12. Is There A Way Out

IS THERE ANY WAY OUT? 12 Antonio looked at the empty path. "Who took my PB&J crumbs?!" he exclaimed. Sam's heart was pounding. His eyes darted across the ground. "Crumbs can't have just disappeared!" "It's not possible..." Lucy said. Her hands were trembling. SQUAWK! The friends spun around. The huge crow from before landed on the seesaw. A piece of bread dropped from its mouth.

"That crow must have eaten all the breadcrumbs!" Sam said. The bird flapped its wings and shot into the air. Lucy kicked at the damp ground. "It's like everything is working against us." Sam plopped down on the seesaw. "I'm afraid we'll never get out of this maze." Suddenly, one end of the seesaw jumped! "Whoa!" Sam shrieked. The seesaw jumped again. It was alive, too! Sam tumbled off.

Sam sat up. He was covered in mud. But he was smiling. "That's it!" he said. "I know exactly how to find our way out of here." "You do?" Antonio asked. "I think so..." Sam said. "Can you guys pin down this seesaw?" "Wrestle a monstrous seesaw?" Antonio said, rolling up his sleeves. "Bring it on!" Lucy and Antonio jumped on the seesaw, pinning one side to the ground. The seesaw jerked and jumped. "Hurry, Sam!" Antonio said. "We can't hold this thing down forever!" Sam quickly climbed up and stood on the other end of the rusty seesaw. It quaked. Sam was barely able to grip the cold metal handle. It was like he was surfing!

"It's working!" Sam said. "Less talking, more looking!" Antonio said. The seesaw was trying its hardest to fling Lucy and Antonio off. Finally, Sam managed to stand up straight. From where Sam stood, he could see the whole hedge maze. The strange labyrinth wrapped all the way around Eerie Elementary. But Sam smiled. "I can see it! I can see the way out!"