.
I stopped with a gasp when I heard the voice.
At first, I thought I was hearing the hiss of a snake.
But then I realized it was a hoarse, whispered voice.
“Let me out. Please—let me out!”
A voice spoke from inside an ancient mummy case.
I stared at the tall stone case. The hoarse, whispered plea rang in my ear.
Silence now.
Had I imagined it? Was Luke playing a joke on me?
No. Luke and Clay were at the other end of the room, examining the lid of a mummy case near the door.
And the hoarse plea repeated itself: “Please— let me out! Let me out!” So soft. The words muffled by the heavy stone lid.
I grabbed the edge of the lid. The stone felt rough and scratchy. “This-there’s someone in here!” I cried.
I tried to pry open the lid.
And then I heard the plea of another hoarse voice from the next ancient coffin: “Let me out. … I have to get out …”
And more whispered words from the next coffin: “Help me. Somebody. Help me.”
And then voices from all the mummy cases:
“I’ve been in here so long. …”
“Please let me out. … Please …”
“I’m still alive. … Open the lid. … I’m still alive. …”
Voices all around. I raised my hands to my face. I tugged at the sides of my hair.
And then I realized what I was hearing.
Recorded voices. Taped voices from speakers hidden in the cases. Repeating … repeating …
“Let me out. … Please …”
“Let me out. …”
Of course the voices were recorded. There couldn’t be anyone locked in these old cases. No way.
“Hey, Luke!” I turned away and shouted over the hoarse, repeating voices.
“Luke?”
He was gone. Clay too. And I couldn’t see the Stranges anywhere.
“Hey—we were supposed to stick together!” I shouted. “Where did you go?”
I took off, my sneakers slapping the stone floor, kicking up thick dust as I ran.
Through the doorway at the end of the long room.
“Luke? Clay?”
I found them in the next room, huddled around a large mummy case, this one not standing up—lying on its back.
“Hey, guys,” I scolded, struggling to catch my breath. “Don’t run off—okay?”
“Check it out,” Luke said, ignoring me. He pointed at the stone lid that tilted straight up over the mummy case. “This one is open,” he said.
“But it’s empty,” Clay added. He stood on tiptoe to peer down into the case.
Luke grinned at me. “Lizzy, I dare you to climb inside,” he said.
“No way!” I snapped. “I mean it. No more stupid dares, Luke. The last time you dared me to do something, a snake almost bit your leg off.”
Luke’s grin didn’t fade. His eyes flashed excitedly in the dim chamber light. “Dare you, Lizzy,” he repeated. “Dare you to climb inside.”
I crossed my arms in front of me. “No way. It’s probably filthy in there. And I’ll bet it’s crawling with all kinds of bugs.”
“Dare you,” Luke repeated. “Come on, Lizzy. Don’t you want to know what it felt like to be a mummy in ancient Egypt? Don’t you want to know what it feels like to lie on the bottom of a mummy case?”
“No, I don’t,” I insisted. “And neither do you.”
“Yes, I do!” Luke replied.
Before I could stop him, he gripped the side of the mummy case with both hands, swung his body up into the air—and dropped inside.
“Luke—no!” I screamed.
He giggled and slid down, stretching out on the floor of the mummy case.
“Get out, Luke!” I shouted angrily.
“Get out!” Clay repeated. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“Out! Come on—out!” I peered over the side of the case at him.
Luke giggled again. Lying on his back, he crossed his arms over his chest, as if he were a real mummy. “This is cool,” he murmured.
I jumped back when I heard the creaking sound.
Soft at first. Then louder … louder.
And then I screamed as the heavy stone lid came crashing down.
The lid landed with a heavy THUD. Stone crashed against stone. A wave of dust blew off the case.
Choking, I covered my eyes with my arm. When I lowered it, I saw that the mummy case was shut tight.
“Luke!” I shouted. “Are you okay? Can you hear me?”
No reply.
“Clay—quick! Help me lift the lid!” I choked out.
He and I dove forward. We pressed our hands against the thick stone lid—and pushed up.
“Harder—” I gasped.
I straightened my legs. Tensed my arms. Gritted my teeth.
And pushed.
“It won’t budge!” Clay wailed.
“Together!” I cried. “Push together. On three. We can do it!”
We leaned forward, pushing against the lid. I counted off. “One—two—three!”
We strained, groaning loudly.
No. No go.
“It’s too heavy,” Clay gasped. “It weighs a ton.”
We both fell back, breathing hard. My arms ached. My head throbbed.
I pressed my face against the side of the mummy case. ?
??Luke—can you hear me?” I called in.
I heard a tap on the side of the case. And then two more taps.
“He’s okay,” I told Clay. “But there can’t be much air in there. We’ve got to get him out—right away!”
I spun around. “Derek! Margo!” I cried.
In all the excitement, I forgot about the Stranges.
“Help us!” I called. “Derek? Margo?”
I squinted all around the dark room.
“Where are you?” I shouted, my voice rising, unable to hide my growing panic. “Help us!”
“They’re … gone,” Clay murmured.
I turned to him. His chin trembled. His round, chubby body shook. He suddenly looked about five years old.
“Where did they go?” he whispered. “They said they would watch us. Protect us.”
I turned around and called their names again.
No reply.
“Maybe they saw the lid go down, and they ran to get help,” I suggested. “Maybe—”
I stopped when I heard three taps from inside the mummy case. Softer this time. Weaker.
“We can’t just stand here,” I told Clay. “I’ve got to get help.”
“I’ll go with you,” he said, his voice trembling.
“No. Wait here,” I instructed. “In case somebody comes. In case the Stranges return.”
Clay swallowed hard. He cupped his hands around his mouth. And shouted shrilly, “Is anyone in here? Can’t anyone hear us?”
No reply.
The echo of Clay’s words faded slowly.
“Isn’t anyone running this place?” Clay called. “Can’t anyone help us?”
Silence.
“Luke is going to suffocate in there,” I said. “I’ve got to hurry.”
My legs trembled as I ran through the doorway. My heart thudded in my chest.
“Calm, Lizzy,” I murmured out loud. “You’re the calm one in the family—remember? You’ll get Luke out. He’ll be fine.”
I ran through a long, dark tunnel. It curved and twisted—until I saw bright light at the end. Sunlight? An exit?
Yes!
I burst out into bright daylight. “Help me! Somebody—help me!” I shouted.
Three Horrors were huddled around a food cart across the path. Two guys, one tall, one very short, and a girl, all wearing purple HorrorLand uniforms. They turned at the sound of my cries.
“Are you lost?” the tallest one asked. “Don’t worry. Everyone is lost in this park!”
“No—” I cried breathlessly. I didn’t want to touch him. So I grabbed the sleeve of his purple uniform. “You’ve got to come. Hurry!” I dragged him a few steps toward the pyramid.
“What’s wrong? Lost your mummy?” the girl Horror joked. Her smile faded when she saw the panic on my face.
“It’s my brother—” I choked out. “He climbed into an open mummy case, and the lid slammed down on him. He—he’s going to suffocate!”
The Horrors exchanged surprised glances. “An open case?” the girl asked. “There aren’t any open cases. They’re all closed tight.”
They shook their heads, their purple horns glowing in the bright sunlight.
“Listen to me!” I shrieked, pulling the tall Horror by the sleeve. “He’s trapped in a case! He can’t breathe! You’ve got to come!”
He glanced at his green-and-purple wristwatch. “We can’t. We’re on our break.”
“But—it’s an emergency!” I shrieked.
“We get a twenty-minute break every morning,” the girl Horror said calmly. “Then we’re back on duty till lunchtime.”
“But my brother—he can’t breathe in there!” I cried.
“We should probably put up a sign telling people to stay out of the mummy cases,” the tall Horror told the other two. “Maybe I’ll bring it up at the next meeting.”
“But—but—” I sputtered. “Listen to me!”
“I think there are some chains and other equipment over there,” the girl Horror said, pointing. “It might help you pull open the case.”
I swallowed hard, staring at them in disbelief. They really weren’t going to help me.
“Okay,” I choked out. I spun away and ran frantically toward the equipment.
“Good luck!” one of them called after me.
I found a pile of chains and pulleys in a small, open closet. I grabbed as much as I could carry. Then, running full speed, I burst back into the tunnel and hurried up to the mummy case in the middle of the room.
Clay slumped beside the case, hands deep in the pockets of his shorts, shaking his head. “Luke hasn’t pounded on the side for a long time,” he said in a whisper.
I dropped the chains on the floor. Then I leaned over the case and shouted. “Luke—can you hear me? Luke? Are you okay?”
No reply.
“Help me with this stuff!” I barked at Clay.
We picked up the chains and started to pull them over the stone lid. “Where are the Stranges?” Clay asked in a tiny voice. “Where are they?”
I shrugged. I didn’t know the answer. I pounded on the side of the case with both fists. “Be okay, Luke,” I prayed softly. “Please, be okay.”
We slid the chains around the lid. Then we wrapped the chain around the pulley. I wasn’t sure we were doing it right. But we had to do something.
It took only a few minutes. But it seemed like hours to me.
“Okay—pull!” I cried. Clay tugged at the chain while I turned the wheel. The chain clanked as it tightened over the stone lid.
“Come on … come on!” I muttered through gritted teeth. Clay pulled with all his strength. I spun the pulley, like turning the reel of a fishing rod.
The chains creaked and strained.
Slowly … slowly the lid began to slide off.
“Yes! It’s working!” I cried happily.
The stone lid ground heavily over the case as it moved, an inch, another inch, another …
“Luke!” I cried. “We’re getting you out! Luke?”
The chains clanked. The lid slid open.
I dove forward, my heart thudding, and peered into the mummy case. “Luke?”
The case was empty.
A choked cry escaped my open mouth.
“What’s wrong?” Clay called in a tiny voice. “Is he … okay?”
“He’s gone!” I gasped.
I leaned over the side of the mummy case, staring at the stone floor. Empty. Empty …
I tried to speak, but panic tightened my throat. “Where is my brother?” I finally choked out. “Where is he?”
“We’ve got to find the Stranges,” Clay said in a whisper. “They’ve got to help us. We have to find the park manager. Maybe the manager will help us.”
“Come on. Let’s go,” I said. I grabbed Clay’s hand. It felt cold and wet. I tugged him to the tunnel.
My stomach did flip-flops as we trotted toward the exit. I felt really sick and upset. But I tried to ignore it.
Clay and I burst back out into the sunlight. I glanced around the outside of the pyramid. I saw two kids and their parents entering at the front.
No sign of the three Horrors. The food stand across the path stood empty and deserted.
“Let’s try to find the main office,” I said, shielding my eyes from the bright sun with one hand.
“Which way?” Clay asked.
“It’s probably near the front of the park,” I replied.
“But which way is the front?” he whined. The poor guy was really terrified.
So was I. But I kept reminding myself that someone had to stay calm. Someone had to take charge. If only the waves would stop crashing inside my stomach!
“Uh … let’s go to the pyramid entrance,” I suggested, glancing all around. “Maybe we can retrace our steps.”
Clay nodded. He followed me as I led the way to the front of the Mummy Walk pyramid.
We turned the corner. Took a few steps.
And then I let out a shriek of sur
prise.
“Luke!” I screamed.
“Huh?” Clay gasped. His mouth practically dropped down to his knees.
“Where were you?” Luke cried, running up to us.
“Where were we?” I shrieked. “Where were you?”
“I—I’m not sure,” he stammered. “A trapdoor opened in the bottom of the mummy case. I slid down through a long, dark tunnel. I thought I was going to slide forever. And then … it dropped me right outside the pyramid.”
He squinted at me. “What took you so long to come out?”
“AAAGGGH!” I let out an angry roar. I wrapped my hands around his throat.
I wanted to strangle him. And I wanted to hug him at the same time.
He shoved my hands away. “What’s your problem, Lizzy?”
“You—you—you!” I shrieked.
“We were kind of worried,” Clay said softly. “We thought you were trapped inside the case.”
“I’m warning you, Luke,” I snapped. “Don’t jump in any more mummy cases. Don’t do anything else crazy. Do you hear me?”
“But I thought we’re supposed to try everything,” he replied. “Just because you were too big a wimp—”
He didn’t finish. We both saw Derek and Margo running across the pavement toward us.
“There you are!” Derek called, grinning. His Marlins cap blew off. He chased it onto the grass.
“Where were you?” I demanded. “Clay and I were so scared. And you—you—”
“We got the whole thing on tape,” Margo interrupted. “You were great!”
“Huh? Great?” I sputtered. “But we needed help. We couldn’t find you and—”
“You didn’t need us. You did a great job,” Derek said, pulling the cap carefully over his toupee.
“But Luke could have suffocated!” I screamed.
“No, I couldn’t,” Luke insisted. “The trapdoor, remember?”
“It’s too scary,” I cried. “What if the trapdoor didn’t open? What if—”
“Let’s talk about it later,” Margo said, glancing at her watch. “We don’t want to waste good taping time.”
“Yes. What’s next?” Derek asked, eagerly glancing around.
Two little girls walked by with their parents. Both girls were sobbing their heads off. “I don’t want to stay here!” one of them wailed, her tearstained face bright red.
“But it’s fun!” her father argued.