Midnight Ruling (23 page)

I heard Cody’s heavy breathing but couldn’t see him as we ran through the rows of relentless needles.

The thundering footsteps behind us continued, shaking the ground hard enough to vibrate every joint in my body.

In an instant, we were free of the trees. I stumbled now that I didn’t have to fight branches. Sweat stung the tiny cuts as I tried to keep up with Cody.

He looked over his shoulder at me, but it didn’t seem to slow him down.

A rush of air skimmed past my arm, and I yelped, picking up speed.

After a few more uncertain steps, I realized I wasn’t hurt and looked over my shoulder to see an arrow sticking out of the ground.

I tried to look around for the source, but instead my eyes caught sight of Phoebe as she wiggled her way onto the porch of the tree house.

Cody began to outpace me, running beyond my reach.

I realized in that instant that I didn’t hear the jackal anymore.

Looking back, I couldn’t see the lithe dark creature huffing at my ankles. Instead I saw the golden ears first. It wasn’t moving, and an arrow protruded from the side of its neck.

Ahead, Phoebe kicked the rope ladder over the edge with both her feet. It unwound rapidly and fell just as Cody reached it. He didn’t wait for me as he began to scale the shaky ladder, slower than I thought I’d hoped.

With my arms up, I ran into the tree trunk, finding it to be the only way I was stopping at my top speed.

I caught sight of my stinging arms. Droplets of blood bubbled along the white scratches that itched furiously with sweat.

Rubbing my arms, I watched Cody trying to decide whether it would be wise for both of us to be on the rope ladder at the same time.

An arrow whistled past the tree, and I glanced to the side to see a man step out of the darkened trees. Wearing a colorless tunic over sunburned skin, he lowered the bow and arrow.

At this point, with the focus of the hunter away from us, I could only hope that the rope could hold both of us.

Grabbing the fraying threads, I climbed. Each step was wobbly, but I caught up to Cody.

His feet sank deep into the rope steps, sometimes tangling on his large sneakers.

The Bow and Arrow man’s voice echoed loud enough to be heard over the thundering footsteps, but I didn’t understand what he was saying.

“Cody, hurry, we have to hide.”

The struggle with the ladder had added to his exhaustion, but he wasn’t moving much quicker. Instead, he was clumsy, his foot slipping at one point and narrowly missing my face.

Phoebe reached down, her eyes shifting from us to the shaking trees. Her eyebrows knit together until a vein pulsated in her forehead.

An arrow lodged into the tree a few feet above my head, barely missing Cody’s side. Bark sprayed, snapping against my shoulder and side as hard as elastic bands.

Cody reached the top of the tree house and hauled himself up, collapsing over the rail. I heard him cursing above and scrambled up the rope, not daring to look down.

When I reached the top, I felt Phoebe’s hands fumbling for my arms, gripping them as she helped support me over the railing. I was surprised that I didn’t see another arrow in my struggle.

Instead, I heard shouts from below.

The tree house shook as I fell to the porch’s dried boards.

Phoebe struggled with the ladder until Cody knelt beside her and helped.

I looked up in time to see the abominable snowman scoop up the hunter, who couldn’t have been much older than us, in one hand.

The bow and quivers were crushed in the grip when he froze. It was so instantaneous I felt my hands stiffen against my warming stomach.

His clothes stopped moving, his exposed hand turned blue, and I swore I saw bits of white frost coat his long face.

The monster squeezed the man in its giant hands, its face intent and curious rather than menacing, like a kid burning ants with a magnifying glass just to see what would happen.

Without warning, the hunter shattered. It was as if he’d been made of hollowed glass instead of flesh.

I slapped my hands over my mouth to stifle the scream.

Dismembered, icy shards scattered across the grass.

Phoebe and Cody dragged the steps up faster.

I shuffled back on my knees, trying to shrink out of view of the monster, when I realized that the body laid out on the porch was still there.

Flinging myself forward, I grabbed the dangling foot and propped it back onto the porch. “Read…” I began until I looked into the tanned face.

It wasn’t Read. It was Joel.

Phoebe and Cody dove back against the wall.

I heard the abominable snowman roar so loudly that I dropped to the porch, my stomach pressed against the boards. My head knocked into Phoebe’s, and I winced, stifling the grunt by gnashing my teeth together.

Cody and Phoebe were forced to spoon to stay out of view of the edge, their legs curled up against each other to keep from view.

I glanced at the small open doorway into the tree house. “Sneak in there,” I whispered, trying to press myself as flat as I could against the wood.

Phoebe nodded in agreement, sliding into the tree house on her belly.

Cody backed into the tree house on his knees and grabbed for Joel’s hands. I grabbed Joel’s shirt, and together we were able to drag him half in and half out of the doorway. At least it might be enough to keep him from the view of the twelve-foot monster.

The thundering footsteps drew closer, and I stopped breathing. Luckily, I couldn’t see the top of its head from our place near the floor. That meant it might not see us either. But could it smell us?

Phoebe’s eyes met mine, and she touched my hand. I wasn’t sure if she meant to console me or wish us luck. Either way, I tried to smile at her and closed my eyes, wishing for the monster to go away.

The warmth in my stomach tingled, stretching to heat my toes and fingertips in a pleasant sensation.

The footsteps paused just below the tree house, and we waited.

Phoebe squeezed Joel’s wrist for a pulse. Pausing, she finally nodded at Cody and me.

Joel was alive.

Guiltily, I was a little disappointed. I didn’t want to put up with his reaction to the Demon’s Grave, though it served him right.

I crossed my arms, feeling just a wee smug at that thought.

Phoebe hovered over him, scrutinizing his tanned face and limbs. Despite the fact that I held a special place of loathing for him, he was handsome when he slept. With his muscles all relaxed and his eyes closed, he seemed innocent.

Bet his mother thought the same thing…poor woman.

Phoebe pulled back the collar of his shirt then checked his arms. At first I thought she was checking out his build—she was a sucker for that type—but her focus suggested she was searching for something. I could only assume it was for cuts or bruising. When finished, Phoebe leaned back and frowned. Cracking a knuckle, she must have realized it was making noise and stopped.

Cody waved at us and mouthed, “Wake him?”

Turning back to Joel, Phoebe studied him for a few seconds longer before pinching his bicep hard enough to leave a red welt.

Joel didn’t move.

My attention was drawn to the open doorway, where our silent monster waited.

Fidgeting, Cody sat up and leaned against the wall beside the opening. He strained his neck to see outside without revealing himself.

The seconds that ticked by were torturous. If we were going to find a way out of here, we would have to make a run for it. Hopefully, the monster would be distracted or would fall asleep. It couldn’t just stare at this house forever, could it? Impatient, I scratched my itching arms and legs.

Phoebe delicately crawled to the other side of the door, pressing her back to the wall, imitating Cody. She too tried to catch a glimpse of our pursuer. She and Cody exchanged a silent, worried glance.

I wanted to slide forward, but with Joel in the way, I had little room between my friends to see for myself.

Phoebe stretched out her legs, massaging her thigh and wincing, much the same as she had with her hand earlier. That was when I noticed the blood marring her calf.

It wasn’t a lot of blood, but it was still pumping out reluctant crimson pearls from two disturbingly even holes. It wasn’t clotting and had lines of blood had already absorbed into her sock.

I swallowed the horrifying realization. She’d been bitten by the cottonmouth. Leaning forward, I waited for her gaze to meet mine before I pointed at her leg.

She followed my wide-eyed stare. Together, we looked to Cody, but he was busy looking outside.

Phoebe curled her long legs closer to her, hiding the small wound with her palm, and avoided my stare to peek out the doorway. I knew she watched me out of her peripherals.

This wasn’t the time to argue with her or accuse her of hiding something important. I squirmed in my place. The longer we had to wait, the longer I was given a chance to mull it over. What did she possibly hope to gain by hiding it? What would happen when she finally began to lose feeling in her leg?

I tried to think about what I had learned over the years when it came to snake bites. I had always seen in movies that they sucked out the poison. On the other hand, I had heard this was false. Even if it were possible, wouldn’t the poison have had time to spread since our last Challenge?

Tugging at my shirt, I turned my eyes away from her and found myself staring down at sleepy Joel.

I nudged his head with the heel of my hand harder than I’d intended. His head flopped to the side, but otherwise he didn’t stir.

“Get up!” I mouthed feeling the frustration building to stir the cooling warmth in my stomach. I wasn’t necessarily mad at Joel, but he was my target. Joel was here; he didn’t have to be. If I had come sooner, would the Challenge be different? If I got here with Aidan, maybe Phoebe wouldn’t have been bitten.

Glaring down at Joel, I remembered how I tried to make him leave and how mean he was before. The warmth in my stomach coiled, tight and quivering in anticipation.

Ignoring it, I felt my anger for him wash out the caution. Getting on my knees, I shoved my hands into Joel’s chest hard enough to jostle him.

The surge of warmth sprang, rippling down my arms, and I felt something snap. A shot of static electricity stung my palms.

Joel’s back formed a dramatic arch before he dropped back down with a soft thud.

Surprised, I retracted my hands, wincing at the noise. My palms ached like a cat scratch. Curling my fingers, I tried willing the pain away. Before I could ponder what had just happened, Joel woke up.

He sat up in a spasm, arms flailing.

I ducked just in time to avoid his elbow as it brushed the top of my head.

Sitting up, I dove for him and wrapped a hand around his mouth, gripping his cheeks with my fingertips before he could shout.

Joel twitched as if to throw me off, which he probably could have, but realization was setting in.

His wide shoulders dropped slowly, though he was still tense, and I pulled my fingers free. My palm was slick from his heavy breath, and I wiped it on my pajama shorts.

Turning so none of us had his back, he eyed me reproachfully.

We all stared at him for several silent seconds, waiting for him to gather his bearings.

Joel looked from Cody to Phoebe, the wheels grinding in that stubbled head of his.

Phoebe raised a finger to her lips when he opened his mouth.

The stunned fear flashed to anger, and he focused on me. Joel pushed off the opposite wall toward me. I crawled back and hit Phoebe, who waved her arms at Joel for his attention. When he looked to her, she sliced a hand across her throat.
Cut it out
.

Thankfully, it stopped Joel from grabbing for me. Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past Joel to hit me. I’d never heard any rumors of violence, but we’ll call it a gut feeling.

He opened his mouth to argue when Phoebe hissed through her teeth and motioned to the cut-out doorway.

The angry wrinkle in Joel’s forehead smoothed, and he crawled forward, moving quietly for a big guy.

Before anyone thought to stop him, he poked his head out.

Phoebe grabbed the back pocket of his jeans and pulled hard enough to tear.

I shuffled forward on my knees to help as Cody reached for Joel.

“Quit it!” Joel bellowed, and we all froze, except Cody, who jerked his arm back so fast I heard his elbow crack.

“Let’s just throw him over the edge,” Phoebe snapped in a harsh whisper. “If the monster gets the loud mouth, we can pretend we were never here or make a run for it.”

Joel sat up, forcing all the hands to retreat from restraining him. “There’s nothing out here,” he said. “What the hell?”

Phoebe stared at him for several unbelieving seconds before turning to me. “This is Joel, right?”

I nodded.

“Joel who?” Cody asked but was ignored.

Phoebe glowered. “It could be hiding,
Joel
. Maybe it’s trying to lure us out, and now that it knows we’re here, it can knock the whole damn tree over.”

Joel waved a dismissive hand, and Phoebe went furiously red.

Standing up outside of the tree house, he stretched his arms. “Where am I, anyway?”

“Didn’t Damien explain it to you?” Cody asked and crawled through the small doorway before asking me. “Is this guy a real person?”

I nodded. “From our world. He and two others followed me.”

Phoebe snorted. “I say we use him as bait.”

“Your leg…” I began, ignoring her attempt at humor.

She shook her head. “No way, Fuller. We’re not going to talk about that. How’d you wake up Joel just now?”

I said fast—too fast, “I didn’t do anything.”

“No?” She raised her eyebrows and ducked out of the tree house without pressing the issue.

My hands were still curled into fists. Easing open my hand, I saw the redness. There was a perfect thumb-sized circle in their center. Each looked like a burn. When I rubbed my hands together, I discovered they didn’t hurt anymore, but my palms felt numbed and swollen.