Read Online You Can't Scare Me! by R. L. Stine - Free Book Online

oaf.”
    â€œSure we will,” I replied, trying to sound cheerful. “He’ll come back to
us
after the squirrel runs away.”
    Dirt and dried leaves had stuck to the shaving cream when I fell over. Now I had a big, dark smear on my T-shirt. I wiped at it with my hand as my eyes searched the woods for Buttercup.
    â€œWe’d better split up,” Charlene said. She looked really worried. “We’ve got to find him before he gets into some kind of trouble. He isn’t used to the woods.”
    â€œMaybe he’s by the creek,” Molly suggested, straightening her glasses. She had a twig caught in her hair. I pulled it out for her.
    â€œLet’s stop talking and go find him,” I urged impatiently. “Maybe we can still scare Courtney and Denise with him.”
    I’m always the optimist in the group.
    â€œLet’s just find him,” Charlene murmured, a tight, worried expression on her face. “If anything happens to Buttercup …” She was too upset to finish her sentence.
    We split up. I took the path that led toward the creek. I began jogging, pushing away low tree branches as I made my way along the twisting path. “Buttercup! Buttercup!” I called in a loud whisper.
    How
could
that dumb dog mess us up like this? How could he be so irresponsible?
    â€œOw!” A sharp thorn tore through my wrist as I ran past a large bramble bush. I stopped to examine the cut, breathing hard. A small teardrop of bright red blood appeared on my wrist.
    Ignoring it, I resumed my search. “Buttercup! Buttercup?”
    I should be pretty near the creek by now,
I realized. But I couldn’t hear the sound of the water.
    Was I on the right path? Had I gotten turned around somehow?
    I began running faster, jumping over a fallen log, pushing my way through tall reeds. The ground became soft and marshy. My sneakers were sinking into soft mud as I ran.
    Shouldn’t the clearing be right up ahead?
    Shouldn’t the creek be on
this
side of the clearing?
    I stopped. I leaned over, struggling to catch my breath, resting my hands on my knees.
    When I looked up, I realized I was lost.
    I gazed up to find the sun. Perhaps I could recapture my sense of direction. But the trees were too thick. Little sunlight filtered through.
    â€œI’m lost,” I said out loud, more startled than frightened. “I don’t believe it. I’m lost in the woods.”
    I spun around, searching for something familiar. Slender white-trunked trees nearly formed a thick fence behind me. Darker trees surrounded me on the three other sides.
    â€œHey — can anyone hear me?” I cried. My voice came out shrill and frightened.
    â€œCan anyone
hear
me?” I repeated, forcing myself to shout louder.
    No reply.
    A bird cawed loudly overhead. I heard fluttering wings.
    â€œHey, Hat! Molly! Charlene!” I called their names several times.
    No reply.
    A cold shiver rolled down my back. “Hey, I’m lost!” I shouted. “Hey — somebody!”
    And then I heard the crunch of footsteps to my left. Heavy footsteps. Coming toward me rapidly.
    â€œHey, guys — is that you?” I cried, listening hard.
    No reply. The heavy footsteps moved closer.
    I stared into the dark trees.
    I heard the caw of another bird. More fluttering wings.
    Heavy footsteps. Dry leaves crunching.
    â€œButtercup — is that you? Hey — Buttercup?”
    It had to be the dog. I took a few steps toward the approaching sounds.
    I stopped when the dog stepped into view.
    â€œButtercup?”
    No.
    I gasped as I stared into the glaring red eyes of another dog. An enormous, mean-looking dog, nearly as tall as a pony, with smooth black fur. Itlowered its sleek head and snarled at me, its red eyes glowing angrily.
    â€œNice doggie,” I said weakly. “Nice doggie.”
    It bared its teeth and let out a terrifying growl.
    Then it took a running start and, snarling