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

from.
    Chip had heard the snapping of the branch, and saw
Monusuol start, but managed to stay on track, moving to the next
stanza right on time. Stacey was proud of him for that, at least in
that small part of her mind that wasn't scared beyond rational
thought.
    Everyone followed on cue, as the group came one stanza
closer to success.
    *****

    Monusuol lowered the goat, though he didn't relinquish
his hold on his meal. There was something out of place. He could
sense it, though he couldn't see it, not as yet. He had learned to
trust his instincts, and right now those instincts were warning him
that trouble was nearby.
    Cocking his massive head to one side, the beast listened
carefully. There was a slight noise, just too low to hear clearly.
For some reason the sound was familiar to him, something he knew he
should recognize, but didn't. Not yet.
    Slowly, reluctantly, the beast let the carcass in his
hands fall to the ground. He could not afford mistakes in this
strange place. If there was the possibility of a threat, then he had
to investigate.
    Besides, the goat would still be here when he'd taken
care of whatever was in these woods with him.
    *****

    Chuck held his breath as he saw Monusuol first lower,
then finally release the goat. This was bad. The creature had
obviously heard the broken branch, and decided to investigate. The
only thing that had saved them so far was the monster's inability to
pinpoint exactly where the noise had come from.
    Right on cue Donny whispered the next stanza, still
following Chip's lead. Chuck was proud of the young man, and of his
son. The kids were showing a great deal of courage here. He wasn't
sure he could have mustered that same courage at their age.
    But their courage would be for naught if Monusuol was
allowed to move outside the trap before the incantation was finished.

    *****

    Even as he spoke the next stanza, Chip realized that
things were coming apart. Monusuol was moving. There were still three
stanzas to go before the chant was finished. The monster had to be
kept inside the trap until the incantation was complete. At the same
time, he had, had to keep the chant going. If he stopped, the
spell was broken, and they would have to start over. There definitely
wasn't time to start over.
    What to do? His mind somehow compartmentalized the
problems as he began the next stanza right on time, accurate as if he
were still sitting in his living room. A tiny portion of his mind
wondered at how he could stay calm, keep the chant going, and still
try to figure out what to do about their current problem.
    Monusuol had apparently decided he knew where the noise
had come from after all, because just then the monster started moving
toward Donna and Belinda his gait steady but slow. Chip knew he had
to do something before the monster reached the two, because while
Chip was sure that Donna would hold on to the last, he was equally
sure that Belinda would lose her mind completely.
    Without thinking, Chip stepped out of hiding. Behind him
he could hear his mother's harsh whisper, but held a hand up,
silencing her, as he finished the stanza. Two more to go. He had a
few seconds while the others repeated it.
    “ Hey! Ugly!” Chip called, but then stepped
right back into cover. He saw the beast's head whip around, looking
for whoever had spoken. When no target presented itself, the creature
sniffed the air, then stalked slowly toward Chip's general direction.
    Chip managed to start the next to last stanza right on
time, although his fear factor had just increased a hundred fold.
While he was sure he done the right thing, he had also just made
himself, and by association his mother, targets of the beast.
    *****

    Chuck almost had a heart attack when he heard his son's
voice calling out to Monusuol, and looked in Chip's direction on
instinct alone. Just in time to see his son disappear back into the
brush he had been hiding in. Chuck could only wonder at what had
possessed his son to call out to the