Dominoes off the cliff.
Justin tried to pull back when Mary pulled him over the edge of the cliff. But he wasn’t strong enough to loosen her iron grip.
He fell.
And the little girl who held his other hand fell after him.
Justin didn’t cry out. There was no time.
Rocks rushed up at him. Fast as a time when he’d been hit in the face by a dodgeball. But he knew the rocks wouldn’t sting and bounce away.
A rock monster opened jaws to receive him. Jagged stone teeth were going to chew him up.
Astrid’s grip was too weak.
The child she’d grabbed was torn from her grip.
Disappeared over the side.
She turned away, eyes wide with horror.
Brittney was there, right there, staring at her. But her face was changing, twisting, a horrible mask of melting flesh.
And Sam!
Sam, staring.
Brianna, a sudden blur as she leaped off the cliff.
Mary felt her grip on the children loosen. They weren’t falling, they were flying. Flying free.
Her mother held out her arms and Mary, free at last, flew to her.
Justin felt Mother Mary’s hand simply disappear. There, firmly gripping his one moment.
Then gone.
Justin fell.
But behind him something fell faster, a wind, a rush, a rocket. He was halfway to the rocks when the something fast hit him and knocked the air out of him.
He flew sideways. Like a baseball that had just been hit for a home run. He was rolling across the sand of the beach now, rolling like he’d probably never stop.
He hit the sand ahead of the others who, without Brianna’s speed, simply fell toward the rocks.
“Well, if it isn’t Astrid,” Brittney said with Drake’s voice. “And you brought the Petard with you.”
Brittney, whose arm was now as long as a python, whose braces had been replaced by a shark smile, laughed.
“Surprise!” The thing that was not Brittney said.
“Drake.” Astrid gasped.
“You’re next, pretty girl. You and your idiot brother. Over the side. Jump!”
Drake lashed at her with his whip hand.
Astrid staggered back.