The Deadly Past (2 page)

Claws extended, the pterodactyl swept over Sally.

She was lifted off the ground.

The others screamed.

Sally, moving faster than she had ever moved in her life, leaned over and bit the pterodactyl's toes. The monster howled in pain and dropped Sally.

She rolled through about ten tumbles before she came to a halt.

The others ran to her.

“Are you all right?” Cindy cried as Adam and Watch helped Sally up.

“Yes,” Sally said in a calm voice as she brushed off her clothes. “None of my bones are broken and my brain is uninjured.” But then she began to
shake visibly and had to put a hand to her mouth to stop herself from moaning. “That dinosaur tastes awful,” she whispered.

Adam pointed toward the sky. “It's coming again. Watch, give me the stick. I think I know how to fight him off.”

“Better you than me,” Watch agreed, handing over the stick. “We'll keep heading for the cave.”

But they weren't given a chance to head anywhere. The pterodactyl was obviously mad that his dinner had got away again. It attacked again once more, using its wings as its weapon. Adam swung at it with the stick while the others began to pelt it with rocks but the thing was simply too big and too fast to be stopped by such a defense. Plus the sound coming out of its toothy mouth was terrifying. It kept squawking as if they didn't quit fighting back and hand over one of them to eat, it would eat them all.

Then an amazing thing happened.

Watch managed to throw a rock so perfectly that it went
down
the pterodactyl's throat. There was no mistaking what happened next. The creature began to choke. Indeed, its struggle for air was so intense that it had to stop flapping its wings and land.

“This is our chance!” Adam cried. “Head for the cave!”

They took off for the dark opening.

Behind them the pterodactyl continued to gag.

The interior of the cave was dark and cool. It was a shame the opening wasn't narrow, to keep out large monsters. Watch believed it was wide enough to allow the pterodactyl inside, and for that reason they needed a fire. If they had learned one thing about the pterodactyl, they knew it didn't give up easily.

“But we've got nothing in here that will burn,” Sally complained as she searched the dusty floor of the cave.

“That's not true,” Watch said. “We've got the stick and we've got our clothes. If we wrap pieces of cloth around the stick we might be able to discourage the pterodactyl so that it leaves us alone.”

Adam began to pull off his shirt. “Good idea. Take mine.”

Sally shook her head. “Yours is too bloody. Watch, give me your shirt.” Sally pulled out her Bic lighter, which she always carried no matter what. Watch quickly pulled off his shirt and the two of them began to tie it to the stick while Adam
held on to the branch. Cindy was by the door of the cave, watching the pterodactyl.

“Hurry!” Cindy yelled. “It's coughed up the rock!”

The pterodactyl had recovered. But rather than fly toward the cave, it slowly began to walk in their direction. Perhaps it thought it had them cornered. The sight of the bird monster walking was even more disturbing than its flying and swooping in for an attack. Cindy began to freak out.

“We're trapped in here!” she cried.

“We're not trapped,” Sally said as she touched the flame of the lighter to Watch's shirt. “But this shirt isn't going to burn very long. Cindy, give me your blouse.”

Cindy stopped freaking out and looked embarrassed. “No. You burn your blouse first.”

“My blouse is brand-new and cost twenty dollars for your information!” Sally snapped. “Besides, I am by nature more shy than you.”

“I think the dinosaur is more shy than you,” Cindy said.

“Give me the stupid stick and quit arguing!” Adam said as Watch's shirt began to catch fire. “I've got to scare it away!”

Adam pulled the stick away from Sally and
hurried toward the cave entrance. He was just in time to meet the pterodactyl head on. To Adam's relief the monster recoiled from the flames. But once again Adam was struck by how smart the creature was. It seemed to know that the shirt could not burn long before going out. It withdrew several paces but didn't fly away. Beside Adam, Cindy began to panic again.

“It's not fooled!” she moaned.

Adam was grim. “It doesn't matter how many clothes we burn. It'll wait for us.”

Watch moved up beside them. “I've checked, this cave doesn't go back too far. It doesn't even narrow.”

Sally also joined them. “What if we draw straws or something?”

Cindy was horrified. “You mean sacrifice one of us so the others can get away?”

Sally shrugged. “I think it will better that it doesn't get us all. While the thing is eating one of us, the other three can get away.”

“Would you stop talking about its eating us!” Cindy screamed.

“Well, it ain't going to play catch with us!” Sally screamed back. “We have to face facts!”

“We're not sacrificing anybody!” Adam
snapped, still holding the burning stick. “We need to come up with a better defense. Watch, you always have good ideas. Can you think of anything?”

Watch sighed. “No. And I've been racking my brain. There might be a dozen things that could drive it off, but unfortunately they're all back in town.” He paused. “Let me take the stick. I'll try to keep it occupied while you guys try to make it to town.”

Adam shook his head. “No way. You wouldn't last long.”

“You offered to do it,” Watch said.

“That was just to give you time to make it to the cave,” Adam said. “How about if we try for another cave? A tighter one that the pterodactyl can't fit into?”

Watch shook his head. “I know this area better than you, and I can't think of another cave that's even close.”

The flames from Watch's shirt began to flicker.

The pterodactyl took a step closer, saliva dripping out of its mouth.

“It's going out!” Cindy cried.

Adam felt desperate. “Is there any way we can block off the entrance of the cave?”

“With what?” Sally demanded. “Our dead bodies?”

“We are not going to die,” Adam snapped at her. “Sally, Cindy—you two get to the rear of the cave. Watch and I will try to hold it off with the stick.”

Neither of the girls protested. The sight of the pterodactyl slowly approaching on its long nailed feet was enough to shatter the strongest will. Even Adam and Watch began to back up, without consciously realizing it. The pterodactyl's huge eyes seemed to swell in anticipation. It knew it had them, that there was no escape for the frail humans.

“If only this stick was sharp at one end,” Adam said bitterly. “We could stab it, make it think twice about attacking again.”

“We don't have time to sharpen it,” Watch said quietly.

Adam glanced over at him. “Is this it? Is this the end?”

Watch took a deep breath. “Maybe not for all of us. But it will take one of us, that's for sure.”

“And that one will die?”

“Yes. Horribly.”

Adam grimaced. “It can't be one of the girls.”

“It can't be one of us.” Watch paused. “You are brave, Adam. But even you cannot just walk in front of that beast and let it take you. No one could.”

The pterodactyl skipped toward them.

The flames at the end of the stick died.

The pterodactyl stuck its head in the mouth of the cave and screeched.

“Stop it!” Cindy screamed behind them.

Adam swung weakly with the stick. “It can't get any worse than this,” he gasped.

Watch put a reassuring hand on Adam's uninjured shoulder. “But this might be the perfect chance to get a good shot at it. Maybe if you went for one of its eyes, partially blind it. That could be our only hope. Aim for an eye.”

Adam nodded. “I'll try.”

He did try, but his effort proved useless. The pterodactyl was too quick for him, and the beast knew instinctively how to protect its eyes. It held its head back as it advanced, using its claws to lead its attack. Several times Adam almost had his stick ripped from his hands.

Each step backward brought Adam and Watch closer to the rear of the cave, to the girls, and to
the end of the line. In all the bizarre dangers Adam had faced since moving to Spooksville, he had never felt so helpless.

“I have an idea,” Sally said behind Adam as he neared the rear wall. “Let's wrap another piece of cloth around the stick, set it on fire, and then crack open my lighter and douse it with what fluid is left in the container. That will create one huge flame that should last a few seconds. While it's burning, Adam, try to get the end of the stick into the thing's mouth. If that doesn't chase it away, we might be able to slip past the beast to get outside.”

“We'll be easy pickings outside,” Watch said. “Especially with no stick to protect us.”

The pterodactyl raised a claw and swiped at them.

Adam and Watch jumped all the way back.

The four of them pushed up against the back wall of the cave.

“We are practically dessert in here!” Sally shouted. “Let's do it! Rip off the dry part of your shirt, Adam! Now!”

Adam did as he was told. In seconds Sally had the cloth wrapped around the end of the stick.
First she lit the cloth and then cracked open the lighter by smashing the top of it against the cave wall. Adam had to hold the tip of the burning stick close to her, and as a result the pterodactyl was free to approach within ten feet. Sally held the open lighter fluid container not far from the burning cloth.

“When I throw this liquid on the end,” she said, “there will be a burst of fire. But you'll have to move fast, Adam. Understood?”

“I understand,” Adam said. “But we have to be clear about what we're doing. If we're just trying to get outside, then we'll be lucky to create a crack where we can slip by the beast. We will have to go one at a time, in order. Cindy, you go first. Then Sally and Watch. I'll follow you guys out.”

“That's OK with me,” Sally said eagerly, nervously eyeing the pterodactyl. “Let's do this on the count of three. One . . . Two . . . Three!”

Sally threw the fluid on the fire.

The end of the stick exploded in flames.

Adam thrust the stick at the pterodactyl just as the creature leaned forward to take a bite out of one of them. The pterodactyl had its mouth open. Adam got the end of the stick past its teeth and
tongue and partway down its throat. The pterodactyl let out a deafening screech of pain and bent its narrow beak down as it tried to be rid of the fire. The stick just flew out of Adam's hands. He didn't even have a chance to react.

But the uproar created the opening they needed to get outside.

Cindy shoved by Sally and dashed past the creature. Sally followed closely, with Watch and Adam bringing up the rear. Within five seconds of attacking the pterodactyl they were back outside in the fresh air. For a moment they all felt incredible relief. But then the monster screamed from the depths of the cave and they understood that it was far from defeated.

“Run!” Adam shouted.

“Where?” Sally shouted back.

“Anywhere!” Watch said.

So they ran, back the way they had come, back up to the bluff where they had first seen the pterodactyl. But the exercise was no solution. They were dealing with an enemy that was twenty times bigger and stronger than they were. One that was used to killing to live. Really, it had been hopeless from the start.

They were almost to the bluff that overlooked Spooksville and the ocean when the pterodactyl appeared in the sky once more. It rose directly above them, higher and higher, and for a few seconds it seemed that it would keep going into the wild blue yonder and they would be safe. But then it began to arc downward, tucking in its massive wings and pointing its ugly head toward the ground. Once more it raced toward them like a deadly missile, a blur of brown death. And all the while it screeched, a horrible sound of revenge. They had hurt it and now it wanted to hurt them.

They could only stand, frozen, and watch it come.

There was only one question in their minds.

Which one of them would it take?

At the last instant the pterodactyl spread its huge wings.

A wave of foul odor and sweeping air passed over them, as well as a dark shadow. Cindy screamed, maybe they all did. But it was Cindy who screamed the loudest because the pterodactyl had chosen her to be its victim. One moment she was standing beside Adam and staring at the horror in the sky. The next she was being dragged kicking and screaming into the air. Now she was a
part of the horror, and as the pterodactyl flew off to the distant peaks, it seemed as if they could hear her screaming still. Yet they all knew that was impossible.

Adam bowed his head. They all did.

Their friend was gone.

F
or a long time they remained rooted in shock. An oppressive weight hung over them, and it seemed as if even the sun had dimmed. There were no words to express how they felt, so they said nothing. But after a while they did begin to stir.

“Could she be alive?” Sally whispered.

Watch shrugged weakly. “She could be alive at this moment.”

The implications were clear. Even if she were alive now, she wouldn't be for long.

“What are we going to do?” Sally muttered.

Watch shook his head. “What can we do?”

Sally reached out and gently touched Adam's bleeding shoulder.

“We have to get you to a doctor,” she said.

Adam brushed off her hand. “I'm not going to a doctor.”

Watch glanced at him. “You can't go after her.”

Adam stared hard at him. “I'm not just going to leave her to the whim of that creature.”

“It's hopeless,” Sally said.