The Beast Read online

  Paul pointed. “It’s that way. Near the front gate. But—”

  “We’ll tell them to make an announcement!” Ashley cried, hurrying off in the direction Paul had pointed. “They can announce that the park is closed, that everyone has to leave.”

  “And they can ask P.D. to come to the front gate,” I added, trotting after her. “They can call him to the front gate—then he can tell us how to get home!”

  It seemed like a good plan. Simple, really.

  If it worked, it would save a lot of lives—and get us back to our time.

  If it didn’t work . . .

  Well, I didn’t want to think about that.

  As the three of us jogged through the crowds to the main office, I was struck by the amazing stillness.

  It was so quiet. The air hung heavily over us.

  So still. Nothing moved. Not a tree leaf trembled.

  I felt a cold chill down my back as I realized what it was.

  The calm before the storm.

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  A hush seemed to have fallen over the entire park. We ran through the eerie quiet.

  Far away, I could hear the sound of the carousel.

  The crowd became a blur of smiling faces as we ran. People were gazing up at the sky. It had become a strange yellow gray. As if it had been painted over.

  “Hurry!” Ashley cried.

  Paul and I were right behind her.

  “There it is!” Paul shouted, pointing.

  Across a wide plaza stood a long, low redbrick building. The row of windows all along the side was dark.

  Breathing hard, we stopped at the double glass doors.

  Dark inside. Completely black.

  Ashley tugged frantically at one of the doors. It didn’t budge. She tried the other one.

  Then I noticed the chain tied through the door handles. A brass padlock hung from the chain.

  “What do you kids want?” a stern voice called.

  All three of us turned to see a tall, lanky guard. He had a long, slender horse face. His blue cap was tilted back on his head, revealing straight, straw-colored hair. His dark eyes were narrowed suspiciously at us.

  “We—we have to make an announcement!” I managed to cry.

  “We have to get inside! We have to close the park!” Ashley told him in a shrill, desperate voice.

  “Office is closed,” the guard replied calmly. His long jaw was moving. He was chewing gum, I realized. He motioned toward the dark glass doors. “They all go home at five-thirty. Lucky stiffs.”

  “But we have to close the park!” Ashley insisted, still clutching the door handles. “We have to warn everyone—”

  “Storm’s coming up,” the guard said, slowly raising his eyes to the sky. “Never saw a sky that yellow. Did you?”

  “You don’t understand!” Ashley screamed. “It’s a tornado! People will be killed! We have to tell them to go home!”

  The guard chewed his gum slowly. He stared at Ashley as if he didn’t understand a word she was saying.

  “It’s just going to rain a little,” he said finally. “The wind has already stopped.”

  “No. She’s right—” I started. “The tornado—”

  But he raised a big, bony-fingered hand to stop me. “Office is closed,” he repeated in the same calm voice. “No way to make any kind of announcement.”

  “Then how can we clear the park?” Ashley cried.

  The guard shrugged. “Can’t,” he said. “Why don’t you kids go have some fun?” he suggested, tilting the hat back to scratch his head. “Are your parents around? Maybe you should go find them if you’re scared of the storm.”

  I let out an exasperated sigh. I could see this guard wasn’t going to be any help. We were wasting time—precious time.

  The sky had become even stranger, yellow with eerie gray streaks through it. Far in the distance, I thought I could hear the twisting howl of the approaching tornado.

  “Ashley, let’s go,” I murmured, grabbing her arm.

  But she pulled away from me and returned to the lanky guard. “Is there any way to call somebody to the gate? Is there any way at all? We need to see a man named P. D. Walters. Is there any way to call for P. D. Walters over the loudspeaker?”

  The guard shook his head. “There is no loudspeaker,” he said. “No way to announce anything, as far as I know.” His expression hardened. “Run along now, okay? You kids are starting to steam me.”

  “Come on, Ashley,” I pleaded. “We have to go.” I pulled her away. We walked halfway across the plaza. Glancing back, I saw the guard leaning against the glass doors, staring at us.

  “Why wouldn’t he help us?” Ashley demanded in a high, angry voice. “Why wouldn’t he even listen to us? Doesn’t he realize what’s going to happen? It—it’s going to be so horrible, James. And we—we’re going to be trapped in it.”

  “I know,” I replied softly, glancing up at the strange yellow sky.

  I suddenly realized that Paul hadn’t said a word in quite a while. I turned to him and found him staring hard at Ashley and me, a thoughtful look locked on his face.

  “Paul—what’s wrong?” I asked.

  “What name did you just say?” he asked. “Who did you tell the guard you wanted to find?”

  “P. D. Walters,” Ashley told him. “Remember, Paul? The old man with the white hair and beard? His name is P. D. Walters.”

  Paul let out a short cry. His mouth dropped open. He stared first at Ashley, then at me. “But that’s impossible!” he cried.

  “What? What’s impossible?” I demanded.

  “I’m P. D. Walters!” Paul exclaimed.

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  Ashley and I both gaped at Paul. Ashley grabbed his arm.

  “What do you mean?” she cried shrilly. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m P. D. Walters!” Paul insisted. An excited laugh escaped from him. “Paul David Walters! That’s my name!”

  “But you—you—” Ashley stammered, still holding on to him. “You mean that all this time—”

  “I don’t believe it!” I cried, shaking my head. I had to laugh, too. Ashley and I had been such jerks!

  We were searching for P.D. as an old man. But we had traveled back more than sixty years in time! P.D. was a boy in 1931—not a white-bearded old man!

  We had wasted all this time searching for P. D. Walters—when he had been with us the entire night!

  “But why are you looking for me? How do you know about me?” P.D. demanded. “I don’t understand this. I don’t understand any of it at all!”

  “We don’t either,” I confessed.

  “We don’t have time to talk about it,” Ashley said, her eyes raised to the darkening sky. “Just get us back to our time—okay, P.D.?”

  “Huh?” His mouth dropped open. “Do what?”

  “Get us out of here,” Ashley repeated impatiently. “Send us back to our time.”

  He stared at her for a long time, thinking very hard. “How would I do that?” he replied finally. His features were tight with confusion. “I’m sorry, Ashley. I really don’t know what you mean.”

  “But you’re the only one who can help us!” Ashley screamed. I could hear the panic rise in her voice.

  I put a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her a little. Then I turned to P.D., who was shaking his head fretfully. “Can you show us the way to The Beast?” I asked softly.

  “The what?” he replied, more confused than ever.

  “Maybe if we found The Beast, we could ride it to the future,” I suggested.

  “Yes! Good idea!” Ashley cried. “P.D.—hurry! Take us to The Beast!”

  “I’m sorry,” P.D. replied sadly. “I really am sorry. But I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never heard of The Beast.”

  Ashley let out a long, sad sigh. Her shoulders slumped. “I don’t believe this,” she murmured. “He can’t help us. He can’t help us at all.”

  And just then the wind began to roar.

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  The wind had started as a distant whisper. The whisper was now becoming a steady roar and the trees were beginning to shake. The yellow tint had faded from the sky. The gray quickly darkened to black.

  Fire danced in the torches overhead, flickered, then dipped low.

  “We’re trapped!” Ashley wailed. “Trapped!”

  “I’m sorry,” P.D. cried, hurrying to keep up with her as she made her way through the crowded boardwalk. “I’m really sorry. I’d help you if I knew what to do.”

  “Let’s find a safe place to hide,” I suggested, shouting over the roar of the wind. “Maybe there’s a basement somewhere, or someplace that’s protected.”

  “But we’ve got to warn people!” Ashley insisted. “We’ve got to try.”

  We had wandered back to the carnival area. Up ahead on his small platform, the sideshow barker was still talking into his megaphone, still trying to draw people into his show.

  “Ashley, wait!” I cried.

  But I was too late. I watched her leap up onto the platform and grab the megaphone out of the startled man’s hands. He cried out in protest and stumbled off the platform, landing hard on the concrete.

  “Run, everyone!” Ashley shouted into the megaphone. “It’s a tornado! Run, everyone! Tornado coming!”

  I could barely hear her over the rush of the wind.

  “Tornado coming!” she shouted. “Leave the park! Tornado!”

  The wind swirled around the sideshow building. People were still heading inside.

  I saw two teenagers, their shirts flapping in the strong wind, pointing and laughing at Ashley. A middle-aged man and woman were shaking their heads, probably thinking Ashley was pulling some kind of prank.

  The wind was funneled down the midway, flapping awnings, making the flimsy buildings tremble. I heard little kids crying, their frightened wails rising over the rush of the wind.

  The sky grew even darker. The swirling air felt hot and wet.

  “Tornado! Leave the park! Please—listen to me!” Ashley was screaming frantically into the megaphone.

  I turned and saw the carnival barker. He was holding his straw hat in one hand to keep it from blowing away. He was talking to two guards. Speaking rapidly, angrily, he was pointing at Ashley.

  “Uh-oh!” I cried out loud. “Here come the guards!”

  P.D. and I ran up to Ashley. We didn’t have to say a word. She saw the guards, too. They were running toward us, their eyes narrowed in anger. The carnival barker hurried after them.

  Ashley dropped the megaphone. All three of us began running, running into the wind. It tried to push us back. We lowered our heads and ran harder.

  I glanced back. There were four guards chasing us now.

  “Run!” I screamed. “Keep running!” My words were pushed back in my face by the on-rushing wind.

  The wind blew so hard, I couldn’t breathe. The air was filled with dust, swirling and stinging our faces and lungs.

  I closed my eyes and kept running.

  When I opened them, I saw we had run up against a tall wooden fence.

  “Dead end!” I screamed.

  I turned to see the four guards closing in. Their expressions were triumphant when they saw they had us cornered.

  I pressed my back against the fence and searched desperately for an escape route. But we were blocked on both sides by big garbage trucks.

  The wind howled louder. Louder.

  Heads lowered, the guards moved in on us.

  We’re trapped, I realized, glancing at Ashley and P.D.

  They were pressed against the wooden fence, too. The wind sent Ashley’s hair flying wildly about her head.

  “Now what?” Ashley cried.

  I could barely hear her over the howling wind. The thick dust forced me to shut my eyes again.

  We’re trapped in the tornado, I realized.

  The park is about to be destroyed—and so are we.

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  The guards spread out as they closed in on us. Their angry scowls had turned to eager grins. They knew they had us trapped.

  The wind knocked over a large metal trash can and sent it toppling in front of us. I cried out, startled.

  Suddenly I felt a tug on my shoulder.

  “This way!” P.D. shouted, cupping his hands to be heard over the wind. He started to pull me along the fence.

  “Where are we going?” Ashley cried shrilly.

  P.D. didn’t reply.

  We followed him, huddling together, leaning into the wind.

  He stopped suddenly—and pushed hard against two wooden fence planks.

  They tilted up, and we ducked under them.

  Escape!

  “That’s where I sneak into the park!” P.D. cried, grinning. “I knew this fence looked familiar!”

  We didn’t have time to thank him. All three of us were running full speed now, away from the fence toward the dark woods.

  The trees bent low and shook in the raging wind. As we ran toward them, they appeared to come alive, to jump about and dance.

  Would we be safer among the trees?

  Probably not.

  But we didn’t stop to think about it. All we could think of was getting away from the guards and hiding until the tornado had passed.

  Glancing back, I saw the guards pulling themselves through the fence opening one by one. “Run!” I shouted. “They’re coming!”

  P.D. slipped and stumbled in the tall grass.

  Ashley and I both grabbed him and pulled him to his feet.

  We started to run again—then stopped as the enormous shadow loomed over us.

  At first I thought it was some kind of gigantic black creature huddled in the trees.

  But then my eyes focused on the rising sweep of the tracks as they curved overhead.

  “The Beast!”

  Ashley and I shouted the words together.

  I gaped up at it in disbelief. Had it been standing there the whole time? Could we ride it out of the tornado, out of 1931, back to our time?

  I could hear the guards’ angry shouts behind us.

  Without turning back, we started to run.

  A few seconds later we were plunging up the concrete ramp.

  “The cars—they’re here!” Ashley cried breathlessly.

  Yes. As if waiting for us, the empty roller coaster cars stood in the darkness.

  Were they already moving?

  No. The gusts of wind were making the cars vibrate.

  Ashley leaped into the first car. “Hurry!” she screamed.

  P.D. had made his way to the controls.

  “Pull that lever!” I shouted, pointing. “Pull it down! Then jump on!”

  As I climbed in after Ashley, I saw P.D. pull the lever down.

  With a hard jolt the car jerked forward. “We’re moving!” I cried. The wheels clattered over the track.

  “P.D.—hurry!” Ashley screamed.

  I twisted back to see why he wasn’t joining us.

  “No!” I screamed when I saw the two guards grab P.D. and drag him away from the control lever. “P.D.!”

  The car was pulling away.

  I saw P.D. struggle to free himself. But the two guards held on tight.

  “P.D.! P.D.!” Ashley was shouting his name over and over.

  He called to us, his voice frightened, desperate.

  But he couldn’t get away.

  Then, just as our car started to pick up speed, I saw two dark figures dive into our car.

  The other two guards.

  They had leaped into the seat right behind us.

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  I was pressed back against the seat as the car started to climb.

  The winds whistled around us, faster, louder.

  We’re climbing right into the tornado! I thought.

  We’ll never get out. Never!

  The winds will blow us off the track.

  And even if we do ride to the end, I realized, the guards are right with us. We haven’t escaped a
t all.

  Up, up. The tracks stretched steeper into the raging wind.

  And then Ashley and I were both screaming as we plunged straight down.

  Down into more wind and darting shadows.

  An angry, shrill howl, the howl of the tornado, drowned out our screams.

  The car swooped and slid through the wind, through the hot dust, so thick it clogged our throats, through the ceaseless howl.

  And then up again. Another steep climb.

  And another plunge.

  Down into fog. Cooling fog. So wet, so soft against my face.

  Had the wind actually stopped howling?

  Had we left the tornado behind?

  The heavy fog swept over us as we shot forward.

  We’re riding through clouds, I thought. Soft, cool clouds.

  A sharp swerve. Another jarring dip.

  I gripped the safety bar, bouncing hard in the seat.

  The fog was so heavy, the shadows so thick, I couldn’t tell if my eyes were open or shut.

  And then suddenly we stopped.

  The ride ended in a splash of pale silver moonlight.

  I glanced at Ashley. Her face was paler than the light.

  We were both breathing hard, still gripping the safety bar.

  Finally I managed to pull myself to my feet. I stood and, holding the seat back, stepped out onto the platform.

  My legs still rubbery, I helped Ashley out.

  The wind had calmed. The moonlight glittered down on us, soft and silvery.

  The two guards!

  I had nearly forgotten about them.

  They had taken the ride with us. They had soared through the darkness, out of the winds, through the shifting, sweeping fog.

  We hadn’t escaped.

  I turned to their seat and prepared to be captured.

  “Oh, no!” Ashley screamed shrilly as she saw them.

  My mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.

  Two gray skeletons sat in the seat behind us, tiny scraps of blue clothing clinging to their bones.

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  The moonlight shone down on the gray-green bones, the black, empty eye sockets, the grinning skulls.