They Call Me Creature Read Free

home.
    â€œOh, gross,” Ellen moaned, shutting her eyes. “Is it really a finger? I’m going to be totally sick.”
    I stepped up to it and poked it with my shoe. I squatted down to see it better.
    â€œYes, it’s a finger,” I said weakly. My stomach lurched. I studied it. “But … maybe it’s not from a person.”
    Ellen had her hands over her face, and she had turned away. “Wh-what do you mean?”
    â€œWell … the skin is kind of leathery. And the fingernail is pointed. And it’s so hairy….”
    â€œSHUT UP!” Ellen screamed. “Don’t talk about it anymore! Let’s just get away from it.” She started back to the path. But I didn’t get up. I stared at the finger more closely.
    â€œStrange,” I murmured. “It’s really ragged at the end. It looks like it was torn off.”
    â€œJust shut up about it,” Ellen said. “I feel sick. Really.”
    â€œHere. Catch!” I shouted. I pretended to toss it to her.
    She screamed and ducked, even though I didn’t have anything in my hand. “Not funny, Laura,” she muttered. “Hey—why don’t you take a photo of it? For your science project.”
    â€œI’m supposed to photograph whole animals,” I said. “Not just parts.”
    But I should take it home, I thought. Show it to Dad. Maybe he knew what kind of animal had fingers like this.
    I didn’t want to freak Ellen out. So while she wasn’t looking, I picked up the finger. I kept it hidden in my palm so she wouldn’t see it.
    Ellen and I wandered through the woods. White moths fluttered over Luker Pond. High in a tree, I heard the knock-knock-knock of a woodpecker. Yes! Excellent! I needed that woodpecker! I raised the camera to my eye and searched the tree for it.
    â€œI’ve got to go,” Ellen said. “What time is it, anyway?”
    I studied the trees through the camera viewfinder. “Close to three, I think.”
    â€œOh, wow. I’ve really got to go,” Ellen said. “I promised Stevie Palmer I’d play tennis with him at three.” She jumped over a flat stone and started to jog away.
    Stevie Palmer—blond hair, blue eyes, great athlete—Ellen’s latest crush.
    â€œAnd don’t forget to invite Stevie to my party!” she shouted.
    â€œNo, wait!” I cried, lowering the camera. “Who else should I invite? Who else?”
    She turned back, pulling her hair behind her shoulder. “Invite everybody !” she yelled. Then she disappeared behind a stand of evergreen shrubs.
    I wish she didn’t have to go, I thought, circling the pond. I was alone in the woods, and for the first time in my life I felt tense about it.
    I’ll feel better once I take some photographs, I decided. I had taken only three or four. I desperately needed to find some animals—or my project was going to be completely lame.
    I stepped up to the edge of the pond. Come on, animals. Where are you hiding?
    I was so desperate, I snapped a picture of the white moths fluttering above the water.
    I’ll sit down and wait, I decided. Maybe if I’m really still, a deer will come to drink.
    I sat down. And waited. I held my camera in my lap and listened to the whisper of the trees. One of my favorite sounds.
    A minute later I heard another sound, this time behind me. It was the snap of a twig.
    I turned around but didn’t see anything.
    I stood up. And heard the heavy scrape of hooves.
    Was it a deer?
    The sounds stopped.
    I turned and took a few steps forward.
    Behind me, I heard the footsteps again.
    I stopped. And once more the footsteps stopped.
    I shuddered as a tingle of fear ran down my back.
    I’m never frightened in the woods. Never. Even when I’m by myself.
    But today was different.
    I pictured the circling birds … the ugly finger in the grass … I heard my dad’s warning to stay