3

The clock read 11:56 in glowing red letters.

Sophie had agreed to come and get me at midnight. She claimed it was so that no one would follow us to jasymuri's secret hiding place. 

Yeah right. I thought she was just being dramatic. 

Even so, I still couldn't get to sleep. My mind wouldn't shut up.

"The dream was real!"

No, it wasn't!

"Yes, it was! Five other kids had it too!"

I've only met two.

"So?"

Their might not be any others. Just Sophie and Shadow.

 "Bet you a nickel that this whole thing is for reals."

Bet you a Quarter it isn't.

"A Dollar."

Deal--Wait... Why Am I arguing with My Mind!? Why am I betting against myself!? Why won't my own Brain agree with Me!

"Because your own Brain is the one who is right."

My mental debate was interrupted by the sound of a light tapping on my window accompanied by someone whispering my name.

"Cricket... Cricket... Are you awake?"

 I sighed and opened up my window. Sophie was standing outside, dressed from head to toe in dark clothes.

"Its sort of cold, do you have a warm, preferably dark colored jacket?" she Whispered.

"Yes." I whispered back. I grabbed a dark blue hoodie out of my closet and pulled it on as I climbed out the window. I was excited despite my best efforts to remain calm. 

The second my feet touched the ground, Sophie took my hand and began running towards the forest behind my home. She pulled me onto a sort of animal path through the pine trees.

Finally, after about five crazy minutes, full of countless twists, turns and few jumps across several small creeks (one of which I stumbled and got soaked up to my knees) She stopped.

Gasping, I looked around. We were in a large clearing that was lined with possibly the most ancient looking pine trees I had ever seen.

"Jasymuri! Where are you!" Sophie hollered into the clearing.

A shushing sound came out of the bushes next to us, and I jumped with a small shriek of surprise. 

"SHH!" said the voice in the bush again, this time it jumped up and put a hand over my mouth. I caught a glimpse of bright blue eyes. 

Of course. It was Shadow.

Slowly, he turned my head to face the other side of the clearing.

At first I couldn't see it, but then It moved.

Whatever it was, it wasn't human.

And it wasn't A unicorn either.

It looked like a cross between a mountain lion and a porcupine. Its tail was covered with six inch long spikes. And it had a large overbite that showed its large fangs. 

"Where's Jasymuri?" asked Sophie loudly to Shadow. He jumped over to her and clasped his hand over her mouth, as if it would help. Then he looked at the large cat thing in fear. Sophie's struggles quit as soon as she saw what he was looking at.

Unfortunately, she hadn't seen it in time.

But now, thanks to her, it had seen us.

The creature flicked its tail upward over its head. Shadow shoved me to the ground and heaved me behind the bush he had been hiding in previously as a slight hissing sound whizzed over my head. There was a thunk as one of the spines from the creature embedded itself in a tree. If shadow hadn't pulled me down, my head would have been in the projectile's path. I would be dead!

"What is that thing!?" I whispered frantically. 

"Manticore." Shadow answered shortly, breathing hard.

"A Manticore." answered a new voice next to me. I could tell it was a girl by the voice, but all I could see of her was a dark silhouette kneeling over me, peering over the top of the bush. She raised up both her hands, one close to her ear and one out in front of her. I heard an elastic Thwap and heard a yowl from the clearing. 

"A Manticore is like a lion, but it has poisonous barbs on its tail that it can Fling with incredible power and deadly accuracy."

She took something out of her pocket, examined it briefly in the palm of her hand, then raised her hands up the same as she had before. There was the sameThwap and another yelp.

"Unfortunately for it, so can I." she said smugly. "Even if my pebbles aren't poisoned." 

I realized that that was what she was doing. She was firing a slingshot at the beast. 

Another volley of barbs peppered the trees behind us.

"Missed us by a mile." She said with a laugh, firing another rock.

Give or take a couple thousand feet... I thought. I seriously began to question this girl's sanity.

"C'mon!" whispered a voice urgently behind us. "It is getting just a bit too close for comfort." 

"Aww Theo! You've got no sense of adventure." Said the girl as she pulled back the elastic of her slingshot.

Thwap!

This sound was accompanied by a furious roar. Right on the other side of the bush.

The girl froze.

"Theo. I apologize. You were right. It is too close."

I gasped as the Manticore stalked around the bush. Its face had a long white beard along its throat, which gave it a slightly human appearance. It almost seemed as if it was smiling at us maliciously. then I realized that it Was smiling.

"How trrragic." it purred, rolling the 'r'. 

I tried to scream, but it came out more like a squeak. the thing was talking to us!!

"The ssstorrry endsss herrre childrrren." it said, hissing out the S's. "The Quessst terrrminated beforrre it even began." It's gaze locked on me. "Letsss ssstarrrt with thisss tasssty morrrsssel herrre ssshall we?" it chuckled and licked it's lips, slowly padding towards me.

I became aware of a high pitched wailing sound, A scream. it was probably mine. blackness started creeping into the edges of my sight.

"Am I passing out?" I asked myself.

Yeah. I didn't think it would end this way. sorry.

"It's okay brain. I forgive you." the darkness was almost complete. 

The last thing I was aware of was a flash of white, a feline hiss, and the sensation of water all around me.

Reviews

[Rieja Thorn]

holy cows and flying pandas this is really good stuff!!!
two enthusiastic thumbs up!!
i love the part were she has conversations in her mind!

[bookworm]

one small suggestion here, i think it might be a good idea to make chapters 2-4 all one chapter. this is just a suggestion, but other than that i luv it good job!