The Frog at the Top of Frosty Mountain

On The Rocks

Allan paddled desperately in an attempt to reach the river bank, but it was futile. He was approaching the rocks too fast. He lifted his paddle up as a shield against the jagged rock he was heading towards, and closed his eyes right before the impact. The rock snapped the paddle in half and slammed into his chest. The blow was not hard enough to pierce through him, but it knocked the wind out of him. 

He was thrown off his TV boat and into the madness below the surface, where the foam of the water made it impossible to see. Allan clawed blindly at the rocks and grabbed the first one his hands found. Using all his strength, he pulled himself above the surface and drew in what he thought would be his last breath. He braced himself for the pain that would be being disolved in acid, but that pain didn't come.

"I'm alive!" Allan cried out joyfully. 

His victory was shortlived, however, because he looked back at the river bank and saw two familiar faces: the witch, Sharon, and her demon brother.

"Allan!" Sharon cried out. "Stay where you are, Robert is coming to get you!"

Allan was stunned at their sudden appearence, and most of all, the fact that the witch knew her name. She can read my mind, Allan thought.

"Get away from me, witch!" Allan cried out and waving one of hands. "And stop looking into my mind!"

"Careful!" Sharon said. "Hang on with both hands, otherwise you'll slip!"

Sharon did not look at all like the evil witch that Allan had encountered earlier, but someone that was genuinely concerned for his safety.

It's just one of his witch tricks, Allan thought to himself. Don't be fooled.

The horrible demon that Sharon called Robert jumped onto the rock that was nearest to the shore. It nearly tipped into the water, but it kept it's balance and stared directly at Allan. It jumped onto the next rock, this time regaining it's balance more quickly, then jumped onto the next.

Allan thought fast. He looked behind him towards the nearest rock, just as sharp as the one he was holding onto, and launched himself towards it. The current threatened to drag him away, but he reached his target and hung on for dear life.

"Stop!" Sharon cried out. "You'll get yourself killed!"

Allan turned to look at the witch and saw that she was crying. 

Crocodile tears...

The demon Robert was approaching him fast, hopping from rock to rock at alarming speed, and not once taking his eyes off of Allan.

Allan launched himself quickly towards the next rock, and then the next. His hands were bleeding from the sharpness of the rocks, but he didn't care. The pain he felt didn't come close to the one he felt during the tattoo. He kept going, and he was almost at the opposite shore when he felt a hand grab him by the back of his shirt.

"Got you!" Robert said in a booming voice.

Allan screamed and yanked himself free. He let the current take him, and once he was past the rocks, he saw that he had made a mistake. The river headed towards a waterfall, and with no other rocks to grab onto, he had no choice but to go over it. The last thing he heard before going down the fall was the witch shouting his name. 

The roar of the water overtook his senses as he fell down. He spun through the air, the river below and the sky above becoming one great blur. Then he hit the water, and everything turned to black.