Читать книгу Mysteries in Our National Parks: Running Scared: A Mystery in Carlsbad Caverns National Park - Gloria Skurzynski - Страница 8

The light from his head-lantern cast deep shadows along the cave walls. Ink-black phantoms seemed to dance across formations like evil spirits, but the man wasn’t afraid. Nothing scared him, except, perhaps, the thought of running out of money. Well, he didn’t have to worry about that, not now. His flashlight felt heavy in his hand as he aimed it at the delicate cave balloon, as fragile and translucent as a soap bubble. It always amazed him what people would pay for a tiny thing like this. He’d have to give part of the payoff to the rock surgeon, but he’d pocket the rest. Easy money.

It was then that he heard the sound.

“You hear that?” he demanded.

Ryan looked up, the blade of his tool glinting in the lamplight. “Hear what? Hey, the Hodags got you spooked? You know, we’re pretty deep in the belly of the cave, all alone in the bowels of the Earth. Legend has it that when the Hodags slither out from their hiding places to—”

“Just shut up and get back to work,” the man snapped. “I’ll tell you one thing—I learned a long time ago to make sure there ain’t no witnesses. If a Hodag-thing is down here, watchin’ what we’re doing, I’ll kill him dead.”

“Yeah. I’m sure you would.” Ryan just shook his head.