The Life Of A Freak

Chapter 40

Its been three weeks since we left the panther. We have made it to a large murky, smelly, noisy swamp.

Darren told Harkat about Ethan right after we left camp. Darren and Harkat are still shaming me even after three weeks.

"I can't believe it!" Darren yelled one day. "You put us in danger!"

"Well its my brother! Do you expect me to just be like 'OK I'm gonna kill you bye bye' or 'I'm gonna snitch on you even though you are my best friend and was always there for me, and there is a high probably you will die if I snitch on you like I am planning on doing'?" I ran out of breath.

"Darren cut her some slack." Harkat said. "Vancha let his brother escape."

"Are you hiding anything else?' Darren asks.

I sighed. "No I am not."

"Good." They said.

Back to present time. We are in a swamp area. Where the map took us.

It smelled horrific!

There were so many bugs, it was horrible!

We saw a water snake attack and eat a large rat with four eyes.

"I'm out." I say.

"Hey! I don't like this either, but you came and the only way out is to come with us." Darren says.

I growl. "Fine."

"Besides it gets worse," Harkat says. He pointed to a small island, where alligators or crocodiles were. (I don't know the difference, we didn't learn the difference between the two in school. Let's say they're alligators.)

"Alligators!" Darren hissed.

"Nope." I say. "Those are logs with eyes and legs!"

"This is bad." Darren says ignoring my comment.

"Bad for you two." Harkat says.

"Huh?" I ask.

"Why us?" Darren asks.

"I wrestled the panther, the alligators are yours."

"Let's avoid them all together. That is even smarter!"

"Let's circle around and try to find the toad." Darren says.

"I'm invisible now, huh?" I ask.

"You know its not going to be... on the outskirts. We'll have to wade in."

I growl.

"I know, but let's at least try and find an entry spot that isn't guarded by alligators. We won't get far if those guys get wind of us."

We walked for hours before finally finding a spot, no alligators to come and attack us, it was shallow and better than any other place.

"I just thought of something-" Darren started.

"Don't you dare." I growl. "I don't need to hear your 'optimism' cause we all know how much of that you have."

"Tux is right." Harkat grins.

"I'm serious. What if there ar-" I cover my ears.

"Not hearing it! I don't need you to get us worried about something that might not even be." I uncover my ears.

"Fine." Darren says. "Let's go." Darren pulled up his jeans so they won't get wet. Harkat knotted the hem of his robes above his knees. I took off my shoes and long socks. "I think you should wear your shoes."

"No way in hell I'm getting them wet. It will take forever for them to dry and I got them from my parents, I ain't letting them get wet."

"Let's head out then." Harkat says. And we do.

We came to a small island many hours later we collapsed and slept.

We didn't sleep well, at all, there was way too much noise to even dream of being able to sleep, or even think at all. I couldn't hear myself it was so loud.

There were so many bugs and leeches it was horrible. They didn't both Darren or Harkat because they weren't human, but they sure affected me!

Many days later we came to an island, one that we could hear a loud croaking noise from.

We knew instantly that it was the toad.

We decided to go as soon as night came, we could hide from the large toad then.

The island was covered in large bushes and trees, we couldn't see past them.

Once night came we went past the plants and saw a clearing, there was a moat, where alligators stood guard. In the middle of the island was the toad, roughly five or six feet tall. Huge for frog terms, a bit smaller than I thought though. I was expecting a twenty foot toad.

The toad rested on green little spheres. I'm assuming those are the globs we are looking for.

We went back into the bushes and hid.

We came up with a plan. Darren would go in and try and collect as many globs as possible. Harkat and I will distract the alligators with creatures we captured. If push comes to shove we - obviously - decided that we would step in and help Darren.

I took the left half of the alligators and Harkat took the right.

I threw out a rat and so did Harkat and the alligators chased after the terrified mammals.

Darren went in and grabbed some of the globs. Once the alligators finished their snacks they chased after Darren.

Harkat and I sent out a few more mammals. One or two of the alligators chased after the small creatures, but most stayed after Darren.

Realizing the alligators were bored and not hungry we jumped into the murky water of the moat to go save Darren.

The moat, might not have been that hard to cross if there wasn't so much mud at the bottom.

I shot Harkat a worried glance as I saw he managed to get to the other side of the moat, to where I was still a foot away.

I look back over to Darren, still being chased by the relentless animals. The toad was big and was right on his tail, but the small and stubby alligators were having a bit of trouble - still keeping up though.

I finally get to the other side, quickly climbing out of the muddy and disgusting water I try to make my way to Darren, but alas I am weighed down by the mud and barely make it halfway.

Harkat is further ahead of me - for such a small creature its surprising he's so fast - and makes it to the alligators. But it wasn't enough to help Darren.

Harkat was getting tired from running and Darren was dropping globs left and right.

This is definitely the end for them. If I crossed the moat now could I save myself and live with those monkeys from before?

No... That's preposterous I'd never turn my back on them... despite how badly I want to. But... then I wouldn't have to face death or Steve right?

Tch, what am I talking about? I want to face Steve. Rip his skull right off his spine and show it off to the vampires, I'd be praised. "Look its Tux! She is the one that finished off Steve Leonard! The Vampaneze Lord!"

I may not be completely praised as I was sort of the cause of this whole thing, but Darren is also to blame - more than me, let me add - and he is a Prince.

But I'm also partially to blame for both Larten Crepsley and Arra Sail's death... Both unforgivable events - not that letting Steve become a vampaneze is any better.

Well as I come back to reality I see that Harkat and Darren are still running as I stand around and think.

Strangely enough none of the alligators has attacked me.

What luck, right?

As I think that a weird blast of light appears and hits the toad and the alligators.

I look at what the source was and see a fat, hairy, ugly woman with two different color eyes and ropes for clothes.

Darren looks on, amazed, "Evanna?"