Jest like that. They scut le an slither across the lakebed an disappear back down inside the cracks.

They’re gone. An al that’s left is the smolderin corpses of hunnerds of hel wurms.

We stand inside our circle of dyin re an stare. There ain’t a sound but the hiss of the embers. Nobody moves. It’s like we’re al holdin our breath. Like we cain’t believe our own eyes.

Then, Yee ha! Ash yel s. Her an Epona jump around, punchin their bows in the air. Did you see that, Jack? Hey Ike! Did you see them bastards go? They grab Emmi’s an Tommo’s hands an whirl them around in circles.

Somehow it don’t seem right, them celebratin an makin lots of noise. I dunno why, but it don’t.

I look at Jack. His jaw’s set. A lit le nerve jumps in his cheek.

What is it? I says.

We didn’t scare ’em of , he says. They was git in the bet er of us.

Wel , if we didn’t scare ’em of , I says, what did?

Ike moves over to stand beside us. Him an Jack stare out over the lake.

The earth shakes agin. This time louder an longer.

Dammit, Jack, I says, tel me what yer thinkin.

Epona an Ash stop their celebrations. They come over, with Tommo an Emmi, an we al draw in close together.

Emmi slips her hand into mine. What’s goin on, Saba?

Some people say the hel wurms got a master, says Ike.

There’s another rumble.

A master? says Emmi. What does that mean?

What it means, says Jack, is there’s somethin down there so big an bad, even the hel wurms run when they hear it comin.

I let that lit le fact sink in. Then, If runnin’s good enough fer hel wurms, I says, it’s good enough fer me.

An me, says Jack.

We stare at each other a split second. Then, at the ezzack same time, we yel , Run!

We al scramble, grab whatever weapon’s closest, start to run fer it. Ash an Epona take o fast, with Emmi an Tommo. But before I can take more’n a couple of steps, there’s a almighty roar. The ground heaves. It lifts. It splits open at my feet. I’m slidin down into a giant crack. I scrabble wildly. I cain’t stop myself.

Jack’s there in a flash. He grabs my hands an yanks me out. I lie on the ground, pantin. My heart’s goin like a hammer.

Thanks, I says, it jest about had me there. I—

Suddenly a long tail whips up from the crack. It wraps around my ankles an pul s me in.

Jack dives. Grabs hold of my hands agin. He’s laid on the ground on his bel y, hangin on fer dear life. Ike! he yel s. I need you here!

Ike throws hisself down beside Jack. Now they each got one of my hands.

I feel like I’m bein slowly ripped in half. The tail pul in me down, Jack an Ike pul in me up.

I cry out. I stare into their faces. Their eyes is desperate, their faces strainin with the ef ort. My hands start to slip out a theirs.

Jest then, Ash an Epona appear above me at th’edge of the crack, their crossbows loaded. They aim down an re past me. There’s a high pitched scream an the tail loosens. Jest a bit, jest fer a moment. Ike an Jack heave me up an out.

Go! Go! Go! yel s Ike. He scoops Emmi into his arms an takes o at a fast run, headin north. Epona, Ash an Tommo’s right behind him. I snatch my crossbow but only got time to scoop up one arrow. Then Jack an me sprint after ’em.

snatch my crossbow but only got time to scoop up one arrow. Then Jack an me sprint after ’em.

There’s a angry roar behind us. I glance back.

A giant hel wurm’s jest crawled out a the crack. It stands up on its hind legs. It’s twice the size of th’other ones, at least thirty foot high, with a long lizard tail.

Ohmigawd, I says. I’m stil runnin but I slow down a bit to look back.

The hel wurm’s catched our scent.

It’s fol owin us! I says.

Jack takes my hand an we run faster. I shoot another look over my shoulder.

It’s gainin on us! I says.

Jack stops runnin. Stops dead. Without a word, he turns around an starts walkin back towards the hel wurm. He’s headed fer it an it’s headed fer him.

Jack holds Ike’s shooter in his hand. He must of picked it up without me noticin. As he walks, he loads it with quick jerky movements.

Jack! I shout. What the hel d’you think yer doin?

I’m sick of this bastard! he yel s.

Jack! Don’t be so crazy!

He keeps on walkin.

Jack! I scream. Don’t!

He stops. Lifts the shooter. Takes aim. He waits til the hel wurm’s twenny paces away. Then he fires.

The shot slashes the hel wurm’s arm. It roars, but keeps on comin. Jack fumbles fer the pouch with the bolts while he keeps one eye on the hel wurm.

I can see he ain’t got time to reload. An he ain’t got his crossbow. He must of dropped it earlier. I start runnin towards him.

The hel wurm’s on top of him. It rears up to its ful height. It lashes out, swipes at him. Jack’s thrown into the air, like Emmi’s peg dol .

He lands with a heavy thump on the ground. He don’t move.

The red hot races through my blood. I throw down my crossbow as I run. Hold my one last arrow in my hand. The hel wurm leans over Jack. It lifts its claws, ready to swipe at him agin.

I don’t even slow down. I run around behind it an right up its back. I wrap my legs an arms around its stinkin neck an I squeeze with every bit of strength in my body.

It roars with fury. Turns itself in circles, round an round, its great claws ailin at me, tryin to pick me o , shake me o . Somehow I hang on. I raise the arrow up high an then, with al my strength, plunge it into the left eyehole. It goes in hard. Deep. I pul it out an jab it into the right eyehole.

The hel wurm bel ows in pain. I leap from its back as it crashes to the ground. It pul s itself up agin. It near crushes Jack unnerfoot as it struggles to stay upright. Its tail lashes out an sends Jack skiddin.

It staggers this way, then that. Then it’s gone. Disappeared down a big crack in the lakebed.

I watch it fal , roarin an clawin at the air, hit in the sides as it plunges down down, deep down into the earth to die.

Jack! I yel . I run to where he’s lyin so stil on the ground. I throw myself beside him, turn him over.

He ain’t breathin. He’s most awful pale. His eyes is closed. I run my hands over his legs, his arms, his neck to check if anythin’s broke. They seem okay.

Jack! I pat his face. Jack! I tilt his head back, pinch his nose an blow into his mouth. I check fer his chest risin. I blow agin.

His lips twitch. He’s smilin.

I jump to my feet. Gawdammit Jack, I says, what’re you playin at?

He opens one eye. Yer kissin technique could do with a bit of work, he says.

I thought you was dead, you bastard! I was tryin to save yer life! Although why I should save a snake like you, I got no idea!

I was winded, he says, not dyin. You should learn to tel the di erence. He pul s hisself up to sit. Shakes his head an groans. I sure hit that ground hard, he says.

Not hard enough, I says.

What happened to the wurm?

Dead, I says.

He grunts. Closes his eyes.

Don’t thank me or nuthin, I says.

Thanks, he says. I make that two to you now. One fer the cel block an one fer this. An it’s two to me. Pul in you out a the river an pul in you out a that crack jest now.

I ain’t playin yer stupid game, Jack, I says. Git up.