Journey to the Volcano Palace Page 4

  Neal took a deep breath. “What if something bad is happening? What if Lord Sparr is, like, attacking Keeah? Or Galen?”

  Kaaa-kkkk! The room flashed white. The lightbulb in the ceiling flickered and dimmed.

  “There’s only one way to find out,” Eric said.

  Doom-da-doom! Thunder exploded overhead.

  “Hurry before the power goes,” Julie added.

  Eric felt his heart race as they went to the closet under the steps. Just like the other times, he pulled the door open and turned on the light.

  They entered the small room.

  Where are we going this time? Eric wondered.

  So far, the stairs had never taken them to the same place twice. And the stairway always faded and reappeared in a new part of Droon.

  That was just one of the secrets of Droon.

  Julie shut the door behind them. Neal flicked off the light. The room was dark for an instant.

  Then it wasn’t.

  Whoosh! The floor vanished, and a long flight of colored stairs shimmered into place.

  “I love that!” said Eric.

  A sudden, cold wind blew into their faces.

  “Whoa!” Julie said. “Hold onto the railing.”

  “Hold your nose!” Neal said. “I smell fish!”

  “Seawater!” said Eric. “The stairs are over an ocean or something. Maybe we should go back.”

  But even as he said that, it was too late.

  Shloosh! — a huge wave of icy water splashed across the stairs.

  Eric’s feet slipped out from under him. “Help!” He clutched for the railing. He missed.

  “Eric!” Julie grasped his hand, but another wave followed the first. Eric slid off the stairs, pulling Julie with him. She grabbed for something to hold on to.

  “That’s my foot!” Neal yelled.

  Neal slipped down, too.

  Splish! Splash! Sploosh!

  The three friends hit the water hard.

  “Neal! Julie!” Eric cried.

  Tall waves leaped and crashed around him.

  “I’m here!” Julie shouted, gulping for air.

  “Something’s coming!” Neal yelled.

  A dark shape plowed across the waves. It was the bow of a giant ship.

  “Watch out for us!” Eric shouted.

  But the ship charged toward them, faster and faster.

  Text copyright © 1999 by Robert T. Abbott.

  Illustrations copyright © 1999 by Scholastic Inc.

  All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc.

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  First Scholastic printing, June 1999

  e-ISBN 978-0-545-83338-7

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