8 Cave of Bugs

CHAPTER Eight Cave of Bugs Ssss! Ssss! The kids huddled in the shadows as two large brownshelled bugs clambered out from the back of the cave. "Your family, Neal," Julie whispered. The bugs hissed and groaned. Their feelers twitched in the air. Then the kids saw why. In the thin light streaming from the cave's opening, they saw a giant pit. A giant pit full of eggs. Julie sighed. "Been there, done that."

Sssss! The bugs hissed again more loudly than before. Their tongues flicked at the eggs. "Listen, people," Neal whispered. "The bugs don't see us yet. Maybe we should just fight the Ninns, one on one." "Ten on one, you mean," Max chittered. "Holy cow," said Eric. "There it is!" He pointed to the pit full of round pink eggs. One egg was smaller than the rest. It was shiny. It glowed bright red. And it was shooting off sparks. "The Red Eye of Dawn!" Keeah whispered. "My gosh! We found it!" The bugs circled the pit, hissing and flicking. Julie bit her lip. "Can't they tell the glowing red one with all the sparks is not an egg?" "They're bugs," Neal snorted. "They aren't that smart. Believe me, I know." The red jewel sparkled again. "Now I'm sorry I threw the glove away," Eric said. "How are we even going to touch that thing? It'll burn us for sure." Keeah shook her head slowly. "Maybe there's a way. Galen said it was Sparr's anger that makes the Eye dangerous."

Neal's three eyes stared at the Eye. "And that means…?" "I know," said Julie. "It's like, if you're angry, the Eye is angry." Eric nodded. "And maybe if you're the opposite of angry, the Eye won't shoot those deadly red beams everywhere." "What's the opposite of angry?" Neal asked. "Being happy? Like laughing and stuff?" Sssss! The bugs hissed and flicked again. "That's the problem," Keeah whispered. "I don't feel happy. I just feel scared." Julie turned to Neal. "Do bugs get scared?" "Don't look at me," he replied. "I've been blasted once already. Besides, you definitely do not want to smell fried insect." "No, it's my job," said Keeah. "I'm a wizard, sort of, halfway, at least." "But how will you get past them?" Max said, nodding toward the bugs. Julie held up her finger. "Wait, I have a plan." "What plan?" Eric asked. "The one where Neal pretends to be their baby bug. You know, to distract them." Neal backed up as far as he could. "I don't think so! I may be a dumb insect, but I'm not that dumb!"

"But, Neal," whispered Julie, "they'll be so excited to see you, Keeah can grab the jewel. It'll be perfect." "Perfectly nuts!" Neal grumbled. "They'll lick me with those creepy tongues! No way!" "We need the Eye to help free Galen," Keeah said. "Only Galen can make you yourself again." Neal was quiet. His feelers twitched and quivered. He cleared his throat with a tiny cough. "Myself again? Really?" "Plus, it'll be funny," said Eric. "Keeah will laugh so we won't blow up." Neal sighed. "I guess so. But next time, someone else can be the bug!" He fluttered his feelers once, took a squeaky breath, then scuttled out of the shadows. "Mama! Papa!" he cried. "I'm home!" The big bugs swung around, opened their feelers wide, and lunged for Neal. Yeeeee! Keeah laughed as she scurried to the eggs.

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The bugs completely surrounded Neal, squealing with delight. "Hurry!" Neal yelled. "They're licking!" Keeah laughed harder. Her hands closed firmly around the glowing red jewel. "She's got it!" Max chirped. "And it's not shooting red bolts!" "Neal," Eric cried. "Get out of there!" In a flash, the five friends dashed out of the cave. The bugs hissed and squealed, but the kids shot around the ledge and up the side of the mountain before they could catch up. Higher and higher they went, until there wasn't any more mountain to climb. They crawled over the last rise. A sharp wind passed over them. They found themselves standing under a dark, open sky. They were on the edge of a white cliff overlooking the vast sea of Droon. Galen was there, wrapped in chains. A hundred Ninns were there, guarding him. And Lord Sparr was there, too. "Give me the jewel… or die!" he snarled. "Uh… is there a third choice?" Neal asked. At once—whoom!—a wall of raging flames shot up around the kids.