Morgan ran into the parking lot. She ducked behind an RV, pausing to catch her breath. In her hands, she could feel the little mouse trembling.
"You okay?" asked Morgan.
Mousey Flor nodded. Morgan slid all the way to the ground, trying to wrap her head around what had happened. Her heart was still pounding.
"What was that thing?" Morgan asked.
Flor shrugged. Morgan shook her in her fist.
"Don't give me that! You know exactly what it is!" she said.
Morgan stopped after a minute when Flor started squeaking cries of mercy. She sighed and placed her tiny captive on the dusty ground.
"You think you can change back so we can talk?" said Morgan.
Flor shook her head and covered her chest with her furry little paws.
"I think we have bigger things to worry about than public indecency," said Morgan.
The little mouse sighed, knowing she was right. Morgan took off her hoodie and threw it next to her. Flor climbed inside of it before transforming back to her long-legged self.
Morgan quickly looked the other way. The hoodie only covered Flor's top half. Flor hastily yanked at the bottom of the hoodie. However being much taller than Morgan, it didn't do much. Flor sat on the ground and grew tall grass around herself for cover.
"I am NOT okay with this," she said as she fussed with the hoodie.
Morgan cleared her throat.
"So... mind explaining what's going on? Like what's up with that thing?" she said.
Flor pulled down her garment below her armpits, creating a lumpy makeshift dress.
"I don't know," answered Flor.
"Give me back the hoodie."
"I'm serious! I've never seen one before. But judging by what it did to Rico, it might be some sort of energy drainer."
"Okay, then what do we do now?"
Suddenly the two heard the crunching of footsteps on gravel. The girls dropped down, lying flat on the ground. From their positions, they could see two large clawed feet walking by on the other side of the RV.
"Get out of here. It won't be interested in you," whispered Flor.
Morgan gripped her arm, eyes filled with fear. Flor bit her lip. She needed her aunt.
"Do you have a phone?" Flor asked.
Morgan pulled out her smartphone. Flor snatched it and swiped the screen, accidentally answering a call.
"Morgan? Morgan where are you!" said Ingrid's voice.
Flor frantically tried to hang up.
"You better answer this phone!"
"I put in on silent for a reason!" exclaimed Morgan.
They froze at the sound of more gravel being crunched, followed by a loud thunk. The girls warily looked up. The creature grinned at them from on top of the RV.
"Hello there," it said.
The girls screamed. They scrambled to their feet, running for their lives. The creature jumped far into the air and landed right in front of them. They quickly turned to run in the other direction. Flor felt something grab onto her hood. It was yanked back, tossing flat on her behind. Morgan skidded to a stop, seeing that Flor was no longer beside her.
Flor transformed into a swallow and flew into the air. She looked back expecting the creature to be hot on her trail. But instead, it had turned its attention to Morgan.
"S-stay back," said Morgan.
The creature took a menacing step forward. Flor dive-bombed the creature. She flew in circles around it, pecking at its head furiously. The creature took the hoodie and swatted her down to the ground like a fly. With Flor incapacitated, it took a swipe at Morgan.
Everything seemed to slow down and become a big blur. Her heart pounded in her ears as instinct took over.
"I SAID STAY AWAY!" Morgan shouted, her green eyes glowing brightly.
All the debris and gravel around them started vibrating. Morgan held up her hands and shot out a stream of green fire.
The creature barely managed to move out of the way. It gritted its teeth, feeling the intense heat of the flames. The fire landed on the small patch of grass Flor had grown, setting it ablaze. The creature frantically stomped on the fire, trying to put out the flames that sprung up around him.
Flor wasted no time getting the hell out of there. She flew over to Morgan, landing on her shoulder. She chirped loudly.
"I'll explain later," said Morgan.
Someone whistled to get their attention. Mimo waved at them from down the parking lot. Morgan hesitated. With the day she was having, following a clown like figure to who knows where didn't seem like a good idea.
The creature let out a loud and angry growl.
Then again...
Morgan chased after Mimo with Flor clinging onto her shoulder. Meanwhile, the creature had stomped out the last of the flames.
“You must be desperate to risk coming so close to the city.”
Alma approached the creature, holding a bag behind her back.
The creature scoffed. “I heard from a birdie about a buffet. And from what I’ve seen, they weren’t wrong.”
Alma clutched her bag tightly. “And yet here you are, still hungry.”
“But not for long!”
The creature lunged. Alma ran, dropping a trail of seeds behind her. Plants shot up from them, latching onto the creature as he gave chase. It snarled and snapped, straining against its leafy restraints to get to its target.
Alma stood her ground, using all her concentration to contain the creature. She squeezed her eyes shut, practically feeling the creature’s hot breath as it inched closer and closer.
"Now!" Alma shouted.
Mimo jumped down from one of the trucks. He held out his hands and circled the creature, pausing and every step he took.
With one final push, the creature snapped free of its leafy coils. Only to smack right into an invisible wall. It tried to go around it, only to run right smack into another. It had been trapped.
"Let me out you!" it roared.
Mimo thumbed his nose at it. Alma put her hands on her knees, finally able to breathe at ease. Mimo put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine, thank you," she said.
Flor and Morgan stuck their heads out from inside one of the trailers.
"Are you girls okay?" Alma asked.
"Yeah..." said Flor.
"That was amazing!" said Morgan. "Can you teach me that?"
"Morgan!" shouted Ingrid.
She ran down to the group. Before Morgan could duck out of the way, Ingrid caught her in a bear hug.
"You had me so worried!" she said.
Alma cleared her throat.
"I think we have some things to talk about."
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