Page 48 of Runt's Haunted Ride
It felt like the night had gotten darker. I looked up and saw them—ravens. Hundreds of them, diving toward us in a black cloud.
"No," I whispered. I knew exactly who was doing this. He wasn't dead after all. But he had to be. The binding was gone.
The ravens struck like living missiles, their beaks and claws tearing at our clothes. A raven flew directly into his face. Jack batted it away one-handed, the bike wobbling dangerously before he regained control.
I opened my mouth and thundered out a series of warning cries in bird language. The ravens stopped what they were doing and scattered. Giving acknowledgement to the larger predator.
"Almost there!" Jack shouted. "I can see it."
Suddenly, potholes appeared out of nowhere, forcing Jack to swerve wildly. The asphalt seemed to ripple like water, creating waves that threatened to throw the bike off balance. Tree branches reached down from both sides, trying to sweep us from the saddle.
I held on tighter.
Jack navigated through it all with a skill that seemed impossible, his gorilla reflexes pushed to their absolute limit. Then, finally, we broke through.
The bridge lay out in front of us.
An old stone structure spanning a deep gorge, its surface barely wide enough for two cars to pass. The forest below was invisible in the darkness.
"Ghosts," I breathed.
It was covered. Hundreds—no, thousands—of ghostly spirits rose from the sides of the bridge. They filled the air above and around the bridge, glowing with a sickly pale light, translucent forms of what were people. Their forms still somewhat human.
And standing at the opposite side of the bridge, illuminated by the supernatural glow, at his full eight-foot height, was Ringmaster Mortis.
Jack brought the bike to a stop about fifty yards from the bridge. The engine idled, the sound suddenly loud in the unnatural silence that had fallen.
"How?" Jack said. "I saw him."
Behind us, the clowns appeared. This time all five of them were there, blocking any retreat.
"We're trapped," I whispered.
Mortis raised one impossibly long arm, and his voice echoed across the distance, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
"You've taken something of mine," His voice could be heard like he was standing right next to us.
I shuddered, hearing him. Jack put a hand on my leg, calming me.
"You've been a very bad bird, Kai." His tone was almost playful. "Enough of the playtime with this naughty monkey." He pointed. "COME TO ME!"
Chapter 15
Jack
Mortis' command echoed across the bridge, seeming to vibrate through my bones. "COME TO ME!"
I felt Kai stiffen against my back, her arms letting go of my waist. My heart sank, thinking she was still bound to him. That he had power over her and she was compelled to obey. She moved, and I put both of my hands on her legs. If she was being pulled to him, then she wasn't going without me.
Swiveling at the waist, I looked into her face. "No, Kai, don't go. Fight it."
She leaned forward and kissed me. "I have no intention of fighting him." She stepped off the bike.
"Kai," I held her arm. She put her hand on mine.
"I. AM. FREE." Kai's voice rang out. "You or some version of you died. The binding is broken. Know this, Mortis—even when I was bound to you, I was not yours."
Her words hung in the air for a moment, and I thought for a moment I might have a heart attack the way my heart rebounded in my chest.
