Shivers: A Ghastly Shade of Green

part of chapter 4

This didn't seem interesting at all. It seemed terrifying!

"Just wait right there, Timmy. We'll be right back. And stop barking, Tannin!" Mom ordered.

Very slowly, Mom and I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind us. The flashlight beam cut a narrow hole through the blackness, allowing us to see only little patches of things.

First, a small patch of wooden porch. Then, a small patch of dusty ground. Then, a small patch of dirty cabin walls.

And finally, a small patch of the shiny roof.

The animal would soon come into view, I thought. It was probably some vicious swamp cat clawing at the cabin. Or maybe a huge swamp bird hacking through the hot tin.

When the flashlight reflected off the metal roof, though, the pounding abruptly stopped.

We saw absolutely nothing!

No swamp cats. No swamp birds. Nothing at all.

All was silent, except for the croaking of frogs in the great swamp.

All was dark, except for the thin flashlight beam drifting toward the pale stars, and into the branches over the cabin roof.

There were dozens of them hanging low over the roof, looking dark and thick and somehow menacing in the night.