Ollie woke up with a shriek to find daylight trickling into the mouth of the cave.
15
“WHAT!” SNAPPED BRIAN,jerking awake himself. “Ollie, what?”
Ollie was still breathing hard. Even though it was cold, she had fear-sweat on her face. She wished she could brush her teeth. “Nothing,” she said. “Just a dream.”
“You were screaming,” said Coco. She looked as though she’d been awake before Ollie yelled. “Must have been a pretty bad dream.”
“Yeah,” said Ollie. She didn’t want to say anything about her dreams. She sat up—there was just headroom for it—and looked around her. Flat morning light trickled into their little cave. They had slept in one tangled and uncomfortable pile. Ollie’s skin felt clammy; her leg was asleep.
Brian sat up and said, “I was really hoping last night was a nightmare. I was looking forward to waking up in bed.”
“Me too,” Ollie admitted.
“But we’re here,” said Brian. “Not a nightmare.”
“No,” said Ollie.
“How’d you know, Ollie?” asked Brian. “You believed the bus driver, you went out into the woods—and all this happened. You were right. But how could you have guessed?”
“It’s a long story,” said Ollie. “I’ll tell you, but I have to pee first. And I’m hungry.”
They all looked nervously at the mouth of their little cave.
“Do you think they’re gone?” Coco asked. Cautiously, she poked her head out. “I can’t hear anything.” She crawled all the way out, stood up slowly. “Seems okay,” she called.
Ollie, feeling nervous, crept out of the cave, trying to stamp feeling back into her leg. Brian emerged in her wake, breathing on his cold fingers.
Ollie didn’t know what she was expecting. Some sign of their kidnapped classmates? At least a stray glove here and there? But there was nothing except for churned-up leaves and their three selves. The sky was the color of snow but without the sparkle. The air was chilly and damp. Ollie wished she’d worn warmer clothes.
Coco was nowhere to be seen.
Ollie turned in a circle. “Coco, where—?”
“I’m up here.” Coco had scrambled atop the boulders that had formed their little rock sanctuary. “No sign of the others.”
Ollie was impressed. The rocks were steep and slippery. Brian whistled. “How’d you get up there?”
Coco peered down. She looked, Ollie saw with surprise, happier than she had ever looked at school. “I was junior rock-climbing champion back home. I never climbed outside, just in the gym, but I liked it. I had friends and everything. But people here only climb outside and my mom says it’s not safe. I haven’t climbed in a while. I miss it.” Coco giggled, a strange sound in that grim forest. “If only Mom could see me now.”
“Can you see anything up there?” Ollie asked.
Coco on the rocks was pretty confident for a tiny person who was so clumsy on the ground. She turned in a slow circle, squinting.
“Trees,” she said. “Trees, and—” Coco paused. “The river!” she cried triumphantly. “Just there. I can see it shine. And something red. The farm! We’re not lost!”
“Lethe Creek,” said Brian. “And Misty Valley. We should go down to the farm. Get help. Do your phones work? Mine still doesn’t.”
Ollie checked.NO SERVICE, it said, with dashes where the time should have been. “I don’t have much battery either,” she said. She turned her phone off again. Might as well save what was left. Brian was doing the same.
Brian was right. They should head down to the farm. Ollie glanced at her watch.RIVER, it said, and a newcountdown had started. 06:37:41. Coco skidded down the side of the boulder and landed on her feet. “My phone doesn’t work either,” she said. “I checked this morning. Where do you think the others—went?” Coco shivered suddenly.
“No idea. We have to go get help,” said Brian. “The police will have sniffer dogs and things.” He went over to a tree in the direction Coco had pointed and pulled off a strip of bark, marking the direction of the farm.He must actually be in the Boy Scouts,Ollie thought, remembering the Eagle Scout comment the night before.
“That might take too long,” Coco pressed. “They were kidnapped by scarecrows! We have to help them.” Apparently Coco held no grudges for the gum, or the notebook, or a dozen other things. Ollie felt a reluctant admiration for Coco Zintner.
“Right. About that,” said Brian. “Ollie, how did you know? About getting away and hiding, and the scarecrows and everything? If it weren’t for you we’d...” He trailed off.
