AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHAPTER 50
Summer
“Jibber babber!” Though I was screaming, my voice was being swallowed up by the ferocious storm. It had come on so quickly.
I was drenched from head to toe. My lungs burning. My feet kept getting stuck in the mud.
I could barely see, the rain was so thick.
Something had sparked when Kuru had kissed the poppet—a memory. And I finally understood.
The poem, jibber babber, wasn’t only a chant of protection.
It was a name she’d given Ollie. A name that he’d responded to when she’d called it.
This whole time, I’d believed the alligator had come with the sound of the crinkling bag.
In truth, she’d named him Protection, with the hope that one day he would protect me.
It had worked once before. Now, I could only hope that it would work one more time.
I could only hope my running would protect those behind me—that Saul would come after me.
“Jibber babber! Jibber babber!” My screams pierced through the raging storm. Through the howling winds and deafening thunder.
Then, the deafening roar of guns echoed through the forest. Oh god. I faltered, tripping. Face planting in the mud. Pain splintered through me.
Who was killing who?
The crashing sounds in the forest behind me drew closer.
Adrenaline surged and I jumped to my feet. I ran deeper into the marshes, yelling with all my might. My heart pounded so hard it might burst from my chest.
I stumbled again. This time managing to keep upright—I was at the bay.
“You heard those gunshots, little girl?” Saul yelled. “Your friends are all dead. Maybe they’ve saved Rook for the torture room.”
I didn’t stop. Deeper and deeper into the water. It went to my calves. The water quickly rising from the storm. To my waist.
The swamp could kill me. But at least I knew it. Maybe enough to survive.
I’d rather take my chances with it, than Rook living in servitude—if he was still alive.
Than to be under Saul’s control. Ending up like Grace.
I dove under water.
It was cold.
Pain shot up my leg from the scrape of oysters on my feet. The snake bite on my hand ached. The touch of something along my arm made me shudder. I couldn’t see—it was too dark.
I had only one hope—that the swamp would take Saul, too.
Blindly, I swam as far and as fast as possible. Until the pressure in my lungs was too much.
When I emerged, I heard Saul behind me. Water splashing.
Getting closer, closer.
