Free No Survivors by R.L. Stine Page A

asked.
    â€œShe’s searching for her daughter,” Kendra added.
    April winced as the memory flashed back into her mind. That first visit to the island. Being captured by the woman in the blue cloak. Waking up to find the woman sucking her breath, sucking her strength away.
    And she called me daughter, April remembered.
    She called me daughter.
    April never understood that. She still didn’t.
    â€œMaybe she misses her daughter,” Pam suggested. She sounded as if she felt sorry for the witch.
    â€œLook at what she’s done to Marlin!” April said to Pam. “The witch is evil. If she’s searching for her daughter, it’s because she wants to hurt her.”
    A chill raced down April’s spine as she heard an eerie singing behind them. It was the same song she’d heard before on the island. The song that had followed her home. It was the witch’s song.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Pam asked.
    â€œIt’s the witch.” April grabbed Marlin’s hand and started to pull him. “Come on—let’s go. She must be close!”
    â€œNo, wait—” Marlin held back.
    â€œHurry!” Kristen cried. “If she comes back, we’ll all be trapped.”
    â€œNo—” Dolores protested.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with you?” April cried.
    â€œWe’ve got to get out of here!”
    She and Kristen and Pam took off, running toward the tunnel.
    Marlin, Jared, and the other captives didn’t move.
    April let out a gasp as something heavy landed on top of her.
    Sticky and white. A net?
    No. She saw the insects crawling over it. A cobweb. An enormous cobweb.
    April heard Kristen and Pam shout in alarm. She turned and saw that the enormous web had fallen over them too. Only the witch’s captives were free. They stood quietly, watching the three girls struggle beneath the heavy net.
    â€œHelp us!” Pam called to them.
    â€œWe need something to cut through this,” April said. “A pocket knife, a sharp rock, anything!”
    â€œOr help us lift it off!” Kristen pleaded.
    The three girls struggled beneath the sticky web.
    But Marlin and the others stood perfectly still.
    â€œYou shouldn’t have tried to escape,” Dolores said.
    â€œWe tried to tell you,” Jared added. “It’s useless. She’ll never let you go.”
    Pam turned toward April. “Some friends!” shesaid. “They won’t help us.”
    April tried not panic. “Okay, then we’ll find a way out on our own.” She grabbed two thick, sticky strands and tried to rip them apart.
    They didn’t even begin to tear.
    She tried two more strands—pushing down with her feet and pulling up with her arms. Nothing.
    â€œI can’t break out of it!” Kristen cried. “This net feels likes it’s woven from steel bands.”
    â€œIt’s not,” April said, mostly to convince herself. “There’s got to be a way out.”
    She searched for a weaker spot in the net—then howled in pain as something stung her arm.
    The disgusting web was thick with living insects. Giant red ants, flies, beetles, and wasps crawled over April’s face, down her bare arms.
    â€œOhh.” She let out a groan as a fat beetle crawled up her nose.
    She pulled it out, then slapped at her hair. She scraped bugs off the back of her neck, tugged out something buzzing in her ear.
    The web tightened over her. It pressed into her face and arms and legs.
    â€œEeew! I can’t stand bugs!” Pam was punching at the net, but it didn’t help.
    Kristen was down on the cave floor, trying to roll free.
    â€œThey’re biting me! Ow! They’re biting me!”. Pam wailed.
    Buzzing wasps climbed over April’s face. She swatted them hard. But the web was closing in, tightening over her.
    I’m trapped, she realized.
    We’re all trapped here.
    â€œOh!” She felt a sharp sting on the back