Creepy Creature's Arc

Chapter 2 of 5

Creepy Creature woke before sunrise and climbed to the cave mouth. He stood where the clearing began, where the first stone path started its line down the mountain. The moon would rise full tonight. Everything was ready. But his hands wouldn't stop shaking. He heard footsteps on the path below. Small ones. Careful. The girl came around the bend carrying a stick like before, her head tilted up toward the cave. Creepy Creature's breath caught. Four moons he had counted. Four moons of waiting. He opened his mouth to scream the way he had planned, to send her running so she would tell everyone what lived on the mountain. But his throat closed. He thought of the purple crystal hidden under leaves. He thought of her saying hello. Instead of screaming, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the lollipop he had taken from the candy store three full moons ago. He set it on a flat stone at the edge of the clearing where she would see it. Then he stepped back into the shadows and waited. The girl stopped at the base of the steep path that wound up to the cave entrance. She looked at the lollipop. She looked at the stone paths leading down in three directions. She took one step forward. Then another. Creepy Creature's chest felt too tight. She was close enough now that he could scream and she would run and tell everyone and they would all come up the mountain afraid. His terror plan spreading out before him like the three stone paths. But he stayed quiet. She picked up the lollipop and turned it over in her hands, studying the colors. She looked toward the cave mouth. "Hello?" she called. Creepy Creature stepped forward into the light. The girl didn't run. She smiled. "Did you leave this for me?" He nodded. She took another step closer. "Can I see inside?" His hands stopped shaking. He turned toward the cave and heard her footsteps following behind him. The terror plan could wait. Maybe it could wait forever.