Your Worst Nightmare by P.J. Night Read Free Book Online

the bats. Moths are less adapted for deep cave life than other creatures.”
    Kristi glanced at Olivia to give her a reassuring smile, but her friend still looked worried. So Kristi pressed on.
    â€œBut what about the, um, troglobites,” Kristi continued. “Are some of them moths?”
    â€œLet me say it again,” Mrs. Hallett replied. “I simply don’t think that moths could evolve that way, which iswhy they would be found at the entrance of the cavern. But if you’ll all follow me, I can show you a real troglobite. And I’d ask that we have no more questions about them until we reach that part of the tour. Thank you, girl in the red sweater.”
    Prickles of embarrassment tingled on Kristi’s face. Even though she hadn’t done anything wrong, she slowed down so that she was near the back of the group . . . walking next to Bobby. He gave her a knowing smile. “Hiding out back here?”
    â€œYeah, I guess Mrs. Hallett hates me now too,” Kristi said with a short laugh.
    â€œThen you’re in great company,” Bobby joked. “Seriously, you have to wonder why she gives tours to big groups of kids when she doesn’t like kids , know what I mean?”
    Kristi smiled. Maybe some part of her had known that Bobby would make her feel better.
    Olivia hung back so that she could join them too.
    â€œWhy are you way back here?” she asked as she grabbed Kristi’s wrist. “Come on—I don’t want to face a troglo-whatever all by myself.”
    The kids pushed through a narrow tunnel to a widechamber that was brighter than the bats’ cave. To her surprise, Kristi soon realized that they were standing around a massive underground lake. Its smooth, glassy waters reflected the lights on the cave walls.
    â€œThis is Crystal Lake,” Mrs. Hallett announced. “It’s the largest underground lake in North America, so large, in fact, that we’re not even sure how big it really is. We have sent divers underwater and they have confirmed that there is yet another series of chambers within the lake, each one entirely flooded with water. It is impossible to even estimate how far down these underwater chambers go.”
    There was a sudden splash far across the lake; Kristi grabbed on to Olivia’s arm as several of her classmates gasped. Mrs. Hallett laughed at their surprise.
    â€œNow, now, nothing to be afraid of,” she said. “The Crystal Lake is home to several varieties of freshwater fish, including a large school of rainbow trout. Of course, fishing is prohibited here. We also know that the darker areas of the lake, where there is no light, are home to several troglobites. You have heard me use that word often today. Does anyone know what it means?”
    â€œFeel free to tell us whenever you’re ready,” Bobbywhispered sarcastically to Kristi. She grinned at him and tried not to laugh.
    â€œA troglobite is an animal that has adapted over thousands of years to live in a light-free place,” Mrs. Hallett said loudly and slowly. “Because they spend their entire lives in the dark, most troglobites are blind. In fact, many don’t even have eyes. They’re also usually white or translucent in color, having lost the pigment in their skin. You see, they don’t need it to protect them from the sun’s rays, since they’re never exposed to a light source. In fact, if you tried to take a troglobite out of the caverns . . . it would die .”
    Mrs. Hallett paused dramatically. “We have a room over here where part of the lake is partitioned off so that you can see an actual troglobite for yourself! The room is very small, so you must come in groups of two or three, and very dark, so I’ll use my flashlight to show you the troglobite.”
    Standing at the back of the group, Kristi assumed that she would be among the last to see the troglobite. But Mrs. Hallett pushed