Abby and the Mad Prince's Son. The Outpost: Episode One

Chapter Eighteen

As if the magic carpet could sense the danger below, it sped up, leaving their hidden pursuer to catch up.

Abby was more than relieved but there was one problem.

'If we continue at this pace,' she yelled, hair whipping across her face and the sky above turning into a twinkling smudge, 'we'll be going too fast to jump.'

'What can we do?' Esme shouted back.

Abby thought hard and an idea soon floated through her mind. If their hunter was to stop, would the carpet slow down? There was only one way to find out.

'Close your eyes, Esme. I'm going to try to hit the chimera with Star Flash!' And with a jar in hand, Abby yanked her arm back and tossed it with all her might, aiming straight behind at the thrashing trees. She watched the orange stunning potion arc across the sky before plummeting towards the canopy.

Unfortunately, and just before she shut her eyes herself, Abby saw the jar come up far too short. A brilliant light and a pounding wave then washed over. But the instant the explosion died away, she opened her eyes again.

'Throw another,' Esme screamed as they found they were still being chased.

'You throw one too,' Abby replied. And together, they did, tossing two jars at the same time.

The projectiles soared through the air and headed straight for their target. Down they went until they crashed into the heart of the tops of the lashing wood giants, a loud roar at once proclaiming they hit their mark.

The merger of the two blasts lit up Abby's senses for longer but once that died away too, she glared behind them and saw stillness.

'We did it,' bellowed Esme. 'We stunned the chimera.'

'It worked too,' Abby called back. 'The carpet's slowing. Now all we have to do is jump.' She threw her gaze to the front and saw they were still headed towards the elder tree.

As they got closer, a bumbling fear gripped them both.

'We–we–just need to pick–pick a landing spot and commit,' said Abby. 'No–no–no– hesitation.'

'We–we–hold hands and do-do-do it,' replied Esme.

'Yes, like the best friends we are.' Abby grabbed Esme's hand and squeezed as hard as she could. 'Look, there's a spot there.' Through the branches at the top of the elder tree, she could see a large shape, a gnarled growth perhaps.

'I see it,' said Esme.

'We'll need a good jump though. Let's see if we can stand up.'

And with much effort trying to keep balanced, the carpet stood firm under their feet, it feeling as if they were standing on the forest floor.

'Here we go,' said Abby, shuffling to the edge of the fabric and bending her knees. 'Jump when I give the command.'

A tear running down her face, Esme nodded.

Abby quickly aped her best friend's sorrow and thought of her parents. They wanted her to be safe and she let them down. She said a silent, 'I'm sorry,' before yelling, 'Ready Esme. On the count of three. One . . . Two . . . Thr–'

Yet suddenly, the carpet slowed, sending Abby and Esme falling back onto their stomachs. It then floated down like a feather, through the leaves of the elder tree, before delicately landing on a branch.

The girls looked at each other, their features contorting from misery to confusion.

'Can the carpet somehow hear us?' blubbered Esme, a teary manner still clutching her from within.