Read Online The Monster of Creasy's Hollow (Defenders of the Rift Book 1) by N.C. Reed - Free Book Online Page A

calling him when he heard
Donny start to whisper.

    *****

    Chip began the incantation, forcing himself to be calm,
recalling each word just as he'd practiced. He wished he'd had more
time to study, but desperate times called for desperate measures his
father had said. If this wasn't a desperate time, Chip didn't know
what was. He knew he felt desperate, that was for sure.
    He whispered into his voice activated microphone,
leading the others just as he had the day before yesterday. No one
else was using the VOX system, so only he could be heard. It wasn't
necessary for the others to speak over the radio, just to repeat what
they heard Chip say.
    They had practiced as well, and knew the incantation
almost as well as Chip did, but in their first attempt, Chip had led
them. That meant he had to lead them now. Each of the others waited
for Chip to finish a stanza, and then repeated it word for word, as
quietly as possible.
    Fighting the urge to hurry, Chip dutifully counted after
each stanza, allowing a given amount of time for the others to say
the chant, then started on the next. He wanted to run through the
lines as quickly as possible so he could run away, but that would
cause them to fail, and probably be eaten by a monster.
    The idea of being eaten by a monster was enough to keep
Chip from rushing through the chant too fast. He just hoped that
everyone was doing their part correctly. His father had said they
would only get one chance.
    Behind him, Stacey watched the monster devouring the
goat at a rate she found alarming. It had been a large goat, and
everyone has assumed that it would take time for Monusuol to gobble
it up. That wasn't looking like the case to her as the beast consumed
the goat far too quickly for her liking.
    Her mind raced through options, but found none. There
was nothing she could do to slow the beast from eating, and no way to
aid Chip in the incantation. All she could do was stand and watch.
    *****

    Chuck was watching Monusuol's eating habits with the
same alarm his wife was feeling. He had known that once the creature
had taken the bait, he'd do so rapidly. He hadn't had goat in a
while, after all. And despite it's size, it was only one goat.
Monusuol was huge, and probably hadn't eaten much in the last two
days. But the goat was disappearing much faster than Chuck had
anticipated.
    Listening to Donny repeat another stanza, Chuck realized
that the kids were about three-quarters through the ritual. It was a
race now, to see who finished first. Monusuol with the goat, or the
kids with the incantation. There was no prize for second place.
    Monusuol's eating slowed, almost as if he realized that
he was nearing the end of the delicacy and wanted it to last as long
as possible. Chuck almost sighed in relief, but caught himself in
time. That little bit of indulgence might just make the difference.
    And then, it happened.

Chapter Seven

    Donna cringed as she heard her mother step on a dry
stick behind her, breaking with a loud snapping sound. She finished
her part of the stanza before turning to glare at her mother, then
turned right back to. . . .
    Monusuol's head was up,
the goat forgotten in his hand. For the first time Donna noticed how unnaturally
quiet it was in the woods around them. The normal night sounds were
absent, the animals and insects driven away by the presence of the
beast in their habitat.
    A beast that was now alerted to the fact that he might
not have the forest to himself after all.
    Belinda, for her part, froze solid, trying desperately
not to move again. The stick was still under her right foot, and she
struggled to keep her weight on her left foot instead to keep from
making any more noise. It was all she could do to keep her balance.
    Monusuol sniffed the air again, as he had when he'd
entered the clearing, tasting the air for some scent of whatever
might be out there. He had heard the noise but had been so intent on
the goat that he wasn't sure which direction it had come