Lost {Ongoing:In Editing}

The Roums

Chapter XXI

MICHELLE QUICKLY ROTATED HER body, her arms still poised ready to release an arrow if necessary. Joey's heartbeat quickened as she pushed herself completely up into a sitting position with a grimace, and she listened intently as Brianna asked the question that had been on Joey's lips, "What is it, Michelle? What do you hear?"

Michelle narrowed her eyes as she slowly swept the tree-line. "Something small, yet ..." she paused, "... big at the same time."

"We need to get out of here." Lucinda turned to flee, and Jacob and Evangeline were right behind her.

"Hey, you can't just leave!" Alex marched towards her. "What about David?" She flung back around to face him.

"Do you know what's out there?" she spat in a harsh whisper. "Because I do, and let me tell you, you and your little companions here won't hold off the monsters for long." Her eyes drifted towards David who's convulsions had slowed to mere jolts. After scanning him, she said, "He'll survive a few more minutes."

"Where are we supposed to go?" Ella asked. Her eyes were bloodshot red and tears stained her cheeks as she gripped her brothers hand tightly in her own.

"My home isn't far from here," the Scottish woman replied in a softer tone. "We can take the boy there."

Joey's head snapped to the left as Michelle let the arrow from her bow fly. It didn't take long to hear a tiny shriek as a green speck plummeted to the ground and splashed into a puddle not far off.

Joey climbed to her feet, wobbling for a moment before steadying herself, and made her way over to what had fallen. Staring into the puddle, she found an upside down lizard with a black body covered in green spots along with a green underbelly.

"No offense, Michelle," Kathleen squinted and furrowed her brow, "but I think there are worse things to worry about than a lizard."

Evangeline shook her head as she crouched, and poked the green and black reptile. "This isn't just any lizard." She looked up at Kathleen. "It's a Roums."

"A what?" Kathleen asked, crouching low to get a better look.

"A Roums. If it makes even the smallest touch to your skin, it will chew its way through your flesh to feed."

"Feed on what?" Alex asked, his hand resting again the nonstick pad on his shoulder.

"The human brain," Jacob replied blankly, drawing everyone's attention. "That's how it stays alive."

"I think some of us are safe." Joey looked up at Michelle who was staring at Chase as he made his hand invisible then visible again.

Joey felt nausea boiling in her stomach and she resisted the urge to vomit. "Have you seen a Roums before?" She turned her gaze up to Lucinda who directed her words at Michelle.

Michelle shook her head. "Only from people who've passed by."

"Then you should know that Roums' only hunt in packs," Lucinda continued. "This one might have been a scout. Trust me when I say, they can be as smart as your wolves." Her lips pressed into a thin line. "We must hurry! Someone grab the boy." Ella released David's hand, and Rufus and Brutus bent over to pick him up when Lucinda cried back, "Someone a little taller who can keep up!"

Nathan heeded her call, zipping over to David, and misting everyone in water from the ground. With the twins help, he lifted David into his arms, and held him tight to keep him from jerking out of his grasp.

Ella's eyes popped open as she reached with an outstretched arm, and shouted, "Watch out!"

Joey swung herself around as another Roums came flying towards her face. She gasped and her eyes widened as she froze, unable to summon her ability in time.