Rex’s teeth chattered. “We’re not going through the desert, are we?”
Jade glanced at the map. “No, thank goodness.”
“No wonder nobody lives out there!” Rex said.
“Well, from the looks of it,” said Jade, her eyes skimming the page, “the carber seems to be one of the tamer creatures.”
“What?” Rex cried.
“Let’s only read about the areas we’ll be traveling through,” suggested Alina. “Hearing about all of Sampson’s creatures is not going to boost our morale.”
“Good point,” said Jade as she turned the page and continued reading. “‘The most traveled route is the road between Stormport and Jaden, a distance of three hundred miles. A majority of the path is through the prairie. It’s hot in the summer with little shade.’ Hmm, good thing we have a vehicle. ‘The biggest threat is a small maggot-like creature called a brainwaste.’”
“Brainwaste?” Rex exclaimed.
“Stop interrupting, Rex. ‘Brainwastes are tiny insects that flourish in the tall prairie grasses. They cannot fly, so they crawl up the grass stalks and cling to vehicles or travelers. Once they have found a victim, they enter through the ear canal and drill through the skull, where they feast on the brain. Victims rapidly lose their senses, hallucinate, and become violent. There are no warning signs until the creature burrows through the skull, which makes removal impossible. Victims become delirious and attack anyone within their proximity. If someone in your company complains of a painful drilling sensation on the side of the head and becomes incoherent, it is best to flee immediately. This is difficult but necessary to protect the lives of those nearby.’”
Rex smothered a squeal from his mouth.
“But there’s good news!” Jade read on. “‘Thanks to our scientists in Stormport, we have an effective method of eluding these creatures. Tight metal patches, called ear shields, snap around the head and cover the ears completely. These patches have proven effective against brainwastes. A thorough examination of the body, particularly the head, should be done before the ear shields are removed.’”
Rex slapped his hands over his ears. “Okay, I’m not removing mine until we get to Jaden. What else do we have to worry about?”
Jade read on. “‘Most of Sampson’s creatures carry the same danger—serum poison.
“Ageless serum is what makes Sampson’s world possible. He can manipulate it into a potent, deadly toxin, which is then carried through a host. When his insects or animals transfer this poison through bites, scratches, or blood-sucking, it kills their victims slowly and painfully. The inner organs fester, secreting the toxin through every orifice. This can then infect anyone who comes in contact with the victim.’”
Alina flushed with anger. “What an interesting pattern we have here. First, Sampson’s victims always suffer—death can’t be quick or painless. And then he makes sure anyone who comes to their aid also dies. This prevents others from helping.”
“What choice do they have?” Rex asked.
“None. That’s what makes it so sad. Abandoning loved ones in their agony. At least I know I can stay and comfort anyone who dies by my side.”
“I hope you won’t have to,” Jade said.
Alina’s voice caught as she spoke. “I’m terrified of these creatures, and they can’t even hurt me. I worry about all of you.”
Jade reached out and rubbed her back. “At least nothing can hurt you.”
Alina didn’t look at her. She grew tired of them emphasizing her value.
Jade returned to the book, but the list of creatures was so extensive, she only skimmed through them. They included bloated, crusty millipedes and other bulbous insects that oozed poisonous serum, birds that attacked in swarms and pecked poison into people’s brains, cat-like animals with venomous claws that shredded the skin, and of course the killing stones—hard-shelled creatures that expelled deadly quills.
Rex’s face turned a pale shade of green. “Why does everything have to be so gross? Oozing and festering and crusting over?”
“Speaking of gross, look at this, Rex,” Alina said, studying the book over Jade’s shoulder. “Here’s the creature that chased us up the tree.” She pointed to a picture of the bizarre-looking beast, with its spiky body, sagging jowls, and gnarled fangs. “It’s called a monyx and can sense warm blood from over a mile away.”
“Huh?” Rex asked. “You mean freshly spilled blood?”
Alina scanned the page. “No—warm-blooded animals, including humans. The monyx smells the blood in their veins. Wow, we were lucky. The spiky tail releases serum poison that paralyzes the victim. When he can’t move, the monyx continues to slash until he finds an artery, then drinks the pool of blood that follows.”
Rex clapped his hand over his mouth and ran to the bathroom. Alina and Jade grimaced over the retching sounds.
“You okay, Rex?” said Alina, after he went quiet. “I’ve done that before. It’s not fun.”
“Yes, I remember,” Rex moaned. “After you rode the coaster at the spring festival.”
Alina cringed. “You saw me? I ran away after I got off and threw up my lunch in a bush. I was so worried someone noticed!”
“I was always looking out for you. But don’t worry, I’m pretty sure no one else saw.”
“You know, I’m done reading about these creatures,” Jade said, flipping through the pages. “Our defense strategy will be the same for all of them—”
“Yes. Running for our lives,” Rex called from the bathroom.
“—Let’s read about the other dangers, the non-poisonous ones.”
“You mean Sampson uses something besides serum poison to kill people? I didn’t think his brain could stretch that much,” Rex scoffed as he came out of the bathroom, wiping his mouth.
“Yes. They’re humans.”
Alina knitted her eyebrows together. “Huh?”
Jade continued reading. “‘A particularly dangerous—and mysterious—group of creatures are called mirages. Little is known of them, as no one who has attempted to study them has survived.
“‘According to eyewitnesses,
