whispered, “Well, then you have failed.” He jerked Quinn closer, and stabbed upward into his neck. The gurgling Merwin spewed blood as his dying body jerked back and contorted in a grotesque, unnatural manner. A look of disgust crossed the leader’s face as he dropped the limp Merwin to the ground. Angrily, he stepped over the dead body. Idiots! If I want it done right, I’ll to do it myself –as usual.
Chapter 10
Daniel watched Nickel while he kicked up the multi-colored sand. Nickel stopped to pull up a random patch of green grass, and threw it back at Daniel with a giggle. The many willow trees ahead of them swayed calmly with the sea breeze. They stood tall, riddled with sparse green leaves, which covered slender black branches that slimmed down to expose beautiful pink flowered tips. The tops of several of the trees appeared to open, and a rainfall of pink flowers toppled over the exposed hollow edges of the mouth of the bark. The rock path leading to the sprinkle of willow trees was littered with sand. Nickel hopped along the buried rocks, and periodically leaned down to run the sand through his fingers. He stood up and ran past Jade, who tried to catch up with him.
Faulk looked up while he adjusted the straps on his bag. “So… where’s the trove?”
Daniel turned from his observation and answered with a grin, “We’ve still got about a mile or so. Pull out your knife and gun. A lot of traps on this trove were already here, if I reme m ber right. That’s why their father claimed it. It’s nice, but I got to be honest…ours is better.” He observed the grove of swaying willow trees once more, and could have sworn they moved. The spillage of pink flowered thin branches at the open tops a p peared to grow longer the closer they walked.
“I don’t know if I like the word trap ,” Faulk frowned.
“Trust me, cuz, we’ll live. Dying is not a choice,” Daniel said, and pulled out his knife. Taking in the towering willow trees that blocked his path, he could have sworn it was delibe r ate. He couldn’t shake the feeling of danger that tingled across his skin. Thinking back to Gabe’s warning, he remembered Gabe telling him this area wasn’t safe. Gabe had never led him this way when he’d visited.
Jade and Nickel ran forward before he could call out, and his warning shout of caution stuck in his throat. Nickel disa p peared into the depths of the swaying willow copse. Jade ran in after him, desperately calling out his name.
Faulk pulled on Daniel’s arm. “I don’t like the way that happened. It looked like Nickel was dragged in.”
“Hell, I know he was!” The memory hit him like a brick, Gabe’s warning of deadly willows. “Shit! That’s Deadly Wills – they’re living willows. Let’s go!” Daniel took off into a run to catch up.
The towering willow trees swayed languidly, the smell of their flowers filling the air to deceive its victims with its beauty. Daniel’s trained eye noticed the purpose in the movement, and it had little to do with the breeze. The trees moved as if they were decisively attempting to look harmless, and the affirm a tion of his suspicions came true. The picture in front of them looked almost serene, but Daniel knew better. He ran faster when he heard the muffled screams from deep within.
Sliding to a stop, he pulled Faulk to stagger his stride. “Look! Keep your knife drawn. These things live – they really live ! They also eat meat. Stab, them and cut ‘em up…and don’t let the branches open or you’ll get choked,” Daniel said before he ran forward leading Faulk into the shady jungle of willows.
He raised his knife and held it comfortably in his tight fist. Looking around, he searched for Jade and Nickel. Before he could spot them, he heard Faulk yell out. A seemingly docile hanging branch whipped out and slapped him, knocking him down hard. Faulk struggled to stand, and the branch opened at its flowered tip. The pink flowered tip of the
Chapter 10
Daniel watched Nickel while he kicked up the multi-colored sand. Nickel stopped to pull up a random patch of green grass, and threw it back at Daniel with a giggle. The many willow trees ahead of them swayed calmly with the sea breeze. They stood tall, riddled with sparse green leaves, which covered slender black branches that slimmed down to expose beautiful pink flowered tips. The tops of several of the trees appeared to open, and a rainfall of pink flowers toppled over the exposed hollow edges of the mouth of the bark. The rock path leading to the sprinkle of willow trees was littered with sand. Nickel hopped along the buried rocks, and periodically leaned down to run the sand through his fingers. He stood up and ran past Jade, who tried to catch up with him.
Faulk looked up while he adjusted the straps on his bag. “So… where’s the trove?”
Daniel turned from his observation and answered with a grin, “We’ve still got about a mile or so. Pull out your knife and gun. A lot of traps on this trove were already here, if I reme m ber right. That’s why their father claimed it. It’s nice, but I got to be honest…ours is better.” He observed the grove of swaying willow trees once more, and could have sworn they moved. The spillage of pink flowered thin branches at the open tops a p peared to grow longer the closer they walked.
“I don’t know if I like the word trap ,” Faulk frowned.
“Trust me, cuz, we’ll live. Dying is not a choice,” Daniel said, and pulled out his knife. Taking in the towering willow trees that blocked his path, he could have sworn it was delibe r ate. He couldn’t shake the feeling of danger that tingled across his skin. Thinking back to Gabe’s warning, he remembered Gabe telling him this area wasn’t safe. Gabe had never led him this way when he’d visited.
Jade and Nickel ran forward before he could call out, and his warning shout of caution stuck in his throat. Nickel disa p peared into the depths of the swaying willow copse. Jade ran in after him, desperately calling out his name.
Faulk pulled on Daniel’s arm. “I don’t like the way that happened. It looked like Nickel was dragged in.”
“Hell, I know he was!” The memory hit him like a brick, Gabe’s warning of deadly willows. “Shit! That’s Deadly Wills – they’re living willows. Let’s go!” Daniel took off into a run to catch up.
The towering willow trees swayed languidly, the smell of their flowers filling the air to deceive its victims with its beauty. Daniel’s trained eye noticed the purpose in the movement, and it had little to do with the breeze. The trees moved as if they were decisively attempting to look harmless, and the affirm a tion of his suspicions came true. The picture in front of them looked almost serene, but Daniel knew better. He ran faster when he heard the muffled screams from deep within.
Sliding to a stop, he pulled Faulk to stagger his stride. “Look! Keep your knife drawn. These things live – they really live ! They also eat meat. Stab, them and cut ‘em up…and don’t let the branches open or you’ll get choked,” Daniel said before he ran forward leading Faulk into the shady jungle of willows.
He raised his knife and held it comfortably in his tight fist. Looking around, he searched for Jade and Nickel. Before he could spot them, he heard Faulk yell out. A seemingly docile hanging branch whipped out and slapped him, knocking him down hard. Faulk struggled to stand, and the branch opened at its flowered tip. The pink flowered tip of the
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