Grishma (Book One in The Necoh Saga)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

“Let go of me!” Brooklyn screamed as she desperately tried to free herself from Grishma’s razor sharp claws.

“Ouch!” Thin leafy tree branches snagged Brooklyn’s clothing and swatted her in the head as the beast sprinted through the thick foliage.

How can I escape? Where is it taking me? Brooklyn’s mind flooded with questions of survival as she frantically scanned her surroundings, hoping for some type of escape route.

Is that a river? Brooklyn strained her eyes to see through the gradually thinning forest. Sure enough, a substantial, quickly flowing body of water was directly in front of them.

Dusk was approaching by the time they reached the muddy banks of the river. Grishma dumped Brooklyn on the ground with a thud. She pretended to be unconscious as the hideous beast inspected her. It was all she could do to keep from throwing up as it breathed directly on her face. Yuck! And I thought coffee breath was bad. This is the worst smell ever!

After Grishma left to drink some water from the river, Brooklyn surveyed the area around her and an escape plan began to formulate in her mind. If I can just make it to the river, the current might be fast enough to carry me away before Grishma can even react!

She waited for the beast to return and settle on the ground a few feet away. Bile was creeping up her throat. She tried hard to keep it down. After a short time, the beast appeared to be sleeping. This is my chance! Silently, Brooklyn crawled commando style toward the edge of the river.

Almost there, just a few more feet, keep going! I’m going to make it!

That’s when it happened. Her foot caught on an exposed tree root and made the smallest of sounds. Grishma instantly snapped its ginormous head around and zeroed in on Brooklyn as she was approaching the fast moving murky water.

Before the wretched beast could open its deadly jaws and release a bloodcurdling scream, Brooklyn hurled herself into the water.

Brooklyn gasped as her body entered the river. The water was so frighteningly cold her limbs struggled to keep her afloat.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see Grishma racing down the shoreline. Luckily, the gruesome beast appeared to avoid entering the fast flowing water.

I’ve got to get to the other side, she thought, paddling hard to the shore only a few feet away. “I’m going to make it!” she screamed.

Then something happened. The water’s already frigid temperatures dropped further and every laborious kick of her legs got heavier, like she was swimming through slush. She reached out to the shrubs. Her fingers grazed the leaves. She needed to find the strength to close her hands around the branches. Her teeth chattered, her hands were blue, just a little closer!

Suddenly, something brushed up against her leg. Brooklyn began to thrash and flail in the water. She kicked her legs wildly, trying to move away from whatever just touched her. Now the branch was behind her, and out her reach. The current sucked her further down the river. Her head bobbed below the surface. She gasped for air, but water took its place and she choked.

Something tugged her under. I’m going to drown! I’m going to die here in Necoh! If she weren’t already underwater, tears would have flowed down her face. Her emotions made her chest heave and more water rushed up her nose. One final surge of adrenaline coursed through her body, giving her the will power to reach the surface again. When her head finally burst through the surface, she gasped desperately for air.