There was chaos inside the mouth of the Nuckalavee.
Darkness and a terrible rushing noise, like a roaring, churning, bellowing tide.
“THE NUCKALAVEE IS TRYING TO SWALLOW US! HANG ON AS TIGHT AS YOU CAN!” shouted Wish. She and Xar were using all their energy to cling on as hard as they could to Crusher’s rope while they swung wildly this way, that way, this way, that way, turning somersaults, doing backflips, losing all sense of what was up and what was down. The sprites had lost their lights in the confusion as they rattled all around.
Down below them, the Nuckalavee’s second set of jaws had opened, the ones hidden down at the bottom of his throat, and if they dropped through those, they would never get out again.
Crusher, the great Longstepper High-Walker giant, hung on grimly, one great arm clasping the ropes Wish and Xar were holding, the other one gripping the inside of the Nuckalavee’s mouth. He was desperately trying to keep a hold on both as the Nuckalavee shook his head this way and that, and the gigantic muscles of his great gullet tried again and again to swallow them.
I… can’t… hold… on… anymore… thought Xar as the rope shuddered and swung chaotically.