Pleasantly Raising Cain

Aussie Encounters

Valkyrie hissed as a tree branch snagged her jacket. She pulled back and the branch broke free, snapping back towards the tree.

"Ugh," she moaned, looking up ahead to see Skulduggery and Ghastly searching for footprints on the bush trail. They were in Australia looking for a stupid serial killer who had gone and hidden in the bush much to Valkyrie's annoyance. What happened to the days when criminals stayed in the same country? She sighed.

"Will you two please wait up!" She yelled. Skulduggery turned to her.

"You need to walk faster."

Valkyrie grumbled, and started trudging angrily after them.

"And watch out for the Drop Bears!" Skulduggery told her, not turning around. Valkyrie looked up at the tops of the trees, her eyes widening.

"Drop Bears?" She called.

"Nasty creatures that will eat your face off!" Skulduggery answered.

Valkyrie looked up again, starting to panic now. Australia was a dangerous place. She didn't understand why people chose to live here.

Ghastly shook his head in amusement as Valkyrie watched the sky. Then she squealed, making Skulduggery and Ghastly turn around sharply. There was a Koala clinging to Valkyrie's head.

Ghastly raised his eyebrows and watched as the dark haired girl whirled around shrieking, her sounds echoing through the bush.

"Valkyrie! It's just a Koala!" Skulduggery shouted. But still Valkyrie screamed, the frightened animal not letting go of her head.

"It's going to eat my face!" She cried, and grabbed the Koala, throwing it into the scrub. It disappeared from view, and Valkyrie spun towards Skulduggery and Ghastly, who were trying not to laugh at her. Her hair was a complete mess and leaves were stuck in it. She was about to yell at them when she felt something run down her cheek. She reached up and touched her face, and could feel the sticky liquid. Then the smell made itself known to her.

"EWWWWWW!" She screamed, shaking her hands. "Ewwww! Ewwwwww! EWWWWWW!"

Ghastly was pursing his lips and trying hard not to laugh, and Skulduggery sighed.

"It peed on me!" She yelled.

"Well you did scare it quite a lot," Skulduggery told her. Valkyrie moaned.

"That's disgusting!"

"Well it's not a rainbow."

Valkyrie glared. "Get it off."

"What? No."

"Get. It. Off. Now," she snarled.

Skulduggery sighed, and held up both his hands, fingers moving as he drew out moisture from the air. He dropped his hands, and Valkyrie felt the water droplets removing the Koala pee from her face. She shook her hair in disgust and pulled it back into a ponytail.

"Thank god that's over," she breathed. Skulduggery grunted and turned. He started walking. Ghastly winked at her, and then followed. Valkyrie sighed and reluctantly jogged after both of them.

When they came to the edge of the trees, Valkyrie breathed out in relief. They were finally out of the bush and away from the... She shivered. The Drop Bears....

There was a... A lake? She didn't know what they called them in Australia. But it was a big hole filled with water. Good enough. The water was brown and muddy, and lapped at the dirt.

She smiled, and looked back to Skulduggery and Ghastly. Then her eyes grew wide.

"Hey guys look at that!" She exclaimed, catching their attention. She pointed to the edge of the trees and Skulduggery and Ghastly both looked.