The Secret Path Read Online Free PDF Page B

slowly toward the tree. As he did a breeze stirred the red leaves, making it look as if they were excited about his coming close. Adam’s heart thumped in his chest. Obviously time moved at a different pace inside the tree. Maybe when he emerged Sally and Watch would be old, like his parents. Maybe he wouldn’t get out, but become a part of the tree, a sad face cut into its thick bark.
    The hole definitely seemed smaller than it had ten minutes earlier, maybe half the size it had been. Adam realized he had to get in and out quickly. Still, he hesitated. A strange odor spilled out from the interior of the tree. It could have been the smell of blood. Plus, as he stood under the tree, he couldn’t help noticing how far away his friends appeared to be.They were where he’d left them, but they could have been a mile away. He waved to them and it was several seconds before they waved back. Weird.
    â€œI have to do it,” Adam whispered to himself. “If I don’t, Sally will know Tm a coward.”
    Summoning his courage, Adam ducked his head and squirmed through the hole into the tree. He was able to get his whole body inside, and turn around, although he had to keep his head down. Standing hunched over, he peered through the hole and was surprised to see that everything outside had lost its color. It was as if he were looking at a black-and-white film. Also, as Watch had said, the interior of the tree was completely silent. All Adam could hear was his panting and the pounding of his heart. It seemed to him that the tree was also listening to his heart, wondering how much blood it pumped a day. How much blood the reckless boy had to feed its hungry branches . . .
    â€œI got to get out of here,” Adam said to himself. He tried to squeeze back out. Now there was no doubt, the entrance had shrunk. Adam got halfway through and then felt his midsectioncatch. Sucking in a strangled breath, he tried to let out a scream, but failed. The bark had him in a viselike grip! And the way it was closing on him, he would be cut in half!
    â€œHelp!” he managed to get out. Sally and Watch were at his side in a moment. Watch yanked at his arms. Sally pulled at his hair. But he stayed stuck. The pain in his sides was incredible—he felt like his guts were about to explode. “Oh,” he moaned.
    Sally was near hysterics as she pulled his hair out by the roots. “Do something, Watch!” she screamed. “It’s eating his legs.”
    â€œIt’s not eating my legs,” Adam complained. “It’s breaking me in two.”
    â€œA dying man shouldn’t quibble,” Sally said. “Watch!”
    â€œI know what to do,” Watch said, letting go of Adam’s arms. He ran over to a drooping branch and pulled out a Bic lighter. As Adam struggled to draw in a breath, Watch flicked the Bic and held the flame under a particularly big and ugly branch. The tree reacted as if it had been stung. The branch snapped back, the leaves almost slapping Watch. Atthat exact moment Adam felt the grip on him lessen.
    â€œPull me now!” he shouted to the others.
    Watch returned to Adam’s side and, with Sally’s help, yanked Adam free. Adam landed face first on the rough ground and scratched his cheeks. But the slight injury was overshadowed by his immense relief. He drew in a deep, shuddering breath and tried to crawl farther away from the tree. Sally and Watch helped him to his feet. Behind them, Adam noticed that the hole had all but vanished.
    â€œYou can see why old man Derby wanted to chop it down,” Sally panted.
    â€œYeah,” Adam gasped, gently probing his sides for broken ribs. He seemed to be in one piece, although he knew he’d be sore the next day. If he lived that long. Suddenly he had lost all enthusiasm for finding the rest of the Secret Path. “There’s no way you’re going in there,” he told Sally.
    â€œI don’t