Twins of the Hunt - Book 1: The Golden Hind ✔️

Chapter 3: I Hate Giant Scorpions

938 words

"What camp?" I asked, sitting down on the couch.

"A summer camp that I went to as a kid," Dad said. "You'll be safe there."

"What do you mean, 'we'll be safe there'?" Aidan asked, frowning.

"Doesn't matter," Dad said. "Just go pack, please."

"Okay," I said.

Aidan, me, Agro, and Pher tramped up the stairs to the bedroom me and Aidan shared.

The room had two beds and a small closet where we kept our clothes and our secret stash of blue cookies.

"Here," Aidan said, open the closet door and tossing me my camping backpack.

We packed our clothes, camping stuff, and in our backpacks and headed back down the stairs.

"Mr. D will be furious," Grover was bleating sadly when we got down the stairs, sitting at the kitchen table.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Dad replied, putting his hand on Grover's arm. "I'll help you if worst comes to worst."

"Help him with what?" I asked, sitting down next to Dad.

"Nothing, kiddo," Dad said with a smile. "You all ready to go?"

"Yep," Aidan said, standing behind me.

"Alright," Dad said, standing up and grabbing our bags. "Let's go."

He led us out to his car, loaded up it up into the bag, and climbed into the driver's seat. Grover climbed into front passenger's seat, and me, Aidan, Agro, and Pher climbed into the back.

"Dad, where are we going?" I asked.

"I told you," Dad said. "A summer camp I went to as a kid. It'll be safer there."

"But I thought we were going to Wales this summer," Aidan said. "You promised."

"Yeah, I know," Dad said uncomfortably. "And normally I would keep promises, but certain things have happened. And I can't protect you as well as I used to."

"From what?" I asked.

Dad didn't answer.

"From what?" I asked again. "Dad, what aren't you telling us?"

Dad sighed deeply.

"There are things that you're not ready to hear," He said. "I wish I could tell you, but I can't. It'll better when we get to camp. Zoë might be able to help."

"Who's Zoë?" Aidan asked.

"An old friend," Dad said.

We drove along the highway for a while in silence. I could see the blue of Long Island Sound, glittering in the setting sun. I also felt a prickling on my neck like we were being followed. Finally, Dad turned off the highway and down a long country road.

"Where are we?" Aidan asked.

"Montauk," Dad said.

"What are we doing this far into Long Island?" I said. "There can't be any camp here. We're in the middle of nowhere!"

Dad chuckled. "You'll see, kiddo. There's definitely some-"

BANG!

Something hit the back of the car with force of charging bull. The car was tossed into the air and flew ten feet before crashing into the ground front first.

"Everyone out!" Dad yelled. "NOW!"

We all scrambled out of the car. I didn't have to push open my door because it was up in a tree.

Grover got out of the car, but collapsed.

"My leg!" He moaned.

I ran over to see what was wrong. Grover was clutching his leg, which stuck out at an odd angle.

Dad scooped Grover up into his arms and said, "This way!"

He started running toward a hill about 100 yards away. As soon as we started running, I could feel huge thuds hitting the ground behind us. I looked back, and a thrill of fear went through me.

A giant scorpion bigger than my dad's car was chasing us. I screamed in terror and started running faster, but I tripped over a root. My face slammed into the ground, and I felt my nose start to bleed.

"Kid, get up!" Dad yelled from somewhere ahead of me.

I flipped over, groaning and saw the scorpion just feet away from me. I was paralyzed with terror. Just then, Agro leapt in front of me, growling and snarling. If I was the scorpion, I would've been running for my mommy if Agro was facing me. She was in her giant wolf form, the size of a carthorse.

Get away! Agro barked ferociously at the scorpion. Or I'll rip your head off!

The scorpion was not scared by this threat at all. Instead of running for the hills, its lethal tail came whipping out of nowhere.

Agro pushed me aside and instead of me taking the blow from the point of tail and being paralyzed by the venom, Agro was. She fell to the ground, panting.

"No!" I yelled. "Okay, that's it!"

I leapt to my feet and ran at the scorpion. The only reason I wasn't paralyzed by the venom was by sheer dumb luck. The scorpion, surprised that I would do something so stupid, didn't move in time.

I ran and grabbed its tail.

"What are you going to do now?!" I yelled at the scorpion.

The answer was to beat me against the ground, trying to throw me off.

"I - will - not - let - go!" I yelled as it hit me against the ground for the fifth time.

When my feet hit the ground again, I sensed vines surrounding me. I called to nature, and vines sprouted from the ground and surrounded the scorpion. A scorpion writhed, trying to get free but the more it struggled, the tighter the vines squeezed. Finally, the vines squeezed tightly enough to turn the scorpion into golden dust.

I stood up, and turned to face Dad, who was running toward me.

"Now, that's how it's done," I said, before I blacked out.