08 Vampire Bats?

Chapter 08 Vampire Bats? “ Wait—” said Jack, panting. “ I think we got away. ” Jack and Annie stopped running and caught their breath. “ Where are we?” said Jack. “ Where’s the monkey?” said Annie, looking back at the forest. “ Do you think the jaguar caught him?” “ No, monkeys are fast, ” said Jack. Of course, jaguars are fast, too, Jack thought. But he didn’t want to tell Annie that.

“ I hope he’s okay, ” said Annie. Squeak. Peanut peeked out of Annie’s pocket. “ Peanut! I almost forgot you! ” said Annie. “ Are you okay?” The mouse just stared at Annie with her big eyes. “ She looks scared, ” said Jack. “ Poor Peanut. ” “ Poor monkey, ” said Annie. She looked around at the forest. “ We’d better check the book, ” Jack said. He pulled out the book. He turned the pages, searching for help. He stopped at a picture of a scary creature. “ Oh, man. What’s this?” he said. Jack read the writing below the picture. It said:

Vampire bats live in the Amazon rain forest. At night, they quietly bite their victims and suck their blood. “ Vampire bats?” said Jack. He felt faint. “ Vampire bats?” said Annie. Jack nodded. “ After dark. ” Annie and Jack looked around. The rain forest seemed to be getting even darker. “ Yikes, ” said Annie. She looked at Jack. “ Maybe we should go home. ” Jack nodded. For once he agreed with her. “ But what about our mission?” said Annie. “ What about Morgan?” “ We’ll come back, ” said Jack. “ We’ll have to be prepared. ” “ So we’ll come back tomorrow?” Annie asked.

“ Right. Now which way is the tree house?” said Jack. “ This way, ” said Annie, pointing. “ That way, ” said Jack, pointing in the opposite direction. They looked at each other. “ We’re lost, ” they said together. Squeak. “ Don’t worry, Peanut. ” Annie started to pat the mouse again. But then she stopped. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak. “ Jack, I think Peanut wants to help us, ” said Annie. “ How?” “ The way she helped us in the time of ninjas—” Annie placed the mouse on the leafy forest floor. “ Take us to the tree house, Peanut. ” The mouse took off.

“ Where’d she go?” said Annie. “ I don’t see her! ” “ There! ” said Jack. He pointed to leaves rustling on the ground. A streak of white passed over the leaves. “ Yes, there! ” said Annie. Jack and Annie followed the moving leaves. The streak of white appeared. And disappeared. Suddenly Jack stopped. The forest floor was still. There was no sign of Peanut. “ Where is she?” asked Jack. He kept staring at the ground. “ Jack! ” Jack glanced around. Annie was standing on the other side of a nearby tree. She was pointing up. Jack looked up.