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once into a huge dark spot in the green. Suddenly Bobby was gone and the spot sphinctered, opened up like a hole in the woods. Matty tried to pull back but he couldn't control his feet. The thing came toward him, sucking in the green light like a black funnel. For some reason his feet had grown so absurdly big that they were hopelessly entangled in branches and underbrush. Desperate to get away, he tried to pull himself out of its way by grasping onto tree limbs. But that was useless. The lower half of his body had swelled to unmanageable proportions, and the funnel got closer and closer. A large opaque sinkhole in the green closing on him. Closer. He could smell its malevolent musk |
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He rolled off the futon and looked behind him. ''You," Matty whispered, his heightened senses picking up the man's odor. |
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"You," said the man in black. |
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Matty twisted to get out of range but the gun went off, making a surprisingly dull popping soundmore like a toy than a movie gun. But it was no toy that sent the spike of lightning into his chest and threw him against the rail. |
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At the center of his shirt was a small blot of red. |
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Given the piercing sensation, he thought there would have been more blood. He raised his hands to the terrible burning, but his arms were too heavy, as if his blood were hardening. In seconds his breathing became almost too great an effort. As he lay there nearly paralyzed, he fought to keep his eyes open, to see the man who did this to him. |
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A dark thin face. Eyes of black ice. A thin, crescent grin that showed small white teeth. |
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How come? Why did he shoot me? Maybe God had sent the devil to punish him for being so bad. |
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Matty tried to keep his mind open. He tried to call his mom. |
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Through the dark mist, he saw her at the back door calling his name. "Mom . . . I'm here." |
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He should have kept his promise. Just a walk around the block. |
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