Part 22 (1/2)
”The advantages of being a Time Keeper.”
”Except you aren't anymore.” Frankie sounded dead calm. ”Your memories have been stripped, due to misconduct.”
”Even if they weren't,” Cliff gritted. ”It would still be cheating.”
”Semantics.” Wendell cracked a smug smile.
”You won't get away with it,” Evelina informed him flatly.
”Is that so?” Wendell's voice hardened. ”Well, I'm sorry you feel that way.”
The Dirty Diaper Gang snickered.
”Get them!” Wendell commanded.
Ronny and Donny charged.
Wendell pulled two stun guns from his pockets like six shooters, incapacitating Frankie and Cliff in seconds.
Ronny and Donny grabbed Abby.
Evelina sank to her knees to help Frankie, who writhed beside Cliff in the sand, moaning in pain.
Wendell jerked her to her feet, dragging her away. ”He'll live.”
”He'd better!” Evelina choked, attempting to twist away. ”Or you won't.”
”There, there!” Wendell dragged her toward the beach. ”Sorry.” Wendell shoved her down beside the war canoe. He trailed one finger down her cheek. ”But, I'm afraid I can't have you running around smearing my good name.”
Evelina flinched away.
”Ha!” Abby didn't bother to disguise her disdain, as Ronny and Donny wrestled her down beside the war canoe. ”Since when?”
Wendell's eyes narrowed. ”Since always!”
”How can you feel good if you cheated?” Evelina blurted, hoping to buy some time. ”Isn't it better to win fair and square?”
”No.” The Dirty Diaper Gang chimed.
”Hurry up!” Wendell shouted. ”Tie them up. I'll deal with the other two.”
Evelina's mouth went dry.
That didn't sound good.
Chapter Twelve.
The tide was rising fast.
Evelina writhed and wriggled, and jerked, pulling on the ropes, but couldn't pry her wrists free.
Abby growled and snarled like a rabid dog, attempting to gnaw the gag from her mouth.
Frankie and Cliff were no help-buried up to their necks in the sand-knocked out cold.
Evelina couldn't even call to them to wake them up with the gag in her mouth. The Swamp Hog's shack was in the next bay. No one could hear them over the rush of the surf and wind, even if they were inclined to help them.
Every minute the ocean inched closer.
Evelina's panic grew.
It was already lapping at their necks.
The black fin of a shark appeared and disappeared beyond the frothy breakers.
She had to get loose and dig them out.
Fast!
Frankie moaned.
Evelina thrashed and pulled harder at the ropes.
If only she knew some untying spell. Or, a dissolving spell. Maybe something to eat the ropes. Or burn them.
Lightning would definitely be overkill.
The shark's fin appeared above the water, circling closer.
A s.h.i.+ver raced over her scalp.
Think, think, think!
Abby snarled louder.
A spark lit in Evelina's brain.
That's it!
The transformation spell.
”Initio Infra!” She choked in m.u.f.fled gasps under the gag, wiggling her finger at Abby.
Razor sharp piranha teeth appeared in Abby's mouth. Abby chewed through the gag like a shark through sus.h.i.+. Seconds later she'd ripped off the ropes on her wrists. The spell began to fade just as she untied her ankles.
”How did you do that?” Abby gasped when the razor teeth disappeared and she could speak again.