Page 61 (1/2)

I’ht with soroaned for a few seconds in what I hoped sounded like authentic pain, then released the post The crowd, expecting that I was about to be killed in as probably the shortest an to jeer and call , I said The hollow again lashed a tongue aroundme toward it as I kicked and flailed

Mouth

It opened its mouth as if to shole I quickly turned ue around my ankle I hadn’t really cut the hollow, but I told it to quickly let go and scream so that it would look like I had The hollow coues back into its mouth It felt like bad panto between my coht it The jeers turned to cheers for awhochance after all

In what I hoped didn’t seeet movie, the hollow and I squared off and traded a fes I ran at it and it knocked me down I slashed at it and it backed off It howled and waved its tongues in the air as we circled each other I even had it pick ently) shake ue and it (probably too gently) droppedin the hters near the esture at ht Tie, and went for the big finish

I ran at the holloith s, which I jumped over, then another at my head, which I ducked

All as planned

What was supposed to happen next was that I would juue at my feet, then pretend to stab the hollow in the heart--but instead the tongue hit me directly in the chest It connected with the force of a heavyweight boxer, flingingthe wind out of me I lay there stunned, unable to breathe as the crowd booed

Back, I tried to say, but I didn’t have the breath

And then it was on top of er The hollow had thrown off my yoke, if only for a ain control, and fast, but its tongues had pinnedteeth was closing in on ful of the hollow’s stink--and instead of speaking I choked

That e anatomy of hollows: fortunately, it couldn’t close its jaws around ues extended It had to release my limbs before it could bite off ue release my arm--the arm with the hand that still held the knife--I did the only thing I could think of to preserve ed deep into the hollow’s throat It screeched and rolled away, tongues flipping and grasping at the knife

The croent crazy with excitement

I was finally able to draw a full, clean breath, and I sat up to see the hollorithing on the ground a few yards away, black blood spurting from its wounded neck I realized, with none of the satisfaction I ht’ve felt under different circu Really killed it, which was not even remotely the plan Fro his open hands at