Don't Close Your Eyes! Page 5

  More laughing and hooting all around me. As I pushed my way to the aisle and started to make the long walk to the exit at the back, kids cheered and clapped.

  Not a great moment for Max Doyle. But I was too sleepy to even think about the trouble I was in.

  I pushed open the door and staggered into the hall. I could hear Mr. Rudolph droning on behind me.

  I yawned again. “Nicky? Tara? Are you here?” I asked.

  Silence. No sign of them.

  I leaned against the cool tile wall and tried to get myself together. My head weighed at least two tons. It took all my strength to keep my eyelids open.

  I decided I'd go downstairs to the gym. Maybe work out a little.

  I know. That wasn't like me at all. But I thought maybe exercise would help wake me up.

  Blinking, yawning, I staggered to the stairs. I reached for the metal rail on the side—and missed.

  I stumbled. And started to fall.

  “Nooooo!” I let out a long howl as I tumbled all the way down the steep stairs, rolling over and over.

  19

  “UNNNNNH”

  Was I hurt?

  No. I'd landed flat on my back on something soft.

  I heard someone groan. The sound seemed to come from beneath me.

  I tried to roll off. But my arms and legs wouldn't cooperate. It took three tries.

  I rolled away and pulled myself to my knees.

  “Traci!” I cried out. She lay flat on her stomach on the floor, her hair over her face.

  “Traci!”

  I'd landed on Traci Wayne.

  She raised her head and turned her face to me.

  And what was that chocolatey stuff all over her face?

  She sat up. The chocolate goop oozed down the front of her sweater, too. She shook her head, dazed. Chocolate dripped from her perfect blond hair.

  I saw the tray of chocolate pudding on the floor next to her. She'd been carrying the pudding cups. And then I fell on her. And now there was pudding all over her.

  Did I want to die? Or disappear into the floor? Or both?

  Of course. Do you have any idea how totally embarrassing it is to have a huge crush on a girl— and then fall down the stairs on her when she's carrying chocolate pudding cups?

  Yikes.

  Traci slowly climbed to her feet. She tried wiping the pudding off her sweater with both hands. But of course, that only got pudding all over her hands, too.

  “Sorry about that,” I muttered.

  She frowned at me. “Max,” she said, “this didn't really happen—did it?”

  I swallowed. “I think it's real. I don't think we're dreaming.”

  She pulled a blob of pudding off her forehead. Then she said something totally shocking. “Max, do you promise not to fall on me if I come to your house tonight?”

  Traci? Come to my house?

  Of course, I realized what that meant. She wanted me to do her homework for her.

  “N-no problem,” I stammered.

  But of course, there was a problem. A big problem. I'd already been awake for forty-eight hours.

  How would I stay awake long enough to do Traci's homework?

  And here was an even bigger problem. I'd just remembered my tryout for the swim team. It was after school.

  How could I make the team if I was sound asleep in the water?

  20

  AFTER MY LAST CLASS, I dragged myself to the school's new pool and changed into my swimsuit. It took me a long moment to realize I'd put it on backward. I could barely see straight.

  Coach Freeley greeted me at the edge of the pool. I nearly walked right into him!

  The coach is built like a tank. He's very short and very wide, with bulging muscles everywhere you can have muscles. He has a broad chest that stretches his T-shirts tight over his perfect abs. He's young, and the girls all think he's really hot because of his wavy black hair and white-toothed smile.

  He's a nice guy. He's always been nice to me. It was especially great of him to give me this special tryout.

  If only I wasn't asleep on my feet!

  “Take it easy at first, Max,” he said. “Do some laps. Any kind of stroke you want. Just to warm up.”

  “Okay,” I said. I hoped he didn't see my yawn.

  I tried to dive in, but I fell off the edge. I landed with a splat on the surface of the water.

  Brrr. They keep it pretty cold. Lucky for me. I thought it might wake me up.

  I started with a simple breaststroke. I swam smoothly and with a steady rhythm.

  I knew Coach Freeley was watching. I thought I was doing a good job, until—clonnnk— I bumped my head on the side of the pool.

  Shaking it off, I turned in the water and tried my sidestroke. But my arms felt heavy. I didn't have the strength to kick. Too tired … too sleepy …

  I felt myself sink under the surface.

  Too sleepy …

  I couldn't move my arms, my legs. Too tired and weak.

  I shut my eyes and sank lower … lower.

  From somewhere far away, I heard a splash. Soon after, two hands grabbed my waist. I opened my eyes and saw Nicky swimming beside me. He pulled me to the surface.

  “Saved your life, Max.”

  I raised my head and took one deep breath, then another.

  Nicky floated me to the side of the pool. Coach Freeley stood there watching me and shaking his head.

  “I never had a swimmer sink before!” he said.

  “But—” I started.

  “You sank like a rock,” the coach said. “What made you think you could be on the swim team? Did you think we have a hit-the-bottom-first competition?”

  “But…,” I said.

  “See you in gym class, Max,” Coach Freeley said. “At least you can't sink in the gym!”

  Still shaking his head, he started toward the locker room.

  I turned to Nicky. Tara appeared beside him, treading water. “What am I going to do?” I wailed. “My dad will kill me! He'll never let me forget it if I don't make the swim team.”

  “Max, call to him,” Tara said. “Tell him that's just your way of warming up.”

  “Yeah,” Nicky said. “Ask for a second chance.”

  “Coach—come back!” I shouted. My hoarse voice echoed off the high tile walls. “That's just the way I warm up.”

  He stepped up to the pool edge. “You warm up by drowning?”

  I nodded. “It helps my breath control. Please— give me a second chance,” I pleaded.

  He stared down at me. “Promise you won't sink to the bottom?”

  “You'll be impressed,” I said. “Really.”

  He crossed his massive arms in front of his massive chest. “Go ahead, Max. Show me what you've got.”

  Of course, I didn't have anything. I could barely keep my head above water.

  But Nicky and Tara went to work and made me look like an Olympic champion. The coach blew his whistle, and they each grabbed one side and rocketed me through the water. They shot me from end to end so fast, we sent up high waves on both sides. I looked like a torpedo!

  I set the school speed record. I'm sure of it. Pretty good, considering I'd never even moved my arms or legs!

  When I finished and floated over to the side of the pool, I was gasping for breath even though I hadn't moved a muscle.

  Coach Freeley's whistle had fallen to his chest. His eyes bulged. He stared at me openmouthed. “Max, I think I'm gonna try that sinking warm-up with the rest of the guys!” he said. “You're fast. You're real fast!”

  “Oh, I can do better than that,” I said.

  Nicky and Tara rolled their eyes.

  “You made the team, buddy,” the coach said, grinning at me. “I want you to demonstrate that stroke to everyone. I like how you keep your arms and legs close together and barely move them. Very aerodynamic. Super! Just super!”

  “Thanks, coach,” I said.

  “Go get dried off. You're gonna be a star, Max.” He turned and hur
ried away, his sneakers slapping the tiles.

  “A star,” I repeated, yawning. “A star …”

  Nicky and Tara dragged me from the water. “I'm sleepwalking,” I said. “I'm a real zombie. Not a pretend zombie.”

  “But you made the swim team,” Nicky said.

  I sighed. “I nearly drowned.”

  “Max, don't worry,” Tara said, handing me a towel. “Nicky and I have a plan.”

  “Yeah. We've figured out what the old storyteller was telling us,” Nicky said.

  A smile spread over Tara's face. “We'll have you free of Inkweed tonight!” she said.

  21

  SO THIS IS WHERE we came in. Here we are, back at the beginning.

  I'm sitting across my kitchen table from Traci Wayne. She's thumbing through a Teen People magazine, and I'm trying to do her homework for her.

  That's not easy when your eyes keep closing and you just want to lay your head on the table and sleep.

  “Max, do you have to yawn so loud?”

  “Sorry, Traci.”

  Yawn, yawn.

  She grabbed my wrist. “Max, you're trying to write with the eraser side of the pencil,” she said. “Use the lead side.”

  “Oh. Yeah,” I murmured. My eyes were so tired, I couldn't see one end of the pencil from the other.

  “You're a real clown tonight,” Traci said. “How come you're in such a jokey mood, Max?”

  “Ha, ha,” I said. I couldn't think of a better answer.

  I climbed to my feet. “I have to go up to my room and get my calculator,” I said. “I'll be right back.”

  She didn't look up from her magazine.

  Do you believe it? Traci Wayne was actually in my house, sitting across from me. And all I wanted to do was sleep. How bizarre was that?

  Going to my room was a big mistake.

  I started toward the desk to get my calculator. But I couldn't keep my eyes off my bed. It appeared to have a glowing light around it. And I heard a choir of angelic voices calling to me, calling me to the glowing bed.

  I tried to fight it. But the bed pulled me like a strong magnet.

  Before I realized it, I was curled up on top of the covers.

  Just a short nap, I told myself. Just a few seconds. Nothing bad can happen in a few seconds.

  I shut my eyes. I felt Inkweed stir inside me. I could feel him tense and grow alert.

  Nicky came to the rescue again. I woke up with a gasp. He was shaking me by the shoulders. “No sleeping, Max,” he said. “Snap out of it.”

  Blinking, I saw ink stains all over my bedspread.

  “Just a few more hours to go,” Tara said, somewhere behind him. “A few short hours, and you'll be free.”

  Nicky pulled me to the stairs. “Wake up, Max. Go finish Traci's homework. Then we can see about dealing with Inkweed.”

  “Yes. Homework,” I muttered. My eyes were closed. I didn't see the first step.

  My foot missed and I started to fall.

  “Heyyyyy!” I cried out in shock as I went tumbling down the stairs.

  I landed at the bottom on something soft.

  Traci!

  “That's it! I'm outta here!” she cried.

  “But, Tracy—”

  She scrambled to her feet. “I warned you not to fall on me again, Max. How many times a day do you think you can fall on me?”

  “Two?” I replied.

  She let out a growl. Then, her blond hair flying behind her, she quickly gathered up all her books and papers. She stuffed them into her backpack and ran out of the house. The front door slammed hard behind her.

  I picked myself up from the floor and tested my arms and legs to make sure I hadn't broken anything. I was still stretching and bending when my mom stepped into the room.

  “Traci left so soon?” she asked.

  I nodded. “Yeah.”

  “How was the study date?” Mom asked. “Did you help her?”

  “Oh, sure,” I said. “I did those problems with my eyes shut.”

  “Don't brag, Max,” Mom said.

  “Good night,” I said. I hurried back to my room. Nicky and Tara were waiting there. “Are you ready?” I asked. “Do you really think you can get rid of Inkweed so I can go to sleep?”

  “No problem,” Nicky said.

  “No problem,” Tara echoed. “We've got it all figured out.”

  23

  WE HAD TO WAIT till my parents were asleep. Then I put on a jacket and we silently sneaked out of the house.

  It was a cool, windy night. The bushes and trees all shivered and shook. The cold air helped refresh me.

  We walked for miles, keeping in the shadows, darting through front yards. We hid whenever we saw the headlights of a car approaching.

  “What are we doing?” I asked. “Where are we?”

  I didn't recognize the neighborhood. We had passed all the houses. Squinting into the darkness, now I could see only woods and fields.

  Nicky grabbed my shoulder. “Look up,” he said. He tilted my head upward.

  I gazed into the black sky. “I don't see anything,” I said.

  “That's the point,” Tara said. “No stars, no moon. This is the darkest night of the month. No moon tonight.”

  “The darkest night,” I muttered. “Do you think this is what the old storyteller meant?”

  “Could be,” Tara replied.

  “And where are you taking me?” I asked again.

  They both pointed to a small sign attached to a wooden fence post. I had to move closer to read the sign.

  DARK CAVERNS.

  “I remember these caverns from a field trip we took in second grade,” Tara said.

  I stared past the fence. But I could see only the shape of black hills against an even blacker sky.

  The wind fluttered my jacket. I zipped the zipper all the way to the collar. “What's so special about them?” I asked.

  “They're supposed to be the deepest, darkest caverns in the country,” Tara said.

  I stared at her. “You want me to climb into caverns?” I cried. “You know I'm allergic to caverns. They're dark and cold and … and … and they make me sneeze.” I held my nose. “I … I'm starting to sneeze already. Just being close to a cavern makes me sneeze!”

  Nicky and Tara waited for me to stop ranting. Then Tara said, “Don't you see? It's the darkest place on the darkest night.”

  “It has to work,” Nicky said, crossing his fingers on both hands. “It has to be right.”

  They both grabbed me and started pulling me toward the caverns.

  In a few minutes, we stood in front of an enormous cave entrance. Cut into the side of a steep hill, it rose high above our heads. A deep, black hole, blacker than the night, blacker than the sky.

  The darkest place on the darkest night.

  Holding on to my shoulders, my two ghost friends pushed me into the cavern entrance.

  “Uh … did anyone bring a flashlight?” I asked.

  23

  THE WIND STOPPED AS we stepped into the cavern opening. But the air grew colder.

  The cold washed over me like a high ocean wave. I shivered and waited for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. But they couldn't adjust. I could see only different shades of black.

  “Damp in here,” Tara said, gripping my arm tighter. “It's kinda like walking into a refrigerator.”

  “Hope there aren't any bats,” Nicky said in a whisper.

  “Bats?” I said. “Why did you have to mention bats? Couldn't you keep that to yourself?”

  Nicky snickered. “Hey! Woke you up!”

  We walked side by side. The ground squished under my shoes, soft and muddy. We followed a narrow path that curved between two rock walls. The path sloped down sharply.

  I felt my shoes slide in the mud. Nicky and Tara held me up.

  “How far down do we have to go?” I asked.

  My voice echoed all around, repeating my question again and again off the high cavern walls.

  “C
reepy,” I said.

  Creepy … creepy … creepy … came the cavern's echoing reply.

  We walked in silence for a few minutes, edging our way slowly down. I could feel the mud ooze up over my ankles.

  I stopped and gazed back. I hoped to see the sky, but the cavern entrance was no longer in view.

  “What if we get lost in here?” I asked. “No one would ever find us.”

  “Max, stop scaring me,” Tara said.

  I gasped when I felt Inkweed stir inside my head. This time, he didn't slither. He felt like a strong breeze between my ears.

  Did the evil ghost realize what we were doing? Did he know we were taking him to the darkest place on the darkest night?

  Is that why I could feel him tense up inside me?

  Did he realize we were about to destroy him?

  I rubbed my nose. It was numb, totally frozen. My skin tingled from the damp cold. I looked down. I couldn't see my shoes.

  “Isn't this dark enough?” I asked, my voice echoing all around. I lowered it to a whisper. “It can't get any blacker than this.”

  “Okay. Let's give it a try,” Nicky said.

  “Give what a try?” I asked. “What do we have to do?”

  He sighed. “Just wait, I guess.”

  “Yeah. We're in the right place at the right time. So … we'll just wait until Inkweed dies,” Tara said.

  They guided me to a low, flat rock ledge at the edge of the path. I sat down and crossed my arms tightly in front of me, trying to warm up. My shoes tapped on the soft ground. I was so cold and nervous, I couldn't 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.