Don't Stay Up Late Read Online Free PDF Page A

tighter. I listened hard. “Morty, where are you? Morty—I’m coming.”
    Another howl. And then a tall shadow moved between the silvery trees. A shadow. A figure. Running fast.
    It burst into view, and I tried to scream.
    I was staring at some kind of creature .
    I grabbed a tree trunk and wrapped my arms around it, as if to hold myself up. I stared into the silvery light and watched the thing trot through the trees.
    He stood on two legs and ran upright, like a human. But he was bare-chested, and even in this strange light, I could see that his body was weird, huge, long-fingered hands at the end of skinny arms, a nearly bald head, red glowing eyes. He stopped for a moment in a pool of light. And I saw his face … distorted … features twisted.… Not a human face.
    His ears stuck straight up, like pig’s ears. A long animal snout poked from between his cheeks. His snout hung open. I could see two rows of long, fanglike teeth.
    And suddenly, with my arms wrapped tightly around the cold, rough tree trunk, I knew I was dreaming again. Another nightmare. You know how when you are asleep and you are totally aware that you are in a dream.
    Wake up. Wake up, Lisa.
    Why couldn’t I wake myself from this one?
    The creature made ugly growling sounds. He was a blur as he moved toward me. And then he was only a shadow again, a shadow with glowing ruby eyes. He seemed to melt into the darkness.
    Was he really there at all?
    Wake up, Lisa. Hurry. Wake up from this nightmare.
    But there was no escape this time. I heard a groan. And then the shadow swept over me, grabbed me, shook me hard, grunting my name.

 
    9.
    â€œLet me go!” I shrieked. My eyes were shut tight. “Get off me!”
    â€œLisa, what are you doing out here?”
    I opened my eyes to see my mother, hair wild about her face, a raincoat pulled over her nightshirt. Her eyes were wide with fright. They reflected the eerie light from the moon. Her chin trembled. She was shivering.
    â€œWhat are you doing out here? Why are you in the woods in the middle of the night? I was frantic. I searched everywhere for you.”
    I leaned forward and forced her to hug me. I just stood there leaning into her, wrapped up in her, my head pressed against the front of her coat.
    â€œLisa? Can you talk? Are you okay?” Her voice trembled on the night air.
    I stood up. Her warmth lingered on my skin. “I thought … I thought I was dreaming. I saw a creature. An ugly half-human creature that ran into the shadows, Mom. I saw it and I knew I had to be dreaming.”
    Mom had tears in her eyes. They glistened in the moonlight like twin pearls. “But you’re not dreaming, Lisa. Look where you are. You’re in the woods.”
    I gazed around. The cool night air made me shiver. I hugged myself to stop my shakes. “Was I sleepwalking ?”
    Mom hesitated. “I guess you were.”
    â€œSomething new,” I said, rolling my eyes. “The nightmares weren’t bad enough. Now I have to go roaming around like a lunatic in the woods.” I sighed. “At least I was sane enough to put on clothes. I’m not walking around out here totally naked. That’s a good sign, right?”
    I was trying to get a smile from my mom. I didn’t like to see tears in her eyes. She wasn’t an emotional person. She wasn’t supposed to cry.
    She didn’t smile and she didn’t answer my question. Without another word, I took her arm and we began to walk to the house. After a few steps, I stopped.
    She stumbled but caught her balance. “Lisa? What’s wrong?”
    â€œWhat about the creature?” I asked. “Was he real, too?”
    â€œOf course not,” she said softly.
    â€œBut what does that mean? That I was sleepwalking and having a nightmare at the same time?” I sighed. “Will I always be this crazy, Mom?”
    â€œYou’re not crazy.” Her voice was