3. Swamp Thing

SWAMP THING 3 Sam couldn't see a thing through the fog. He had no idea where the soccer ball was. And even worse— he had no idea where his friends were! He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled as loud as he could. "Lucy! Antonio! Where are you?!" Sam nearly tripped. The tree roots on the ground were uneven. It felt like they were trying to grab hold of him.

"HELP! SAM!" Sam heard someone calling his name. It sounded like Lucy. He pushed his way through the fog and followed the sound of her voice. Lucy kept crying out, like she was in danger! At last, Sam stumbled out of the fog. He could see again. But he couldn't believe his eyes: There was a large swamp in front of him.

Tree roots poked through the water. Dead branches floated on the surface. A swamp? How could there be a swamp this close to school? Sam thought. It's like I'm in a wild jungle from a movie! Sam had never seen a swamp before in real life— and he knew there wasn't supposed to be one in these woods. Sam and Lucy had studied the school grounds in library books and in Orson Eerie's school blueprints. There wasn't a swamp anywhere in the town of Eerie!

"SAM! ANTONIO! HELP! HURRY!" Lucy shouted again. Sam spotted Lucy on the far side of the swamp. One of the floating branches had grabbed Lucy's backpack! Lucy was trying to wrestle free, but she couldn't. The branch was dragging her into the dark swamp! She quickly grabbed hold of a thick log bobbing on the water.

"Hang on!" Sam shouted. "I'm coming!" Sam's heart was pounding. I need to get across the swamp to help Lucy! he thought. But if I step into the muddy water, I'll be pulled under, too. Suddenly, Sam felt something cold brush against his shoulder. "AIIEEE!" he shrieked. Sam leapt back, thinking it was a snake. But it was just a long vine. Sam had an idea. He grabbed hold of the vine and gripped it tight. He eyed the monstrous swamp ahead of him. Sam gulped. He couldn't believe what he was about to do...