Dimokre Chronicles Book 2: Sarah's Fate

Chapter 14 - Panicking

Before Sarah could yell to him or even blink, Michael's eyes had darkened into nothing but anger. As he lunged, his hair spread over his body in thick, shaggy waves of fur. His face lengthened into a gnarled, large snout. Huge muscles burst out of one shoulder, then the other arm. His foot exploded out into a huge, mighty paw. The ground shook as he landed, now a humongous, fully-formed beast.

Angry growls pierced through the air, the creature's snout writhing with anger. Foam dripped from the beast's fangs as its head pressed against the ceiling. The beast turned sharply to Mr. Papper, sending its tail through the bookshelf like a whip. Bookshelves and books crashed around them.

Kael turned fox and dashed towards Sarah. He pressed himself against her legs, trembling.

Sarah stared up at the huge beast that used to be her boyfriend, a hand petting Kael's head as he buried himself into her. She swallowed. It was like Michael's body was a container for these powers, and it couldn't handle it anymore. Like squeezing a plastic bag full of air until it burst.

Is this... the spirit queen's curse?

Sarah snapped out of her shock when Kael turned anim-latic again and yelled, "No! Stop!"

She whipped around to see Mr. Papper, once again with his spear, but this time aiming it at the beast.

"Stop, don't hurt him!" Sarah screamed, tackling Mr. Papper to the ground and knocking his spear away. She glared up at Alex, who laughed at the commotion, seemingly unaware of the blood escaping his body.

"Sarah, I know what's—" Kael began breathlessly.

"It's gonnna be okay," Sarah gasped, struggling to her feet. She kicked the spear away from Alex and Mr. Papper. She yanked Kael behind her, looking up at the beast in front of them. His snarls sounded like earthquake rumblings. She turned and snipped, "Mr. Papper, don't talk to him, but watch Alex!"

"Sarah, I—" Kael whimpered.

"That's not a hum—" Mr. Papper began.

"I know Huntress is enslaving him!" she snipped. "That's not helpful right now! Just, watch him! Kael, stay close to Mr. Papper. It's gonna be okay."

"But, Sarah, I—"

While she barked orders at Mr. Papper, the beast leapt over all of them and swatted a paw at Alex. He stopped laughing and whammed against a bookshelf, knocking books out and sending them crashing around him.

"The books—!" Mr. Papper cried out.

Sarah darted to Alex. She grabbed his shoulders and dragged him away from the rubble and books. "I know you're evil and this is probably what you wanted, Huntress, but please save Alex. We can't get you what you want if your leverage is—" She cut herself off, glancing at the beast and whispered, "—d-e-a-d."

Despite her efforts, the beast seemed to recognize the meaning anyway. He growled louder and lunged again. She shoved Alex into Mr. Papper's direction, who glared at her indignantly. She wheeled around and looked up at the beast.

"Michael, it's gonna be okay." She held out her arms. "It's gonna be okay. It doesn't feel like it, I know. I'm angry at both of them, too. But losing control of yourself isn't going to help. Please. Calm down. Come back." Her voice was slow and purposeful.

"Sarah!"

She whipped around to face Kael. "What?" she gasped out.

"This has happened before. That time with the devil king. You handle Mr. Papper and Alex. I can help him."

Sarah looked at the little boy in front of her, then up at Michael's snarling teeth, his massive fangs, his furious eyes. He didn't look like Michael. The curse had consumed him; that much was easy to see. However, when she looked back at Kael, he looked so set, so calm.