The Marsh Demon by Benjamin Hulme-Cross Page A

horrible men.”
    â€œWhere is the Mayor?” asked Edgar.
    â€œHe didn’t want to face the demon,” said Mr Blood. “I suppose he is hiding under his bed, the fat toad.”

    â€œCome on!” barked a guard. “Not much time left.”
    They marched on to the edge of the town and a short way further. The stink of the marsh grew stronger.
    The guards stopped.

    â€œThis is it,” said a guard. “We will tie the children to the tree. If you cannot kill the marsh demon, it will take the first two children it can find.”
    â€œThis is murder,” said Mr Blood. “We came here to help you. You do not need to put my helpers in danger.”
    â€œWe have our orders, sir,” the guard replied.
    The guards tied Edgar and Mary to a large tree on the edge of the marsh and got ready to leave.

    Edgar and Mary looked at the marsh with fear. It was covered in thick mist.
    â€œOne more thing, sir,” said the guard. “Do not try to untie the children. Several of my men will be watching from the town. They have bows and arrows. They are very good shots.”

    He looked hard at Mr Blood. “If you untie the children, we will pin them to the tree with arrows.”
    Mr Blood glared at the men.
    â€œIf you want this demon killed,” he growled, “place your torches on the ground around the edges of the marsh.”

    The guards did as they were asked. Then, one by one, they crept away.

Chapter 4
Midnight
    It was midnight. In the distance, a single bell rang twelve times.
    Edgar and Mary trembled. The tree creaked. Very slowly, the mist hanging over the marsh began to swirl. The marsh smell grew stronger.

    Mr Blood stared hard into the dark. The torch flames flickered in the mist.
    The marsh itself was hidden. It was a black, silent, stinking terror.
    â€œThe guards are gone,” said Edgar. “Quick, untie us!”
    â€œI’ll try.” Mr Blood’s voice sounded strained.

    He walked around the marsh towards Edgar and Mary.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” asked Mary. “If you try to untie us, the men with bows will kill us.”
    â€œYou’d rather wait and see what comes to get us?” Edgar spat.
    Mary didn’t reply.
    Mr Blood was only a few steps away from Edgar and Mary when an arrow hissed through the air and thumped into the ground next to Edgar’s foot.
    Edgar yelped.
    Mr Blood jumped back.

    â€œSo they meant it,” said Mary. “Our only way to escape is to do what they want.”
    â€œMr Blood…” said Edgar in a very quiet voice.
    The mist had lifted. The black surface of the marsh moved slowly. The rotten mud was bubbling and steaming up through the ground.

    It was forming a heap.
    â€œIt’s coming,” said Mr Blood. “We will fight the monster with fire.”
    â€œDoes that work with marsh demons?” asked Mary.
    Mr Blood didn’t reply.

    â€œYou’ve never even seen one before, have you?” said Edgar. “
Look!
”
    He pointed again at the marsh.
    A huge mound of stinking mud was piling up a short way from the tree.

    â€œMarshes burn,” said Mr Blood. “So this monster will burn.”
    He picked up two of the torches.
    â€œI am putting two torches behind the tree,” said Mr Blood. “If I can untie you, take one each as a weapon.”

    â€œIs that the best plan you can think of?” Edgar yelled. “Wave a burning stick at it? We are all going to…”
    The others never heard what Edgar was trying to say. An awful sound boomed across the marsh. It was a slow, hollow roar that seemed to go on for ever.

    The mound of mud began to unfold itself.

Chapter 5
Mud Monster
    The marsh demon rose from the slime and stood above its victims.
    It was huge. Rotten leaves and sticks stuck to its skin. It shook itself like a wet dog. Live eels and frogs fell from its mouth and sank back into the marsh.

    In two huge steps the monster