Those freaking dogs howled, breaking free of the woods. The humans couldn’t be far behind. I’d never been this scared in my life.
“I’ll climb down first, then catch you.”
I leapt to the cave floor and reached up. “Now, Susanna.”
She squirmed closer to the edge.
“There she is,” a voice shouted. “By the falls.”
“Time’s up, Susanna,” I yelled. “Jump.”
She slid off the ledge, banged against an outcropping of rock, and screamed in surprised pain. I scooped her into my arms, then steadied her on her feet.
“Go to the falls.”
She stared at the water, roaring from the bluff to the creek. “No, Mark.”
“Shut up and move,” I ordered. “I’m right behind you.”
In a bad dream, this type of scene would happen in slow motion. Well, damnit, we were living a bad dream. It was as if I could see each muscle contract and joint bend in her legs. I looped an arm around her back, urging her forward. It wasn’t fast enough.
I would stay between her and the search party since I trusted my chances with them better than hers. I was not leaving Worthville again without Susanna. And we were leaving.
She reached the edge of the creek and wavered, mesmerized by the force of the waterfall.
“Go. It’ll be all right. See, I’ll throw my backpack through.” When I tossed my green backpack full of tools and books, the falls encased it in a glittery cocoon and then spat it onto a rock on the other side.
“Stop,” a voice bellowed.
We both whipped around. Mr. Pratt stood above us on the cliff.
“Stop,” he repeated. “The water will carry you away, like your father.”
She froze.
“Ignore him. You won’t die like your father. Whisper Falls is on our side,” I said with urgency. “Jump.”
Mr. Pratt laughed. “Susanna, you mustn’t do this mad thing. Stop now and all will be forgiven.”
“I can’t step into that water.” She stared at me with big eyes. “Save yourself.”
“Not a chance. Go on.” I cupped her elbow and urged her forward. “You first.”
Behind me, rocks clattered.
“Come on, Susanna. We’re going to win. But you have to move.”
She took a deep breath and then launched herself into the creek, moaning as the water boiled and foamed around her thighs.
“Don’t think about the water. The falls like you. Trust them.”
There was a roar of rage behind us. It echoed off the cave walls. Mr. Pratt had climbed down. “Susanna, my dear, don’t leave me.”
“I am nothing to you,” she yelled as she took another step. Her body disappeared under the surface.
I ran to the boulder’s edge. “Susanna?”
She reappeared, still on this side. “Mark, he’s right behind you.”
“Don’t worry about me. Keep moving.”
A heavy hand clamped on my shoulder and jerked me back.
I went totally psycho. The air seemed to glow in shades of red, the heat of its fury making me itch to leave a mark. I spun around, fists flying, hoping to inflict whatever damage it took to bring this bastard to his knees. The punch glanced off his arm.
Mr. Pratt laughed, head thrown back.
It was like being in middle school again, trapped in the bathroom, surrounded by bullies who jeered and punched. Well, I was five years older, five years stronger, and—after seeing what he’d done to Susanna—centuries angrier. I threw a hook, my fist connecting with his nose.
Crunch.
My turn to laugh. “Yeah, real funny, asshole.”
He staggered backwards, clutching his face. Blood dripped from his chin. I smiled with grim determination and landed another punch. His gasps changed to snarls and his arm flew through the air, the blow glancing off my jaw. It should’ve hurt, but it didn’t. It just made me madder.
This guy was bigger and smarter than most middle school bullies, but I would win this fight, too. I rebalanced and came out swinging.
He doubled over, hands braced on his knees, then surged forward, head-butting my chest.
I went down, smacking my head, lying spread-eagled and dazed.
A shadow blotted the sky. I blinked, trying to bring the world back into focus. There was a laugh, like some kind of villain’s cackle from a bad cartoon show. Mr. Pratt loomed over me, his jacket flapping like the wings of a vulture.
“No!” Susanna screamed.
He hesitated long enough to glance over his shoulder, staring through the curtain of water, his face scrunched in confusion. “Susanna?”
He couldn’t see her.
She’d made it to the other side. She was safe.
The knowledge gave me a second wind. I pushed up on my arms. As if my movement caught his attention, he swung around and reared back, his boot aiming a vicious kick at my crotch. When I twisted away, his foot went sailing into empty air. He wobbled and fell.
I rolled into the creek.
The water was colder and deeper than I expected. I hit bottom and jack-knifed around, disoriented by the gray-green, bubbling foam, not sure which way was up. Another quarter turn and there it was, a glimpse of a Carolina-blue sky.
I shot to the surface, gasping for breath.
“This way,” Susanna shouted. “Mark, come this way.”
I turned in the direction of her voice.
“Yes, that’s good, Mark. The falls are straight ahead.”
I sloshed forward, desperately mopping hair and water from my eyes.
From behind me, Mr. Pratt moaned and spat.
“Send the dogs,” he shouted. “They’re escaping.”
I’d forgotten about the damn dogs.
Someone gave a piercing whistle. The entire pack bounded into the creek.
With tired legs pumping, I sloshed harder toward the waterfall. Why was it so far away?
The dogs charged me, snarling and snapping.
I leapt for Whisper Falls.