Black Avatare

49 | DRUM

A gnarly arm that resembled a tree trunk pushed through the shattered window. Sandun and Dasun yelled and recoiled. Vinod turned around and leveled his gun at blinding speed. The twins ducked as a jet of holy water shot right at the monstrosity. Droplets sprayed everywhere. Binara flinched.

The demon howled and drew back—the bone-chilling noise blending with thunder. That was when Binara registered that it was a Naruma demon—not unlike the one that pulled the cart in the naga tunnel.

Lightning flashed, illuminating its blackened form and abnormal proportions. Sickle-like teeth protruded from its mouth. The reddish glow from the clouds above brought out the veins that criss-crossed its bare body. It was more beast than humanoid—a terrifying aberration that Hevana's old murals had attempted to capture. Skin sizzled everywhere the holy water touched as if it was a corrosive liquid that ate into its very muscle.

Binara realized that she wasn't the only one staring aghast.

"We gotta move those rocks off the road!" Vinod jumped out and slammed the door.

The noise spurred them to action with the force of a gunshot.

The lesser demon spasmed on the ground while they heaved and pushed against the blockage. The rocky incline towered up on one side of the road, hardly visible but for the lightning. The twins managed to send a large rock tumbling down the sheer drop on the other side. Binara and Piumi pushed aside another.

"Incoming," Sandun yelled.

Everyone whipped up their heads to watch malevolent eyes peering over a boulder high above.

"Get in!" Vinod sprinted to the van. "We can make it through."

The others followed without a word. Binara had an instant to see the Naruma demons barreling down on all fours, dislodging stone and dirt. One of them lost its footing and rolled down. Their brutish bodies could probably withstand trauma.

Vinod jerked the van into motion and swerved—a precarious move that sent one wheel hanging over the precipice to the side. Binara's stomach dropped while she flew sideways into Piumi. Rock screeched against the van and wrenched a side mirror clean off.

Then the battered vehicle righted itself and took off, hurtling along the crooked path as fast as it could go. Binara scrambled around and stared back in time to see the demons giving chase—lumbering monsters that were unaffected by the potholes and bumpy terrain slowing down the van.

"They're going to catch up to us," Piumi said in a quavering voice.

Unanse started chanting pirith.

In the darkness, a weight thudded onto the back, and wheels skidded. The twins yelled. Vinod struggled to maintain control. One of the demons had leaped onto the van. Lightning illuminated its grotesque face through the rear window, which started to rattle.

Binara straightened up and kicked the window off. The demon snarled but held on, while the window disappeared behind them. Piumi materialized next to her and jabbed her polearm into the clawed hand. The monster bellowed and finally let go. More of its kin had gained on them, mere feet from grabbing on.

As Vinod desperately tried to pick up speed, Binara produced her slingshot and let loose a sura pellet. It was difficult to aim, but the ensuing grunt told her that it had hit its mark. Sandun and Dasun crowded onto the back with their holy water guns and started firing. The horde was relentless—like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

"Don't use up all the ammo, guys," Piumi shrieked, one hand holding a throwing knife at the ready.

The van hurtled on, bumping over potholes. The demons gradually fell behind. As the road curved, the other side of Bahira Mountain became visible.