Read Online The Deadly Curse of Toco-Rey by Frank Peretti - Free Book Online
Authors: Frank Peretti
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scream, then snarling and more screaming and thrashing in the brush: It was close by.
Dr. Cooper and Jay dove into the brush, shouldering their way through it, pushing, plowing, clawing ahead. It sounded like a chase out there: a victim fleeing, a predator hunting. They could envision the worst.
They broke out of the brush and into a clearing. Theyâd found more ruinsâmore gray, crumbling stone jutting up through the thick undergrowth. They shined their lights back and forth, the beams searching, searching. Someone was running, screaming, struggling on the other side of that crumbling wall. They caught sight of a droopy, billed cap.
âItâs Lila!â Dr. Cooper exclaimed, running toward the ruin, his gun in his hand and Jay right alongside.
They leaped to the top of the wall. It was an old dwelling, four walls with no roof. Over in the corner, amid vines and plants, their light beams caught a young girl cowering in terror, her body curled up, her arms over her head.
âLila!â her dad hollered, jumping down from the wall and running toward her.
Still atop the wall, Jay saw the bushes moving. Something was heading in Dr. Cooperâs direction.
âDad!â
Dr. Cooper heard the warning, felt a commotion to his left, and looked just in time to seeâteeth! flashing eyes! a powerful fist!
He deflected the blow, ducked another one, then crouched down and used a judo move the third time to throw the creature into the bushes. It thrashed about, righting itself, leaping to its feet. It came at him again.
He had dropped his gun and the flashlight. No time to look for them.
The thing took a powerful leap through the air, arms outstretched, fingers like claws, a scream in its throat. Dr. Cooper ducked, deflected the weight, threw it off. Once again, it tumbled into the bushes.
No way to overpower it, Dr. Cooper thought. I can only deflect it, but for how long? He saw a metallic gleam amid the vines several feet away. He started to reach for it.
OOF! The blow knocked him sideways into green vines and crackling branches. He rolled onto his back and saw a face coming out of the dark. It was green, raging, other-worldly, drooling, full of murder.
The creature leaped. Jacob Cooper planted a foot in its belly and kicked it over his head and into the bushes again.
Now for that gun! He groped for it, searched for it.
BOOM!
Jay had found it and fired a round into the air.
The thing let out a cry of alarm and seemed to hesitate.
âGo on!â Jay hollered, shooting into the air again. âGet out of here!â
It turned and fled, thrashing through the brush.
Dr. Cooper got to his feet.
âDad!â Jay screamed, âLook out!â
Dr. Cooper spun around, saw it coming, ducked.
A poison dart thunked into a branch right next to his head.
Poof! A puff of air. A second dart zipped past Jayâs ear.
The Coopers dropped to the ground, scurried, crawled, then peered through the leaves and branches. Dr. Cooper found his flashlight.
The light beam fell on a small hand clutching a short length of bamboo cane, aiming it.
Poof! Another dart zinged through the leaves and branches only inches from Dr. Cooperâs head.
âDonât shoot!â he called. âWeâre friends!â
They heard a frightened gasp. No more darts came their way.
âHello?â Jacob Cooper called again. âCan you see us? Weâre friends. We wonât hurt you.â
They poked their heads up and waved their hands so they could be clearly seen.
A dark-skinned, native girl looked back at them, a blowgun in her hand. Her face was full of fear. But when she saw them, she seemed to relax.
Then she let out a sigh and slumped to the ground in a faint.
They rushed forward to help her, cradling her head, feeling for a pulse. Her heartbeat was strong and she was breathing okay.
âPoor thing,â said Dr. Cooper. âShe must have been terrified.â He picked up her
Dr. Cooper and Jay dove into the brush, shouldering their way through it, pushing, plowing, clawing ahead. It sounded like a chase out there: a victim fleeing, a predator hunting. They could envision the worst.
They broke out of the brush and into a clearing. Theyâd found more ruinsâmore gray, crumbling stone jutting up through the thick undergrowth. They shined their lights back and forth, the beams searching, searching. Someone was running, screaming, struggling on the other side of that crumbling wall. They caught sight of a droopy, billed cap.
âItâs Lila!â Dr. Cooper exclaimed, running toward the ruin, his gun in his hand and Jay right alongside.
They leaped to the top of the wall. It was an old dwelling, four walls with no roof. Over in the corner, amid vines and plants, their light beams caught a young girl cowering in terror, her body curled up, her arms over her head.
âLila!â her dad hollered, jumping down from the wall and running toward her.
Still atop the wall, Jay saw the bushes moving. Something was heading in Dr. Cooperâs direction.
âDad!â
Dr. Cooper heard the warning, felt a commotion to his left, and looked just in time to seeâteeth! flashing eyes! a powerful fist!
He deflected the blow, ducked another one, then crouched down and used a judo move the third time to throw the creature into the bushes. It thrashed about, righting itself, leaping to its feet. It came at him again.
He had dropped his gun and the flashlight. No time to look for them.
The thing took a powerful leap through the air, arms outstretched, fingers like claws, a scream in its throat. Dr. Cooper ducked, deflected the weight, threw it off. Once again, it tumbled into the bushes.
No way to overpower it, Dr. Cooper thought. I can only deflect it, but for how long? He saw a metallic gleam amid the vines several feet away. He started to reach for it.
OOF! The blow knocked him sideways into green vines and crackling branches. He rolled onto his back and saw a face coming out of the dark. It was green, raging, other-worldly, drooling, full of murder.
The creature leaped. Jacob Cooper planted a foot in its belly and kicked it over his head and into the bushes again.
Now for that gun! He groped for it, searched for it.
BOOM!
Jay had found it and fired a round into the air.
The thing let out a cry of alarm and seemed to hesitate.
âGo on!â Jay hollered, shooting into the air again. âGet out of here!â
It turned and fled, thrashing through the brush.
Dr. Cooper got to his feet.
âDad!â Jay screamed, âLook out!â
Dr. Cooper spun around, saw it coming, ducked.
A poison dart thunked into a branch right next to his head.
Poof! A puff of air. A second dart zipped past Jayâs ear.
The Coopers dropped to the ground, scurried, crawled, then peered through the leaves and branches. Dr. Cooper found his flashlight.
The light beam fell on a small hand clutching a short length of bamboo cane, aiming it.
Poof! Another dart zinged through the leaves and branches only inches from Dr. Cooperâs head.
âDonât shoot!â he called. âWeâre friends!â
They heard a frightened gasp. No more darts came their way.
âHello?â Jacob Cooper called again. âCan you see us? Weâre friends. We wonât hurt you.â
They poked their heads up and waved their hands so they could be clearly seen.
A dark-skinned, native girl looked back at them, a blowgun in her hand. Her face was full of fear. But when she saw them, she seemed to relax.
Then she let out a sigh and slumped to the ground in a faint.
They rushed forward to help her, cradling her head, feeling for a pulse. Her heartbeat was strong and she was breathing okay.
âPoor thing,â said Dr. Cooper. âShe must have been terrified.â He picked up her
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