chapter 1 CAVE CREEPERS Darkness inside a cave is different from Darkness inside the darkness outside Outside the moon may brighten the world to a pale gray shadow Outside the spilled glitter of stars sparkle against the black velvet sky Outside you might look into the distance at the light pollution seeping from a town or city In a cave you see nothing No stars No shadows Just darkness so deep it presses against your skin Gabe Brown didn’t usually think much about the dark As part of the team chasing monsters all over America for his brother’s web show Discover Cryptids Gabe had seen a lot of darkness Cryptids like dark nights dark water 4
and dark shadows Gabe thought he was done being scared of the dark He was wrong His best friend Tyler stomped the back of Gabe’s boots again Could you maybe give me a little room Gabe asked as he shrugged his friend off Tyler took a half step back but kept a hand on Gabe’s backpack No you have the flashlight I’d walk on top of you if I could I thought that’s what you were doing Do you want the light Gabe asked not that he wanted to give it up And be in the lead Tyler yelped No I figure the killer reptoid will go after the guy with the light Then shouldn’t you back up out of slashing range Gabe asked Tyler thought for a moment then shook his head In nature films the predators always go after the straggler I’m not straggling 5
You could straggle a little Gabe muttered The beam of the flashlight lit the uneven cave floor ahead but it was growing dimmer So far Tyler hadn’t noticed but Gabe could see the darkness gobbling up more and more of their small light Gabe cleared his throat Do you have any batteries in your backpack No I have a water bottle two comic books five granola bars and an umbrella Gabe stopped in his tracks and turned to look at his friend An umbrella We’re in a cave I always carry an umbrella Tyler said Remember when we were almost eaten by a bear We were saved by an umbrella I don’t leave the van without one I really don’t think we’re going to be attacked by a bear in here Hey something was growling Tyler said 6
his gaze darting toward the darkness around them It felt like hours since they heard the last growl That growl had sent Tyler running away from the group Gabe ran after him but when Tyler was scared he was fast Gabe didn’t catch up to him until Tyler tripped over a rock The fall broke his flashlight Now they had one flashlight and a whole lot of empty cave passages between them and their friends On top of that they couldn’t find the broken flashlight Gabe wished they’d looked harder They could have used the batteries He knew his brother Ben and their friend Sean must be looking for them but the cave was a maze That’s why Ben had insisted they stick together in the first place With a sigh Gabe admitted The flashlight is getting dimmer My batteries are running down You mean we’re going to be in the dark 7
