Cyrus LongBones and the Curse of the Sea Zombie
Chapter 36

BE AFRAID

RORROH TRIED TO SHAKE THE SPIDER OFF, but Edward was fastened to her like a lock. A hiss began to emit from his throat. His jaws creaked open.

“Let go!” the witch shouted.

She reeled back and whipped her hand through a shelf of jars and beakers. Glass shattered and sprayed the room like sparks, but the Sea Zombie was unable to dislodge the blodbad spider. Two needle-like teeth began to extend from Edward’s gums, each dripping black venom.

“I promise, I will see you both ripped limb from limb,” Rorroh snarled.

Like a steel trap, Edward bit deep into the witch’s hand. His body began to convulse, as he pumped ounce after ounce of boiling toxins into her diseased flesh. Around the bite, Rorroh’s skin started to dry up like paper; then turn to sand. She fell to one knee, crippled with agony. The poison started to spread further up the Sea Zombie’s arm. It reached her shoulder and advanced towards her chest. Cyrus’ heart began to lift. The witch was dying.

Rorroh fell to her other knee and held out her decaying hand. Like salt, the first layer of flesh started to sprinkle the floor. She fought to make a fist and, uttering a language Cyrus had never heard before, focused all her attention on the wound.

With great effort, her body seemed to battle back against the transformation. The veins in her arm bubbled and swelled with black blood, and her skin turned from a yellowish-grey to a dark, blistering purple.

The witch’s blood erupted into Edward’s throat, and his stomach began to grow. His eyes whipped forward, and he started to choke. Clutching his belly, Edward released the bite, moaning as he tumbled to the floor. He bounced to a stop and curled up into a ball. Then he began to shiver uncontrollably, vomiting black bile.

Cyrus watched as his best friend’s hair turned from black to white and the yellow mark on his back faded to blue.

“Edward!” he screamed.

“You better run while you ssstill can…” the Sea Zombie slurred.

Cyrus stared at Edward, unmoving, so helpless on the ground. Then he looked to Fibian, maimed and bleeding in a heap. Was he even alive? Both had risked their lives for his. He looked to the Sea Zombie. She was injured and weak but growing stronger with each passing moment.

Cyrus turned and made for the door. With a shaking hand, he grasped the handle and held the door ajar. The stairway led up and away and was clear of any danger. Cyrus craved escape. An image of Niels spiked his thoughts. He shook his head and paused. His breath gusted through his throat. Was he really going to do this? He slammed the door shut. Then he chambered the bolt and locked the room tight.

“I’ve run for the last time,” Cyrus said, “It’s your turn to be afraid.”