speed and grace I didn't know he
was capable of.
I felt another rib crack and Toby dig his teeth deeper into my back. My knees suddenly turned into pudding and I crumpled with the wolf on my back. My face smacked the concrete hard, bloodying my nose. I saw stars twinkle in my eyes and pure pain raged along my body. Toby was digging for my heart...
Then there was a howl and release.
I felt his claws retract and suddenly the pressure on my back was gone. Summoning every last ounce of my strength, I wrenched myself forward as the gaping wound in my back screamed in pain. Blood pooled around me quickly, but I could tell by the scent it wasn't all mine. Grabbing my pistol off the ground, I rolled onto my back and couldn't believe my eyes. Karl stood proudly with his staff buried deep in Toby's back. Once again in human form, Toby lay twitching on the ground, dying. Apparently the staff was, or had, silver in it. Toby tried to reach for the Goblin's weapon, but didn't have the strength. Dark blue veins appeared in his flesh as the anaphylaxis spread.
Leaping off the Werewolf's back, Karl roared and charged toward the Trolls. To my amazement, they stumbled back in fear, then turned and ran. “That's right,” Karl shouted after them, “call me Green Thunder!"
Turning back, Karl skittered to my side. “Get up, Rosy. Please don't die on me.” He was nearly begging. “Don't die."
"Karl,” I breathed as he helped me into a sitting position. I felt blood gurgle deep in my lungs. “How did you find the silver?"
The Goblin smiled and tapped his nose. “A Goblin can smell precious metals. Come on, we need to get you out of here."
"No.” I held my hand to the wall for support and slowly stood. "No?” Karl shook his head. “What do you mean?" My body felt like it was about to fail at any moment. I couldn't remember hurting this much ever before. Every pain sensor throughout my entire body was turned on full blast. Every movement caused the wound in my back to ripple pain over my body. Holding my face against the cool concrete, I whimpered. It was nearly too much. Pulling my damaged arm to my side, I staggered toward Toby. My stare settled on the twitching body. Death by silver must be a truly horrific way for a Werewolf to die. Basically a violent allergic reaction, the wolf's body goes into anaphylactic shock. As blood pressure drops and tissue begins to swell, his lungs were shutting down. I wasn't sure why, but I felt a deep sense of pity for him. I knew it wasn't my Toby, but it still looked like him. Raising my Beretta, I stared into his open eyes. “Sorry, T."
I pulled the trigger. A single bullet ripped into his skull. He twitched one last time, then fell quiet. Toby was dead.
Biting my lip, I fought a sob trying to break free. Wiping a single tear from my eye, I turned back to
I felt another rib crack and Toby dig his teeth deeper into my back. My knees suddenly turned into pudding and I crumpled with the wolf on my back. My face smacked the concrete hard, bloodying my nose. I saw stars twinkle in my eyes and pure pain raged along my body. Toby was digging for my heart...
Then there was a howl and release.
I felt his claws retract and suddenly the pressure on my back was gone. Summoning every last ounce of my strength, I wrenched myself forward as the gaping wound in my back screamed in pain. Blood pooled around me quickly, but I could tell by the scent it wasn't all mine. Grabbing my pistol off the ground, I rolled onto my back and couldn't believe my eyes. Karl stood proudly with his staff buried deep in Toby's back. Once again in human form, Toby lay twitching on the ground, dying. Apparently the staff was, or had, silver in it. Toby tried to reach for the Goblin's weapon, but didn't have the strength. Dark blue veins appeared in his flesh as the anaphylaxis spread.
Leaping off the Werewolf's back, Karl roared and charged toward the Trolls. To my amazement, they stumbled back in fear, then turned and ran. “That's right,” Karl shouted after them, “call me Green Thunder!"
Turning back, Karl skittered to my side. “Get up, Rosy. Please don't die on me.” He was nearly begging. “Don't die."
"Karl,” I breathed as he helped me into a sitting position. I felt blood gurgle deep in my lungs. “How did you find the silver?"
The Goblin smiled and tapped his nose. “A Goblin can smell precious metals. Come on, we need to get you out of here."
"No.” I held my hand to the wall for support and slowly stood. "No?” Karl shook his head. “What do you mean?" My body felt like it was about to fail at any moment. I couldn't remember hurting this much ever before. Every pain sensor throughout my entire body was turned on full blast. Every movement caused the wound in my back to ripple pain over my body. Holding my face against the cool concrete, I whimpered. It was nearly too much. Pulling my damaged arm to my side, I staggered toward Toby. My stare settled on the twitching body. Death by silver must be a truly horrific way for a Werewolf to die. Basically a violent allergic reaction, the wolf's body goes into anaphylactic shock. As blood pressure drops and tissue begins to swell, his lungs were shutting down. I wasn't sure why, but I felt a deep sense of pity for him. I knew it wasn't my Toby, but it still looked like him. Raising my Beretta, I stared into his open eyes. “Sorry, T."
I pulled the trigger. A single bullet ripped into his skull. He twitched one last time, then fell quiet. Toby was dead.
Biting my lip, I fought a sob trying to break free. Wiping a single tear from my eye, I turned back to