“Are we there yet?” 333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuLSvRdkT3
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Gretchen McFarlane groaned behind me.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAsXQjL6pN
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“I dunno”, I answered.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRofVb84Hw
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“Are we there yet?333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsWEyJR8Pf
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“I dunno”.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78BQrXxglX
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“Are we there yet?”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTil8gGYA7V
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“Oh my gosh, will you please stop?!” I snapped. My hands were gripping each other so hard they hurt. “333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioDPsqQWbx
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We’d been walking for hours through the thick woods outside our sleepy town of Tolpeak, New Hampshire. Or so it seemed at least. The branches twisted overhead, blocking out the sun. And every rustle of leaves made my stomach clench.The trees were getting stranger, taller, darker… almost like they were leaning toward us. Our teacher. Miss Ferguson. said that this would be a quick journey. Ha! What a dumb joke!333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAa0iFbFsKJ
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By the way, My name is Betty Jeffres333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnEApnqzza
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“Keep moving, everyone,” she called over her shoulder. “We don’t want to fall behind.”
Her voice sounded calm, but there was something tight about it. Something that made my stomach twist.
“Uh… how much farther?” Gretchen whined.
“Not long now,” Miss Ferguson said. glancing at the path ahead. “Just a little farther, and then… you’ll see.”
Her smile didn’t reach her eyes.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KJXzHS36J
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“Ugh, I dunno what’s worse!” Gretchen whined. “Chafed feet or camping in a forest that popped straight out of a b-horror movie! I'm pretty sure this place is haunted by at least five thousand werewolves!"333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iSPuc9Ah9
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I rolled my eyes. Gretchen always acted so childish! If there was a contest for acting like a baby, Gretchen would win. Hands down.
We followed the narrow path deeper into the woods. But something felt…wrong.
“Wait,” I said, pausing. “This doesn’t look familiar.”
Gretchen squinted at the trees. “Uh… yeah. Didn’t we just pass that huge twisted oak?”
Miss Ferguson frowned, glancing back. “Keep moving. We’re on the right path.”
I frowned. But the trail behind us seemed… gone. The path had vanished, swallowed up by the dark undergrowth.
“Miss Ferguson…” I said, my voice trembling, “I think we’re lost.”
She didn’t answer. Her tight smile faltered. And for the first time, she looked… worried.
“Listen up everyone! I’m sorry to say this…but I think we’re lost”, Fergun said. Her voice was heavy with sadness.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLYXxldIQb
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“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me!” I said. Facepalming myself.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvQpDvqZk9
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Gretchen began to wail like a banshee. Big surprise. Gretchen is the biggest crybaby in the land.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJJKZEUU28
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“WE’RE GONNA DIE! WE’RE GONNA DIE!! I DON’T WANT TO DIE, I’M TOO YOUNG AND TOO BEAUTIFUL TO DIE!!!” Gretchen yelled. Tears running down her cheeks like a wild river.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfe8I0AHyZ9
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“Shut up Gretchen! I shouted. Covering my ears. “This isn’t helping!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcMU4jLErY
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“WE’RE GONNA DIE! WE’RE GONNA DIE!!!” Gretchen continued her super annoying wailing.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDv3zbAMbW
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“SHUT UP!!!” I yelled. “YOU MAKE MY EARS BLEED!!!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHIXv20b95
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By now, everyone had started panicking.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUJRAQBjKG
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“Calm down, calm down everyone!” Miss Ferguson shouted. “I’ll handle this, I’ll check the GPS on my cell phone!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLF8tRGlgzi
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She fumbled in her bag. Her hands trembled. She picked up her mobile. She discovered that it was dead. As dead as a cellphone can be.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fAuKKI7PB
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“Now it can’t get any wor…!” I said. I was cut off by a huge rain cloud looming above us.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0Rfa0XDwa
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“Never mind, it CAN get any worse than this!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPM76vJJSU
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“WE’RE GONNA DIE! WE’RE GONNA DIE!!!” Gretchen screamed.
Lightning forked across the sky. Thunder cracked so loud my teeth rattled.
“Everyone! Under the trees!” Miss Ferguson barked. But her voice was swallowed by the howling wind.
The rain came down in sheets. Soaking us in seconds. The dirt path beneath our feet turned to mud. My sneakers squelched with every step.
Then!333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQ1n6yxKJQ
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out of nowhere!333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdecw07RWS
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The trees parted.
A bridge.
A long, ancient-looking stone bridge stretched out ahead of us, disappearing into a curtain of mist. The stone was slick with moss and carved with strange symbols that glowed faintly in the storm’s light.
Miss Ferguson froze. “This… this wasn’t here before,” she whispered.
“Uh…” I swallowed hard. “Where does it go?”
No one answered. Even Gretchen stopped her annoying crying.
That’s when we heard it! Low, guttural growls from beneath the bridge!333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfiJsCe4L4
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Then I saw them! Ogres. TWO ugly ogres!
Their skin was the color of swamp muck, glistening in the rain. Each one had arms as thick as tree trunks and teeth like broken gravestones. Their yellow eyes glowed in the dark, staring right at us.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMUM4drAQT
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Gretchen whimpered. Her knees wobbled like jelly. Her face turned chalk white. I swear she almost fainted.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1G0FUM0F2
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My knees wobbled too.
One of the ogres scratched his belly and grinned. The other licked his cracked lips.
“Well, well, well” the first ogre rumbled, his voice growling like thunder. “Look what’s wandered into our woods.”
“Children,” the second one hissed. “Soft, tasty children.”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqGqRMFydI
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“Who should we eat first?” the first ogre hissed.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXstqry9U4q
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“Let’s start with the fat one over there!”, the other ogre said and pointed at me.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6J2EpzVKC
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“Who you callin’ fat?!” I shouted angrily. “I’m not fat, I’m just big-boned!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkF3qU6H1J
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“Nice Eric Cartman impression!" Fenella Ziegler laughed. “You sounded just like him!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDo4dHqTxW
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Miss Ferguson approached the ogre. She looked very brave. More brave than she usually looked.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaalQk2LoH4
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“Keep your filthy hands away from the kids! I won’t let you hurt them!”, she roared.
The ogres laughed. A booming, stomach-churning laugh that shook the bridge.
Then, faster than I thought possible, one of them scooped her up like a rag doll.
“NO!” we screamed.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmJndAFoX5
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“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! PUT ME DOWN, PUT ME DOWN AT ONCE!!!” Miss Ferguson shouted.
She wriggled and kicked, but it was useless. The ogre opened his massive jaws. His shark-like teeth glistened.
And just like that. Miss Ferguson was gone.
Chomp! Chomp! Crunch! Crunch!
The ogre belched. Loudly.
“Needs salt,” he muttered.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vmupZhHzK
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The ogre wiped his mouth with the back of his slimy hand.
“Delicious,” he growled. “But not enough.”
His glowing yellow eyes slid over the rest of us.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEz7vdIURoZ
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“Now, how about the rest of you?”, he said. bearing his terrifying teeth.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7z8NReqCeo
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Gretchen began crying again. Big surprise I know.
“Don’t eat me! PLEASE don’t eat me!” Gretchen wailed.
The second ogre grinned, showing rows of jagged teeth. “Oh, we’ll eat you. All of you. Unless…”
“Unless you answer our riddles” the first one finished. He leaned closer, his hot, rancid breath washing over me. “Three riddles. Each of you. Answer them all, and you may cross our bridge.”
“And if we don’t?” Riley whispered.
The ogre’s grin widened. He tapped his teeth with one claw.
“Then you’ll end up just like your teacher.”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsgrK68ElT
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Fenella loved riddles. All her life revolved around them. Guess who stepped up to the ogres first? I think you already know the answer. If you don’t… Well, you’re dumber than you look!333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjL7WEzD5F4
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“Lemme go first! There’s no riddle in the world that I dunno the answer to!”, Fenella shouted333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLFDqxfbbf
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The ogres smiled. Bearing their shark-teeth again.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZOU8amVWj
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“As you wish, how many particles does pi have?” the ogre said.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuyOvaaIIb
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Fenella froze. Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
“I… I… uh… Five hundred?" she stammered.
The ogre snorted. “Wrong answer.”
Before anyone could react, the other ogre scooped her up. She screamed, but it was cut short as she disappeared into the ogre’s gaping maw.
“Fenella!” we all yelled.
The ogres laughed. “Next?” one hissed.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Lpgp6mAeg
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Gretchen approached the ogre. Her face was still chalk white. Her legs still wobbling like jelly.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4GqaIbAKh
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“Soooo, the brunette with the pink bow wants to have a go?” The ogre sneered. “Very well, how many particles does pi have?”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsVqOUHvFy
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Gretchen gulped. Fear shook her from head to toe. And then… Well, urine ran down her legs. Literally. I wrinkled my nose.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdxNBuFYAn
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“T…T….T…T…Ten?” she stammered. A puddle of pee had formed underneath her shoes. “Please….Pleas…please…Please, don’t hurt me!!!” she sobbed.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSOdJFbWUm
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The ogres grinned.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZznQmD2JY
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“Sorry little girl, we don’t care about your childish feelings, now you’re nothing but our dinner!”, the ogre boomed. He scooped her up. 333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk64mjKpmk
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“PLEASE, DON’T EAT ME!!!” Gretchen wailed. 333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfEh68g0E7
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Gretchen flailed and kicked, but the ogre’s massive hands were too strong.
Then…Snap!
She disappeared into his gaping mouth. A muffled scream, a thud, and then… silence.
The ogre smacked his lips together.
“Delicious!” he declared, licking the corners of his mouth.
The second ogre chuckled. “Needs more salt next time.”
A puddle of Gretchen’s fear (and something else) shimmered on the wet stones beneath us.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTwNJelana
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One by one. The ogres feasted on my classmates. I heard ‘em scream. I heard ‘em cry. I heard ‘em pleading for their lives. I saw ‘em gettin’ shredded to bits. 333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOaihwUpRS
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It was horrifying.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGdY2XyTt7
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It was terrible.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmiCBg2zY4
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Absolutely terrible.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAmr2053y7
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Then it was my turn. Life sucks sometimes. I know.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0hKFQjerS
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“Now…It’s YOUR turn fatso!” one of the ogres boomed and pointed at me.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLX2SSRb6ON
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“The name’s Tracy Brown!” I snapped. “Call me fat ONE MORE TIME and I’ll go medieval on your butts!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTc25W3D2U
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“Answer this: How many particles does pi have?” The first ogre boomed.
My brain did a weird little flip. Pi? Particles? Why would a number have particles? I swallowed. My heart hammered so loud I could hear it in my teeth.
“Infinite,” I said. My voice sounded small. “Pi’s decimal goes on forever. It doesn’t stop.”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjFg886zKQ
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The ogres huddled together, whispering in low, guttural voices. They tapped their teeth. They poked each other in the ribs. Finally, one of them shrugged.
“Huh. Fine,” he grunted. “One down. Two to go.”
The second ogre frowned. “Next riddle,” he said. “333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2OkYLyv6d
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My mind raced. A towel. A towel, a towel, a towel, say it, Tracy, just say it.
“Towel,” I blurted. “A towel.”
The ogres’ yellow eyes narrowed. Then, oddly, the second ogre clapped both massive hands together. “Okay,” he said. “You’re smart.”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjObIB57Irz
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“Yeeees!” I yelled happily.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0PmzvoFLu
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“Final riddle, Challenge us to do something impossible, something we can't do!"333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcS1I04JDS
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I smirked. I knew just what to do. My smirk grew bigger. Then I farted. 333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuOVx7F2eL
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Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfffffffffffffft!!!333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsUp5dqlhm
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“Alright, I challenge you to catch my fart and paint it green!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTJlvvCL6N
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The ogres blinked. Then roared with confusion and outrage. “Impossible!” one bellowed.
“Exactly!” I shouted. “You can’t do it. I WIN!!!”333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ywNEyI0qW
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The ogre sighed in disappointment.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKQt7Qygb9
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“You’re allowed to pass. We won’t eat you” The ogres muttered.
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I strutted across the bridge, laughing and waving at the ogres. “So long, suckers!” I shouted.
But then… the stones beneath my feet shivered.
I froze. The carvings glowed brighter, pulsating like tiny, angry eyes. The bridge groaned, a low, grinding, bone-chilling sound.
“What the…?!” I whispered.
The arches above twisted slowly, like fingers reaching for me. The bridge itself was alive. It shuddered, and the mist swirled around me, thick and suffocating.
I tried to run, but the stones shifted under my feet, forming ridges and valleys that slowed me down. The bridge was indeed alive!
A deep, rumbling voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
“Who dares cross me… and MOCK the ogres?”
I gulped. My victory, my fart, my clever riddles, they all felt meaningless now.
Somehow… somehow I had to make it to the other side.
I ran. I jumped. I scrambled, praying that this ancient, living bridge would let me survive…333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCmmAwXpyl
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But it didn’t.333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvOA9X88yj
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And now…I’m no longer alive. Just a ghost, forever wandering the bridge, waiting for the next unlucky kids to cross.
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Afterword:
Answer… Or Be Eaten! was inspired by the spine-tingling worlds of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps-books and Betsy Haynes’ Bone Chillers-series. From the eerie forests of Tolpeak, New Hampshire, to the terrifyingly alive bridge and its monstrous guardians, this story blends suspense, dark humor, and a touch of the impossible, just like the tales that made us stay up late reading under the covers.
May this short story remind you that even when you think you’ve outsmarted the monsters… the real horror might be waiting in the shadows, or under your very feet333Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFabhmA14BV
and then Add to home screen.