But still I endure, telling myself it's only a little bit further every few seconds. All at once, I'm there. At the top of the pillar, looking out the nearly finished Rose Window at the slowly approaching dawn. A workman's left some rope hanging from the rafters and I grab it eagerly, realizing what I must do. I pull the Book out of the bag, tucking it safely under my arm, and fling the now empty bag at the Corbati to give me the distraction I need to make it through. I close my eyes, push off the pillar and-
I'm through. No damage to the window. And I'm somersaulting through the air and somehow manage to get my shirt caught on a tree branch, stopping my fall with a jolt. And I'm so relieved I'm nearly crying. No, I am crying. My thoughts race a million miles a minute and I'm so happy, scared, enthralled, invigorated, nauseated, mystified, elated, proud I don't know what to do. I'm starting to lower myself down from the tree and wondering what I'm going to tell Father Guillarme-
CRASH! My stomach sinks to my knees as I look up to see Ondreb rocketing toward me, a gaping hole left in the Rose Window in his wake. He obviously wasn't through with me. The two other Corbati follow his pursuit shortly thereafter, making the hole in the window even larger.
I scramble out of the tree, my heart in my throat once more. I've hit the ground running just as Ondreb gently lowers himself the rest of the way down. Before I even THINK of yet another escape plan he has me pinned. "You. Are Mine. And what is mine does NOT get to run from me." His hollow eyes glare at me as cold skeletal mealy fingers force me to look at him. Suddenly his mouth seams rip open and a black tongue races out, along with a number of maggots and pus. I scream as loud as I can as Ondreb proceeds to ingest the dried blood on my cheek. "Mmmm." He breathes, tracing a talon around the opening, drawing more blood. The other Corbati have caught up with us and stand impatiently behind Ondreb, wanting a piece of me as well. He turns on them and hisses like a feral cat, clearly asserting his property.
"You and I," He whispers to my ear, making my skin crawl, "Are going to spend some wonderful, painful time together." If it's possible for that hideous mouth to smile I would say that's what it's doing now.
Sounds as sharp and and crackling as fire rise up behind Ondreb though I cannot see their source. The sounds continue and somehow sound alarmed. And that's when I realize: It's a language. It's the Corbati's language. The other two are probably trying to barter with Ondreb for me in their native tongue. But...Ondreb himself looks scared, and rears up off of me like a spooked horse. I'm on my feet as fast as possible, ready to defend myself or run if I have to.
I'm through. No damage to the window. And I'm somersaulting through the air and somehow manage to get my shirt caught on a tree branch, stopping my fall with a jolt. And I'm so relieved I'm nearly crying. No, I am crying. My thoughts race a million miles a minute and I'm so happy, scared, enthralled, invigorated, nauseated, mystified, elated, proud I don't know what to do. I'm starting to lower myself down from the tree and wondering what I'm going to tell Father Guillarme-
CRASH! My stomach sinks to my knees as I look up to see Ondreb rocketing toward me, a gaping hole left in the Rose Window in his wake. He obviously wasn't through with me. The two other Corbati follow his pursuit shortly thereafter, making the hole in the window even larger.
I scramble out of the tree, my heart in my throat once more. I've hit the ground running just as Ondreb gently lowers himself the rest of the way down. Before I even THINK of yet another escape plan he has me pinned. "You. Are Mine. And what is mine does NOT get to run from me." His hollow eyes glare at me as cold skeletal mealy fingers force me to look at him. Suddenly his mouth seams rip open and a black tongue races out, along with a number of maggots and pus. I scream as loud as I can as Ondreb proceeds to ingest the dried blood on my cheek. "Mmmm." He breathes, tracing a talon around the opening, drawing more blood. The other Corbati have caught up with us and stand impatiently behind Ondreb, wanting a piece of me as well. He turns on them and hisses like a feral cat, clearly asserting his property.
"You and I," He whispers to my ear, making my skin crawl, "Are going to spend some wonderful, painful time together." If it's possible for that hideous mouth to smile I would say that's what it's doing now.
Sounds as sharp and and crackling as fire rise up behind Ondreb though I cannot see their source. The sounds continue and somehow sound alarmed. And that's when I realize: It's a language. It's the Corbati's language. The other two are probably trying to barter with Ondreb for me in their native tongue. But...Ondreb himself looks scared, and rears up off of me like a spooked horse. I'm on my feet as fast as possible, ready to defend myself or run if I have to.
