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The
whimpering werewolf woke Prysm. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
MMMMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNN
Prysm
looked up. The air turned pure white and moved in swirls above them.
Hollow eyes and long, oval mouths appeared amid the whiteness. The
sheet-like ghosts groaned and moaned as they flew back and forth. Prysm
held onto Candi as the spine-tingling specters moved into the pit.
Spirits
and shadows swooped around them, flying through Prysm’s hair, lifting
Candi’s tail and swishing by, cocooning them in terror. Prysm heard
herself scream as the spooks continued their frightening attack. Just as
quickly as they appeared, they disappeared. Prysm took quick, deep
breaths, trying to gather her thoughts.
Candi
nudged Prysm’s arm and looked up. Replacing the ghosts were bats, forming
a black umbrella over the pit. “Bats? I hate bats! Please don’t come in
here; please, please don’t.” The vermin didn’t listen and flew towards
Candi and Prysm. Hundreds of them attacked, landing in Prysm’s hair, on
her arms and legs and face. The poor werewolf was covered with the hairy
creatures. She nipped at them, growling and biting one at a time. “Were
those ghosts real or did I just imagine them?”
“Get me
out of here! Poe! Help us!” Prysm’s arms flew to the side and wherever she
thought she could hit a bat. They began to pile up near her feet, dead or
dying as Candi bit into them. Sensing death if they stayed, the bats flew
out of the pit and disappeared with a loud flapping of wings. “Good girl.
Good girl.” Prysm stroked the werewolf. “You’re not hurt, are you? I wish
Bella was here. She’d help us.” But Bella didn’t come. Instead thousands
of hairy black spiders crept down the walls of the pit. “Oh no! I want to
get out of here. Please, Poe. Help us!” She shouted as loud as she could.
“Poe! Poe!”
The
wave of moving legs and bodies moved towards the two. Prysm closed her
eyes and waited for the attack that never came. When she peeked to see
what the problem was, the spiders were gone. “Am I hallucinating? Where
did the spiders go? I guess it doesn’t matter. They’re gone.” She glanced
at Candi. “Did you do something?”
The
black cats appeared at the rim. “Ugh. Now I know why. Black cats. At least
they aren’t poisonous. They’re just cats.” The thrumming animals walked in
circles around the lip of the pit.
***
Poe
headed back to get his friends. He was having no luck finding a way to
rescue them. He spotted the black cats slinking around the pit. Inhaling a
deep breath, he ran towards the mass of tails and paws, screaming and
flailing his arms. The cats scattered in all directions. Once they’d left
he peered over the edge and called down. “Prysm, are you all right?”
“Poe!
I’m so glad to see you. Get us out of here. Please, hurry before the
ghosts, bats and spiders come back.”
“Ghosts? Spiders?” Poe glanced around him and didn’t see anything. “Can
you climb out, like I did?”
Prysm
glanced at Candi. “I probably can, but not without Candi and I’m not
leaving her in here alone.”
Poe
took a deep breath. “Then you’ll have to stay where you are a little while
longer. I’ll go the other way and see what I can find. Don’t be too
scared.” No sooner had Poe disappeared into the woods when the black cats
came back and formed a circle around the rim of the pit. This time they
just watched Prysm and Candi.
“I
think they’re scared of you, girl. We’re safe for a few minutes. I hope
Poe hurries.”
Poe
raced through the dead trees and fallen limbs. He was sprinting so fast
that he didn’t see the solid wall of muscle until he crashed into it.
Dazed, he sat for a few moments until the monster came into focus. “You
again!” Poe shook in a cold sweat.
The
Frankenstein monster grunted and groaned and reached for Poe. “Oh no you
don’t. You’re not going to get me.” Poe slid backwards and steadied
himself on his feet. He turned and shot like an arrow the opposite
direction. Loud thuds of the slow green-faced monster’s slow steps echoed
behind him. Deep moans and grunts erupted from its mouth.
Poe
couldn’t run as fast as he wanted to. Lack of sleep and food took its toll
on him. Tired and starving, he tripped and fell and didn’t have the energy
to get up. It didn’t take long for Frankenstein’s monster to catch up with
him. Poe lay on his back and saw the giant scarred beast evaluating him,
not sure what to do. Knowing he had only one chance to save himself, Poe
lay still wanting to cry. He was tired of all these spooky things –
witches, black cats, and now a monster.
With
closed eyes, a plan came to him. Poe reached up and grabbed hold of the
monster’s coat sleeve, tugged and pulled. The clumsy brute was caught
off-guard and couldn’t move as fast as Poe. Instead it swatted and
growled, but didn’t stop Poe from removing the coat. It ripped in a few
places, but as soon as it was safe in Poe’s grip. The boy ran off. An ear
piercing howl of anger roared in his direction. Poe knew he’d have to
hurry. “I’ve got to get to the pit. I’ve got to get to the pit.” Poe kept
repeating this to himself as he made his way through the woods. Once he
reached the pit, he stopped to catch his breath. “Prysm. Prysm.” He
huffed and puffed. “Prysm, grabbed the end of this.” Poe dropped one of
the sleeves into the pit and held onto the other one. “Grab it.”
“What
is this? A coat? Did you steal it from a giant?” What about Candi?” The
muffled questions floated up to Poe.
“Hold
onto her with one arm and the sleeve with the other. It won’t be very
comfortable, but it’s the only way. We have to hurry. The owner of this
coat will be showing up soon.” Poe braced his legs against a wooden log
and pulled, using the last of his strength. When he saw Candi’s nose show
over the edge, he shouted. “Good. Keep coming. Hurry. I can’t hold on much
longer.”
Soon
Prysm and the werewolf were lying on a black grassy patch. “That was fun.”
Prysm wheezed. “What next?”
The
groan of the Frankenstein monster answered her. “That is the owner of the
coat. You two go and hide. I’ve got an idea.” Poe moved to the other side
of the pit. “Where are you, stupid monster? I’m right here. I’ve got your
coat.” He saw the tattered and smelly fabric lying on the ground. “Come
and get me.” The monster appeared from the trees and stood still, looking
around to see what the situation was. “Come closer! Come and get me. I’m
right here and I’m not afraid of you.” Poe taunted him to move his
direction.
It
stepped forward, didn’t see the pit and fell in, landing on its back. Poe
dropped the coat on top of him. “Ha ha ha You’re not so scary.” He ran
over to where Prysm hid.
“What
was that? It was giant and green and covered with scars.” Prysm picked up
Candi.
“That
is a Frankenstein monster.”
Prysm
told Poe about the attacks by the ghosts and bats. A cackling sound
brought them back to their senses. “It’s the witch. She’s right above us
and she sounds mad.”
“She’s
been looking for us for hours now. I say we have had enough ghosts and
ghouls for now. Let’s go home.” Poe felt a wave of dizziness rush over
him. “If I don’t get something to eat right now, I won’t be able to walk.”
“We have to try. We might find something soon. I want to go
home as much as you do.” Prysm stroked Candi’s forehead. |
