frantic footsteps descending the stairs.
Jade’s plan had worked, for now , she thought. But they were far from being out of it yet. A high-pitched shriek, like fingernails on a chalkboard, made her cringe. The creature took the bait . Running at full speed they fumbled with the front door. Locked! They heard the large creature galloping down the upper staircase. Cody grabbed Jade and raced toward the back of the mansion. “The door is barricaded from the front, the back window is our only way out!” he shouted
They reached the window. “You first,” he commanded. Jade obliged and hurried through. Once outside she looked around; running was pointless. The creature had shown far superior speed—and now it was angry. They needed another plan—and fast.
Furious! Fooled by such a childish decoy. The creature had overestimated the children, but it never made the same error twice. Sprinting at full speed, it reached the back window. Through the glass its red eyes caught sight of the frantic Book Keeper. With a fluid motion the creature lunged toward the window, its weight propelling it through. The wall shattered against its giant mass.
It instantly perceived the girl at the bottom of the Wesley’s dug out hole. Dinner in a bowl. The pitiful girl was trying to climb out the other side, but her hands slipped on the fresh dirt, sending her tumbling back down, over and over. Hungrier than ever, the creature propelled itself through the air and landed directly in the center of the dirt hole. Its large, six-inch talons sunk into the dirt and gained traction. Taking a few slow strides toward its victim, it smiled at the pathetic face. Cowardice had a way of staining food with such a delightful flavor not found in bravery. The victim had abandoned her further attempts to climb out and now stared at it helplessly screaming for help.
Opening its mouth, gobs of saliva oozed between its immense teeth. It prepared to lunge, and this time its teeth would devour more than empty pants. It pounced . . .
Something pounded hard against its side, knocking it slightly off balance. Before it could regain its bearings the heavy weight of another collision crashed against it and all went black.
On the Run
C ody and Jade took off in a sprint. Their husky breath fought through the deep cramps that assaulted their legs. Neither of them spoke a word. Their escape had been close—too close. The only thought on their collective minds was the need to put distance between themselves and that thing . They had been extremely fortunate to have made it out alive, and they were not feeling up to asking Lady Luck for a second dance.
“What happened back there?” demanded Jade, her voice hurried and shaky.
“I . . . I don’t know.” Cody closed his eyes, “I’m trying to remember . . .”
“Hurry! Hurry!” Cody tumbled out of the window; he could see Jade waving him forward, she was already several feet ahead and running fast. He pushed himself off the ground and sprinted after her, adrenaline gushing through his veins.
CRASH!
The creature had burst through the wall. Cody spun around to see the shadowed demon charging toward them. He felt something catch his foot. “Ah!” His momentum sent him crashing hard to the ground. The Book flew out of his backpack and skid across the dirt ground. “Cody! Help! Help me!”
“Jade!” Pulling himself forward from behind the large dirt pile, he panicked at the scene—Jade had fallen into the large hole. With a soft thud the creat ure landed ten feet from her. “Please! Cody! Help!” Cody desperately looked around for a solution. “Cody, help!” The creature readied itself to pounce. Without understanding why, Cody reached out and grasped the Book in front of him. He felt a surge of energy race up his arm. Before he could stop himself he felt unfamiliar words work their way up his throat and explode out of his mouth, “Dastanda! Byrae! Gai di gasme!”
Suddenly a giant gust of wind
Jade’s plan had worked, for now , she thought. But they were far from being out of it yet. A high-pitched shriek, like fingernails on a chalkboard, made her cringe. The creature took the bait . Running at full speed they fumbled with the front door. Locked! They heard the large creature galloping down the upper staircase. Cody grabbed Jade and raced toward the back of the mansion. “The door is barricaded from the front, the back window is our only way out!” he shouted
They reached the window. “You first,” he commanded. Jade obliged and hurried through. Once outside she looked around; running was pointless. The creature had shown far superior speed—and now it was angry. They needed another plan—and fast.
Furious! Fooled by such a childish decoy. The creature had overestimated the children, but it never made the same error twice. Sprinting at full speed, it reached the back window. Through the glass its red eyes caught sight of the frantic Book Keeper. With a fluid motion the creature lunged toward the window, its weight propelling it through. The wall shattered against its giant mass.
It instantly perceived the girl at the bottom of the Wesley’s dug out hole. Dinner in a bowl. The pitiful girl was trying to climb out the other side, but her hands slipped on the fresh dirt, sending her tumbling back down, over and over. Hungrier than ever, the creature propelled itself through the air and landed directly in the center of the dirt hole. Its large, six-inch talons sunk into the dirt and gained traction. Taking a few slow strides toward its victim, it smiled at the pathetic face. Cowardice had a way of staining food with such a delightful flavor not found in bravery. The victim had abandoned her further attempts to climb out and now stared at it helplessly screaming for help.
Opening its mouth, gobs of saliva oozed between its immense teeth. It prepared to lunge, and this time its teeth would devour more than empty pants. It pounced . . .
Something pounded hard against its side, knocking it slightly off balance. Before it could regain its bearings the heavy weight of another collision crashed against it and all went black.
On the Run
C ody and Jade took off in a sprint. Their husky breath fought through the deep cramps that assaulted their legs. Neither of them spoke a word. Their escape had been close—too close. The only thought on their collective minds was the need to put distance between themselves and that thing . They had been extremely fortunate to have made it out alive, and they were not feeling up to asking Lady Luck for a second dance.
“What happened back there?” demanded Jade, her voice hurried and shaky.
“I . . . I don’t know.” Cody closed his eyes, “I’m trying to remember . . .”
“Hurry! Hurry!” Cody tumbled out of the window; he could see Jade waving him forward, she was already several feet ahead and running fast. He pushed himself off the ground and sprinted after her, adrenaline gushing through his veins.
CRASH!
The creature had burst through the wall. Cody spun around to see the shadowed demon charging toward them. He felt something catch his foot. “Ah!” His momentum sent him crashing hard to the ground. The Book flew out of his backpack and skid across the dirt ground. “Cody! Help! Help me!”
“Jade!” Pulling himself forward from behind the large dirt pile, he panicked at the scene—Jade had fallen into the large hole. With a soft thud the creat ure landed ten feet from her. “Please! Cody! Help!” Cody desperately looked around for a solution. “Cody, help!” The creature readied itself to pounce. Without understanding why, Cody reached out and grasped the Book in front of him. He felt a surge of energy race up his arm. Before he could stop himself he felt unfamiliar words work their way up his throat and explode out of his mouth, “Dastanda! Byrae! Gai di gasme!”
Suddenly a giant gust of wind
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