know it’s still in there and not out here?”
“Dreamweavers are mostly nocturnal.” Signe gives me two of the squares. “They rarely, if ever, leave their burrows. They wait for unsuspecting victims to walk by and then lure them in.” What she’s saying pretty much matches what Baun told me. I have no reason to doubt her.
I scour the ground, bend, and show them four stones. “Time to knock on the door and see if he wants to come out and play.”
We set ourselves up within the trees opposite the entrance. Signe stuffs the fabric into her ears and hides far to the left, while Reece and I pocket the fabric and find a few more rocks the size of our fists and get ready to play ball.
I step out and fling the first rock into the entrance, ripping a hole through the fine webbing covering the opening. I duck back into the cover of the trees beside Reece.
He smiles. “Rang the doorbell with that one.”
He steps out and spins a rock into the burrow. We hear it thunk against a far wall. Reece dives back into our hiding place and we wait. When nothing happens, I step out and throw another hardball. The clatter of it bouncing reaches our ears.
Two more rocks, and nothing but the sound of rock hitting rock bounces around the entrance of the burrow. Reece steps up and zings one in. There isn’t any wind, but I can see the webbing we haven’t managed to destroy jiggle slightly. I point it out to Reece. “I think we’ve finally got his attention.”
Stepping out again, I pull my arm back and throw. The rock enters, but there’s no sound.
Reece and I exchange a quick glance. He fishes for the fabric Signe gave him and stuffs it in his ears. I wave him off, and he dashes to where Signe waits. I put the fabric in my ears and all sound disappears. I hear my heartbeat. Hear every time I swallow. I palm another rock.
Before I can throw it, all the rocks we’ve thrown come zipping out. I dodge them all except one that hits my side, either cracking my ribs or giving me the worst cramp ever. Either way, I accidently drop the rock I was about to throw.
I clamp my hand over the spot and rub as I stumble backward, keeping my eyes glued to the burrow entrance. I’m only slightly worried my side will slow me down, but not enough to stop me. Kera is in there and I’ll risk anything to free her.
I stoop, pick up another rock, and toss it in the air, testing its weight. The webbing flutters. He’s close, waiting, gauging my bravery. I’m teasing him like a bullfighter in the ring, daring him to come forward.
I pull back my arm, and just before I throw it, the boy lunges out of the burrow, his six arms flailing, his dirty long hair flying, and his ragged pants hanging off his bone-thin hips. One after the other, he flings six pieces of thin, needle-like bone, pointy end first, toward me. I keep a step ahead, and when the last missile flies past, I heave the rock, smacking him in the chest. Lunging into the woods, I throw myself behind the first tree big enough to hide me.
Peeking around the trunk, I stare at the place his hands should be and see bone growing like shark teeth moving in to fill a bite gap. This guy can regenerate faster than a lizard in a crowded aquarium. Snarling and clicking his teeth, he paces, flexing his arms. With each contraction, the bone lengthens a little more.
Behind him, I see Signe and Reece slip into the burrow. The Dreamweaver spins around and stares at the entrance. He’s heard them. He can see the webbing jiggle with their movements. I can’t let him go back inside. I draw my sword and run straight for him, screaming
Without looking at me, he points an arm and shoots a new bone needle. I deflect it with my sword and keep running toward him. Another arm rises. Another needle flies out. I deflect that one, too. I’m almost on him, and the boy turns and frowns at me like I’m a pest. His lips start moving. I can’t hear what he’s saying, and then I’m glad I can’t. He’s singing my death song.
Too bad I’m not ready to die yet.
I swing. My blade connects with two of his bony appendages. Another slashes a thin line along my cheek. I barely avoid the next bony needle by pulling back, and when I do, my sword skids off the bones without making a mark. My sword always leaves behind a mark. I jump away and dart back in. Thrust up, hit bone. Duck. Spin to the left. Lunge forward and slash his hamstring. Roll away. A needle stabs into the ground, barely missing me.
A solid kick to his injured leg drops him to his knee. I jump to my feet and run into the forest, hoping he’ll follow. The cut to his hamstring is deep, and when he stands, the boy snarls, showing bloodstained teeth. I push through the underbrush, moving from hiding place to hiding place. He doesn’t enter the trees, only stands at the edge, pacing. Waiting. He knows I won’t leave, that I’m here for Kera. I pick up a rock, jump out from my hiding place, and throw it, hitting him square on his spine. A bony dart spikes through the foliage and hits me in the thigh. I stagger back and fall. My sword slips from my hand.
He turns, and a triumphant smile settles on his face. He drags his leg behind him as he moves toward me.
I don’t dare take my eyes off the Dreamweaver. Reaching over my head, I feel for my sword, but I can’t find it. Strands of dirty long hair string over the boy’s face as he approaches. He raises an arm and I roll, barely missing being stabbed to the earth. Two more needles fly. I grab my satchel and deflect the needles, but one grazes my left arm and lands nearby.
He’s singing again. I’m actually tempted to listen, and that kinda freaks me out. I think my earplugs were knocked loose. I hum, blocking any sound that may get through, and pat the ground all around me for my sword.
It’s nowhere. The boy stands over me. The bony needles grow longer and longer. His smile turns evil, his song louder. I can hear my death song like a sweet whisper through the fabric. I hum louder. I can’t find my sword. I begin to sweat, and then my hands knock into the two bony needles he shot at me. Grabbing one in each hand, I yank them out of the ground and in one motion, slam them into his chest. Shock spreads on his face. My death song dies on his lips and he topples backward.
“Dylan!”
The sound of a female screaming penetrates what remains of my earplugs. I rip them out as well as the needle sticking out of my thigh and struggle to my feet. Signe bursts out of the burrow, and behind her, Reece emerges, dragging a long white shell. My heart tightens. It’s Kera.
Signe is crying and talking at the same time. I limp over, grab her shoulders and shake her. “Stop it. I can’t understand you.”
She swallows her sobs. “We cannot remove it. Whatever we try fails.”
Unmindful of my leg, I race back for my sword, and when I bring it down at the base of the cocoon, it sizzles, but it doesn’t burn or cut through the hard shell.
This can’t be happening.
Signe drops to her knees by Kera’s head and places her hand on the cocoon. “It’s so cold. She’s stopped moving. Do something.”
If my sword can’t cut through, I have no idea what can. And then I see one of the Dreamweaver’s needles. I scoop it up and yell for Signe to move. One hard jab and it’s through the hard shell and into the gummy mass near Kera’s head. I stick my finger in and feel for her mouth. Using the needle, I rip through the cocoon until I can see blue lips. She’s freezing and not breathing. Reece and Signe drop down next to me, each holding a needle, and begin to rip into the cocoon with me. In less than a minute she’s free.
“Get back,” I yell. Placing my hands over Kera’s heart, I don’t think about failure. I send a jolt of energy. Her body arches, then lands lifeless on the ground. I send another jolt. I can hear Signe softly crying, hear Reece cuss. I touch Kera’s neck for a pulse. Nothing.
“Wake up, Kera! Wake UP!”
I press down over her heart again and pump out a massive jolt of energy. Her body jumps a good two inches off the ground, and when she hits, her mouth pops open and her chest rises with a deep breath. I scoop her into a sitting position and hug her tightly to me. She’s shivering and covered in gooey God knows what. I wipe her wet hair out of her face and whisper in her ear. “I thought I’d lost you. You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you. I’m not going to let go.”
I look at Reece and Signe. “Let’s get out of here.”
Kera slips her arms around my neck and presses her lips against my ear. “He’s coming.”
She’s shivering so violently, I’m not sure if it’s from the cold or fear. I stand with her in my arms, and pull
