The Psychozone Read Online Free Page A

bought in the gift shop—a rattlesnake skull complete with fangs. “Probably died of boredom,” Jason muttered as he stuck the skull in the front pocket of his shorts.
    Behind them, the man was calling, “Come back soon and see the Terror of the Amazon. We’re always adding new attractions. Tell your friends.”
    He kept talking, but his voice faded as they got in the car and drove off.
    After a day in the desert heat and an hour in the dankness of Snakeland, Jason was dying for a swim.
    â€œWhere’s the pool?” he asked the man at the desk.
    â€œNo pool,” the man said.
    â€œThat figures,” Jason muttered. As he soon found out, the motel didn’t even have cable. It did have enough empty rooms so Jason got his own next door to his parents.

    â€œThis really rots,” he shouted, dumping his suitcase on the bed. He looked out the window. There it was, that sign, advertising the Terror of the Amazon. Jason had come so close to getting into the display, he had to satisfy his curiosity. He knew his folks would go to sleep early. He just needed to wait … .
    That night, when he was sure his parents were asleep, Jason slipped from his room. Even after a week in the desert, Jason still wasn’t used to how cool it grew at night. He shivered as he crossed the sand toward Snakeland. For a moment, he considered going back and changing from shorts to jeans. But it didn’t seem worth bothering for such a brief trip. Despite what his mom might say, a couple of minutes in shorts wouldn’t kill him.
    The door was still unlocked. “Hello?” Jason said, stepping inside. If the man caught him, Jason planned to explain that he was coming back to see him feed the python.
    Straight ahead, Jason thought, left, down the hall, then right. He remembered the path to the closed room. It was just past the python. He made his way, using the moonlight that came through the windows. There was the door, straight ahead. Nothing else lay between him and the Terror of the Amazon.
    â€œFeeding time!”
    Arms wrapped around Jason, pinning his elbows to his chest. He struggled and kicked. “Let me go!”
    â€œTime to feed the python. Percy gets tired of rabbit. You’re a lucky boy. You get to watch for
free,” the man said, his mouth just inches from Jason’s right ear. He dragged Jason toward the pit. “Even better, you get to watch from the inside.” He started laughing.
    Jason twisted and jerked, trying to break loose. His hand hit against his pocket, striking a hard and sharp object. The skull! He yanked it free and jabbed the fangs into the man’s hand.
    The man yelped and jerked his arm back. Jason, suddenly free, stumbled forward. He knew he couldn’t get past the man. He raced away from him, toward the door that held the Terror of the Amazon.
    He could hear the man chasing him.
    Jason pushed at the door. It moved an inch, then stuck.
    â€œNo!” the man yelled.
    Jason slammed his shoulder against the door. It flew open. His momentum carried him through. His first step landed on the floor. His second step met nothing but air. Jason screamed as he fell. For a sickening second he was weightless, too surprised to brace himself for whatever waited below.
    A heartbeat later, Jason hit water. He went under, then splashed to the surface, coughing and choking. As he thrashed his arms, he heard the man shouting. Jason looked desperately for another door. Nothing on either side. He looked across the pool. A sheet covered the wall in front of him. Maybe there was an exit behind it.
    â€œGet out of there!” the man yelled. “Right now!”

    â€œNo way,” Jason said. With a few strong strokes, he swam to the other side. He reached to pull himself out. The floor was too high above his head. Jason barely got his hands over the edge. As he tried to struggle out, he banged his bare knee against the side of the pool. The pain was so