Read Online The Search For WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi - Free Book Online
Authors: Tony DiTerlizzi
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little pellets had the night before. It landed out in the distance, spooking a gaggle of noisy birds. The huntsman dashed past the lanky prisoner, surveying the woods. Eva held her breath, counting silently.
Five … four … three … two …
“Who’s ready to warm up with some jumping jacks?” piped a far-off voice.
The huntsman tore off after the decoy, ripping through the undergrowth. Eva climbed down the tree just as her companion stood up, balanced on one foot, knife in hand. The two of them hop-dashed toward the loot pile, where she helped him grab his things.
Little one.
Eva spun around, her heart fluttering. She shivered as a wave of hairs on her neck stood up. Is there someone hiding here in the afternoon shadows? The armored behemoth made a low groan, and Eva turned to look at him.
Little one. Help.
Eva gasped.
Help.
She stepped past the butchered carcass and approached the giant animal. Light-headed, Eva stared into its large protruding eyes. She could feel that the behemoth was not just gazing at her. Somehow, it understood her.
Free. Me.
She heard the song of its voice drift into her mind. Eva placed her pale palm flat on the behemoth’s forehead between its bulging eyes. Its rust-colored skin was warm and pebbly, like it had been cast from the ground she had been trekking across. She felt a oneness with the animal, sensing its strength … its sorrow … its fear.
“Grazeet!” The lanky blue creature grabbed handfuls of stolen items and pushed them into his overstuffed rucksack. “Zaata! Zaata! Zaata!” he shouted.
I am sorry for your friend, she thought to the armored animal. What can I do?
The behemoth began to shuffle its six feet. It tugged forward against its binds.
Must. Get. Free.
Eva could hear her lanky companion approach her, but his voice sounded distant and muffled. The blue creature put his large hand on her shoulder and pointed to the forest excitedly. Nervously.
Hurry.
Ignoring her companion, Eva walked over to the behemoth’s back leg. The pillar-size limb shadowed her as she knelt down and examined the snare that held it. Like her binds, it was simply a noose that was now pulled so tightly that it had cut the thick skin. The ground underneath it had become dark mud from the weeping wound.
Back, Eva thought to it, step back.
Hurry. Free.
Giving up on Eva, the lanky creature escaped into the woods. Still entranced, Eva put her hand flat on the behemoth’s leg. It was thicker than her entire body.
You have to step backward, she thought. Do you understand? Walk backward.
Still the armored animal did not move in the right direction. Eva could hear the snare tightening around its foot. It let out another low bellow.
Call. Others. Free. Now.
Eva ran back around to face the animal and put both hands on its forehead. She began pushing it. Back up, she thought to it. Move backward!
Free.
Come on. She closed her eyes. Please just move back and you’ll be free.
Others. Free. Run.
“Move!” yelled Eva. “You have to move back!”
The behemoth stopped. It started shambling backward. The tension on the snare around its foot loosened. Losing her balance, Eva tripped as she pushed, and fell flat on her stomach. Disoriented, she snapped out of her trance, and looked up.
On the opposite side of the campsite, the huntsman reappeared from the forest. He threw down the Omnipod and bolted straight toward Eva Nine.
CHAPTER 10: RUN
Nassa Ruzender Keet!” The huntsman leaped over the loot pile toward Eva.
Eva scrambled to her feet.
Run. Hurry. Free.
She dashed around the backside of the armored animal. As quick as lightning, the huntsman was on top of the behemoth’s plated back, lance in hand as he searched for his quarry. Eva dropped, crawling between the massive legs under the animal’s girth. Ducking under its thick, fan-shaped tail, which was tucked and hidden under its belly, she grabbed the now loosened noose and pulled it off the behemoth’s bloodied
Five … four … three … two …
“Who’s ready to warm up with some jumping jacks?” piped a far-off voice.
The huntsman tore off after the decoy, ripping through the undergrowth. Eva climbed down the tree just as her companion stood up, balanced on one foot, knife in hand. The two of them hop-dashed toward the loot pile, where she helped him grab his things.
Little one.
Eva spun around, her heart fluttering. She shivered as a wave of hairs on her neck stood up. Is there someone hiding here in the afternoon shadows? The armored behemoth made a low groan, and Eva turned to look at him.
Little one. Help.
Eva gasped.
Help.
She stepped past the butchered carcass and approached the giant animal. Light-headed, Eva stared into its large protruding eyes. She could feel that the behemoth was not just gazing at her. Somehow, it understood her.
Free. Me.
She heard the song of its voice drift into her mind. Eva placed her pale palm flat on the behemoth’s forehead between its bulging eyes. Its rust-colored skin was warm and pebbly, like it had been cast from the ground she had been trekking across. She felt a oneness with the animal, sensing its strength … its sorrow … its fear.
“Grazeet!” The lanky blue creature grabbed handfuls of stolen items and pushed them into his overstuffed rucksack. “Zaata! Zaata! Zaata!” he shouted.
I am sorry for your friend, she thought to the armored animal. What can I do?
The behemoth began to shuffle its six feet. It tugged forward against its binds.
Must. Get. Free.
Eva could hear her lanky companion approach her, but his voice sounded distant and muffled. The blue creature put his large hand on her shoulder and pointed to the forest excitedly. Nervously.
Hurry.
Ignoring her companion, Eva walked over to the behemoth’s back leg. The pillar-size limb shadowed her as she knelt down and examined the snare that held it. Like her binds, it was simply a noose that was now pulled so tightly that it had cut the thick skin. The ground underneath it had become dark mud from the weeping wound.
Back, Eva thought to it, step back.
Hurry. Free.
Giving up on Eva, the lanky creature escaped into the woods. Still entranced, Eva put her hand flat on the behemoth’s leg. It was thicker than her entire body.
You have to step backward, she thought. Do you understand? Walk backward.
Still the armored animal did not move in the right direction. Eva could hear the snare tightening around its foot. It let out another low bellow.
Call. Others. Free. Now.
Eva ran back around to face the animal and put both hands on its forehead. She began pushing it. Back up, she thought to it. Move backward!
Free.
Come on. She closed her eyes. Please just move back and you’ll be free.
Others. Free. Run.
“Move!” yelled Eva. “You have to move back!”
The behemoth stopped. It started shambling backward. The tension on the snare around its foot loosened. Losing her balance, Eva tripped as she pushed, and fell flat on her stomach. Disoriented, she snapped out of her trance, and looked up.
On the opposite side of the campsite, the huntsman reappeared from the forest. He threw down the Omnipod and bolted straight toward Eva Nine.
CHAPTER 10: RUN
Nassa Ruzender Keet!” The huntsman leaped over the loot pile toward Eva.
Eva scrambled to her feet.
Run. Hurry. Free.
She dashed around the backside of the armored animal. As quick as lightning, the huntsman was on top of the behemoth’s plated back, lance in hand as he searched for his quarry. Eva dropped, crawling between the massive legs under the animal’s girth. Ducking under its thick, fan-shaped tail, which was tucked and hidden under its belly, she grabbed the now loosened noose and pulled it off the behemoth’s bloodied
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