CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

“Since you’re tiny, we give you a headstart. Hurry on, run.”

I tried to fight the fear and lost. Jeremy’s taunting was not much help.

“If you win, we let you three go home.”

“And if I don’t?” I tried to look for courage but came out sounding like a kid.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

And I really didn’t. It made me feel worse. The idea of Tina experiencing torture was enough to get me moving. I took one careful step back and then another when the wolf did not move. Then I broke into a run, shaking uncontrollably and sweating, trying to focs on my survival. I was arely halfway across when I heard a stomp, the ground shaking under me. Biting back a sream as tears rolled down my cheeks, I put all my strength into running. It was hard to think when I could feel that monster running and the cheering chorus and sardonic laughter.

I lost my footing under the quaking floor and fell. Breathing hard, I got to my feet and continued running again. My lungs burned, so did my limbs. When w