Part 19 (2/2)

She sprinted at top speed, but gained little ground.

What was happening?

Evelina shook her head, attempting to clear it.

Something was wrong.

She didn't feel quite right. Her skin tingled. Her blood rushed-faster and faster with every step.

She began to sweat. Her swollen finger throbbed. Her hand shook as she wiped the dampness from her lip.

Tally screamed.

Evelina spun around.

She could only see Tally from the waist up.

The bog was swallowing her like a digesting stomach.

Evelina raced back.

”You'll never make it!” A raspy voice whispered inside her head. ”Go back! Go back! Run! Save yourself while you can!”

Evelina sliced a look at Abby, racing beside her.

Her expression failed to alter, as though she hadn't heard it.

Evelina shuddered.

What the H!

She must be losing her marbles.

Her vision blurred.

She attempted to blink it away.

She grasped Tally's arm, just as Tally sank to her armpits.

Evelina stretched as far as she could, taking care to avoid the burbling ring around Tally. She held her breath. The sludge stunk like rotting cabbage, making her eyes water.

Abby grabbed Evelina by the waist to keep her from slipping.

”Don't interfere. Let her go! It's meant to be!” The voice screeched in her head. ”You don't belong here. This isn't your concern. You're not really one of them.”

”No!” Evelina gritted, hanging on to Tally with all of her might.

”It's over!” the voice hissed.

”One, two, three,” She huffed. ”Pull!”

With a loud slurp and a pop, they jerked Tally out.

A ginormous orange snake shot out of the ground. It was covered in scales the size of platters. Two spiked horns rose above its glowing yellow eyes.

It hissed, displaying huge silver fangs the length of samurai swords.

”Oh no you don't!” Abby picked up a branch, wielding it like a club. She hammered it on the head. ”Get lost! Get out of here!”

Its eyes rolled back in its head.

It landed with a thud in the green slime, as though knocked out cold.

”Whoo hoo!” Abby cheered, shaking the club in the air.

Another silver scaly head rose from the mist.

Evelina's heart gave a leap.

”Holy c.r.a.p!”

The thing had two heads!

It grabbed the club in its fangs, knocking Abby on her b.u.m, as the rest of it slithered out of the muck. It rose higher and higher, spitting the log miles in the air. The log landed with a crash, somewhere in the trees.

Evelina's head whirled.

”It's too late!” the voice whispered.

Evelina's finger throbbed. Talons of doubt clawed at her heart. A deep misery weighed her to the spot.

The serpent pulled back as though to strike.

Tally screamed.

A jolt of electricity shot through Evelina's veins. She raised her hands in the air. ”Thunder, battle, and blood!”

Crack!

A jagged bolt of lightening hit the snake straight between the eyes.

It shrank by half, but kept on coming, blue smoke puffing from its slanted nostrils.

Evelina's mind raced.

She only knew a few spells.

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