reached the edge of the marsh and looked down at Edgar and Mary.
Mr Blood ran forward and pushed a flaming torch into the monsterâs belly.
The flames fizzled out. The monster roared again. With a swipe of one arm, it knocked Mr Blood out of the way.
Edgar shouted in terror.
The monster reached down and grabbed Maryâs arm. She screamed and kicked, but the rope tying her to the tree held firm. She couldnât get free.
The monster snapped the rope.
Edgar and Mary both tried to reach the torches behind the tree. Mary got hold of one.
The monster pulled Edgar away before he could reach the other torch.
Then it grabbed Mary and held them both, one in each hand.
The marsh demon swung them high up into the air until they were both staring into the monsterâs foul face. It opened its evil mouth.
âNo!â screamed Edgar, closing his eyes.
He heard an even louder roar from the monster â and it let go of him. He fell through the air and landed in the marsh with a muddy splash.
When he opened his eyes he could see the monster thrashing around wildly, huge flames leaping across its skin. It was roaring in pain.
It began to stumble towards the town.
Mary and Mr Blood rushed to the edge of the marsh and pulled Edgar out.
âWhat happened?â he croaked.
âMr Blood was right,â said Mary, shaking. âFire. I stuck my torch down the monsterâs throat.â
âWill it die?â asked Edgar.
âYes, in the end,â said Mr Blood. âBut some marshes can burn for days.â
They all looked towards the town. The monster was crashing from house to house. The air was full of smoke and screaming.
âShould we help them?â said Edgar.
âWe came here to help them, and they tried to feed you to a demon,â said Mr Blood. âI think itâs time we left them alone now. Donât you?â
Copyright © 2013 A & C Black
This electronic edition published in May 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing
Text copyright © 2013 Benjamin Hulme-Cross
Illustrations copyright © 2013 Nelson Evergreen
First published 2013 by
A & C Black
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square,
London, WC1B 3DP
www.bloomsbury.com
The right of Benjamin Hulme-Cross and Nelson Evergreen to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages
A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.
eISBN 978-1-4081-8072-3 (e-book)
Visit www.bloomsbury.com to find out more about our authors and their books
You will find extracts, author interviews, author events and you can sign up for newsletters to be the first to hear about our latest releases and special offers
Mr Blood ran forward and pushed a flaming torch into the monsterâs belly.
The flames fizzled out. The monster roared again. With a swipe of one arm, it knocked Mr Blood out of the way.
Edgar shouted in terror.
The monster reached down and grabbed Maryâs arm. She screamed and kicked, but the rope tying her to the tree held firm. She couldnât get free.
The monster snapped the rope.
Edgar and Mary both tried to reach the torches behind the tree. Mary got hold of one.
The monster pulled Edgar away before he could reach the other torch.
Then it grabbed Mary and held them both, one in each hand.
The marsh demon swung them high up into the air until they were both staring into the monsterâs foul face. It opened its evil mouth.
âNo!â screamed Edgar, closing his eyes.
He heard an even louder roar from the monster â and it let go of him. He fell through the air and landed in the marsh with a muddy splash.
When he opened his eyes he could see the monster thrashing around wildly, huge flames leaping across its skin. It was roaring in pain.
It began to stumble towards the town.
Mary and Mr Blood rushed to the edge of the marsh and pulled Edgar out.
âWhat happened?â he croaked.
âMr Blood was right,â said Mary, shaking. âFire. I stuck my torch down the monsterâs throat.â
âWill it die?â asked Edgar.
âYes, in the end,â said Mr Blood. âBut some marshes can burn for days.â
They all looked towards the town. The monster was crashing from house to house. The air was full of smoke and screaming.
âShould we help them?â said Edgar.
âWe came here to help them, and they tried to feed you to a demon,â said Mr Blood. âI think itâs time we left them alone now. Donât you?â
Copyright © 2013 A & C Black
This electronic edition published in May 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing
Text copyright © 2013 Benjamin Hulme-Cross
Illustrations copyright © 2013 Nelson Evergreen
First published 2013 by
A & C Black
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square,
London, WC1B 3DP
www.bloomsbury.com
The right of Benjamin Hulme-Cross and Nelson Evergreen to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages
A CIP catalogue for this book is available from the British Library.
eISBN 978-1-4081-8072-3 (e-book)
Visit www.bloomsbury.com to find out more about our authors and their books
You will find extracts, author interviews, author events and you can sign up for newsletters to be the first to hear about our latest releases and special offers
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