Race to the Finish-Him-Off Line

Glad you could join us for the next frantic episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

When Vernon came to, the buzzing in his brain swelled, seeming to fill the air with a fuzzy shadow that slowly took shape as his eyes fought to focus.

It was D’Arc.

“Where is de sport in dis? I hahv been commahnded to finish de traitor, but not like dis. Git up. Fly if you cahn. Ahl even give ya a head start. Go. Go now before I chenge my mind.”

Pressing one hand on the open wound in his belly, Vernon groaned to his feet, falling from the nest, forcing his crushed wings to spread open, hoping to catch the wind before he hit the ground.

D’Arc’s sinister chuckle faded as a gust lifted Vernon, and the distance between them grew.

The world he saw blurred and sharpened and blurred again as he tried to make sense of the splotches of light and dark whizzing by. Burning spasms shot through his body jerking him up, down, sideways or back as he lurched through the air in a final bid to survive.

A low hum crept up from behind, wrapping him in a web of desperation. Vernon was not given to panic, but hope drained from him with his waning strength. “If I can’t outrun him, it’s over.”

A cloudy pattern loomed in front of him. His vision cleared. Terror froze his heart.

To be continued. . .

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .

Author: Sue Ranscht

Having survived valve repair surgery and an experimental cardiac bypass at age 5, three years before it was an accepted medical procedure, Susan grew into the size of her overworked and enlarged heart. Maybe she thought she had enough to give it away -- twice. Both times, she had to retrieve the shattered pieces and puzzle them back together. She thanks her Dad for the only advice of his she ever followed to the letter: "Never get married. Learn to take care of yourself." So of course she is a writer. Susan has co-written a YA SciFi novel, and has three more novels in various stages of evolution. She's had several short stories published in other people's anthologies, some of which were contest-related. Let her tell you a story... View all posts by Sue Ranscht