روزی در سرزمین وحشت فصل 19

One Day at Horrorland - Chapter 19

“Hey!” I shouted. My voice was muffled by the heavy lid over me.

I could hear the dull thud of the other coffin lids slamming shut.

“Hey—let me out!”

I pushed against the lid with both hands. But it wouldn’t budge.

I took a deep breath and tried again. This time, I pushed with my hands and my feet. The heavy lid still didn’t move.

My heart was pounding so hard, I thought my chest would explode. The air inside the closed coffin was already getting hot and stuffy.

“Open up! Open up!” I screamed.

I tried pushing the lid again. I could hear Clay’s muffled cries in the coffin next to mine. The poor guy was screaming his head off.

I let out a loud groan as I pushed up with all my strength. The lid wouldn’t give an inch.

Calm down, Lizzy. Calm down, I instructed myself. It’s just a stupid ride. The coffin lid will open any second.

Breathing hard, I waited.

I counted to ten.

I counted to ten again.

The lid didn’t snap open.

I tried shutting my eyes and counting to fifty. When I reach fifty, I told myself, I’ll open my eyes, and the lid will be open.

“…twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four…” I counted out loud. My voice sounded tiny and choked. It was getting hard to breathe. The air began to feel really stale.

I stopped counting at twenty-five and opened my eyes. The lid hadn’t popped open.

It’s so hot in here, I thought. The sun is beating down on the lid. There’s no air, and I’m going to fry!

I tried to scream, but no sound came out.

I gasped for air.

Outside, I could hear muffled shouts and cries.

Was that my mother screaming like that?

“It’s just a ride,” I said out loud. “Just a stupid ride. The lid is going to pop—now!” But it didn’t.

The air was so hot, so hot and stale.

Why didn’t the lid open?

Why?

I tried to force back my panic, but I couldn’t. My entire body was shaking and shivering. I felt cold perspiration drip down my forehead.

“Something has gone wrong!” I cried out loud. “The lid is supposed to open—but it doesn’t!” Frantically, I pushed up with both hands. My arms ached from pushing so hard. But the lid didn’t move.

The coffin bobbed and rocked in the water.

I lowered my hands in defeat. I sucked in a mouthful of the hot, stale air. My chest was heaving. My body trembled.

And then I felt my legs start to itch. A tingly feeling down near my ankles.

Moving up my legs.

An itchy, crawly feeling.

Something was crawling slowly up my legs.

Something small and prickly.

“Ohh.” I let out a low, terrified groan.

Spiders!