Voodootown

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Root

Root saw Camo twitch and disappear from her spot on the window sill.  "They're moving," Camo said.  Root eased Ribbon down to the carpet, stood and pulled out a pin.  "Someone is coming up."

Root jumped for the broken window, felt Camo's hand on her shoulder.  "Just pin them.  I'm right behind you," Root said.  She jumped down to the grass, ran around the corner of the house toward the old tree and saw the thralls reaching into the hollow at its base.  A cry came from inside and she saw the thralls hauling Flow out by his arms.

The two on the right went down, pins in their backs.  Camo reappeared, went for a third thrall and Root jumped, hit the fourth from the side.  She held her pin out in front of her and drove it in deep. 

Flow rolled, brought his hands up to conjure something.  "Hey," Root said.  She held out her hand and he took it, stood.  "You don't look so good.  What happened?"

He didn't answer, just shook his head.  Root watched Camo help pull the other dolls out of the hole.  Sticks was bent into a stiff U shape, slung over Squat's shoulder as he climbed out.

"What happened to her?" Camo asked.

Ju Ju followed Twister out and Blink appeared beside them.  Root saw that Ju Ju held her miniature doll in a hand and kept her eyes on Sticks. 

"Flow, can you seal this?" Twister asked.  He nodded.  Root could see how tired he was as he stepped up to the tree, shook a hex out and dropped it into the hole.  He nodded again and slumped down against the trunk as a bright light flashed up from the passage to Voodootown.  "Okay," Twister said.

Ju Ju let go of her doll and Sticks went limp for a moment.  Then, she rolled off of Squat's shoulders and jumped onto Ju Ju, screaming.  The two dolls fell to the ground, with Sticks on top.  She swung her fists down onto Ju Ju's face until Twister hit her from the side.

Squat stepped in, pulled Ju Ju up and held his other arm out as Sticks tried to close in again.

"No," Twister said.  "We don't have time for this."

"What happened down there?" Root asked.

Twister just shook her head.  Sticks pressed up against Squat's outstretched hand, pointed at Ju Ju.  "You'd better keep that doll close.  You're going to need it," she said.

Root looked at them all, saw that the lines between them were all strained.  Squat was more connected than he had been before, especially to Twister, but Sticks was even more alone.  Root looked for her line to Bloodhound, saw that it was cut off at the end.

"It didn't work," Blink said.  "And we led him right to the portal."  He sat on the grass and more of them followed.  In a moment, Ju Ju and Twister were the only ones standing with Root and Camo.

"We can't stay," Twister said.  She turned to Ju Ju.  "Can we go to your place again?"

Ju Ju nodded, turned to Root.  "We'll tell you more on the way."

"I'll get Ribbon," Camo said.

Twister watched her go into the house.  "We found Ribbon," Root said.  "The man had her, he hurt her."

Ju Ju nodded.  "There's a lot to talk about.  I saw him do something down there.  It might help us."

"Let's go," Twister said.  Everyone got up and they began to walk back to Danica's house.