“Hold on,” Ezra said. “I’m gonna talk to him, maybe he’ll recognize me.”

The blue mantis surged forward quickly.

“Tenebrim, stop!” Ezra said. The animal dragged its feet and slid to a halt. It was still several yards away, and it began to tilt its head as if it were somehow conflicted.

“He’s confused,” Bet said. “Murden must not have him very far along.”

Ezra ignored her and continued to talk to his old link. “Tenebrim, don’t. You can’t do this. You know me.”

Tenebrim let out an irritated hiss.

“Blue,” Murden said. “You’re mine, and I gave you an order. Go put that boy on the ground.”

This seemed to snap Tenebrim back to attention. The creature narrowed its focus, then reared back as if it were about to lunge.

“Pexel, now!” Bet screamed.

From nowhere, suddenly the three of them were encased in a wide clear barrier. It looked like some sort of bubble. Tenebrim flashed forward and collided with the barrier sending Bet, Ezra, Will and Pexel flying as if they were trapped in one of those silly balls that people used for their pet hamsters. The bubble slammed against the wall of a building and burst, throwing the three of them into the dust.

Tenebrim was suddenly back where he had begun his dash, and he now began to quickly draw forward again.

“Stop,” Ezra yelled, but Bet grabbed him by the arm.

“He’s not gonna’ hear you,” she said as she dragged him sideways. “He has no choice. We gotta’ run.”

Just then, Swoop flew down to connect with Will. He was disoriented and had to spit out a mouthful of grimy sand. The bird hopped back and forth excitedly in encouragement. Will needed to get to his feet.

As Will stood, a look of recognition spread over Murden’s crusty features. He was staring at Swoop.

“Blue!” he yelled, and the large praying mantis halted immediately, allowing Bet and Ezra to make a bit of distance. “New target,” he said, his finger pointed at Will.

“Fly Swoop, go!” Will said. She was what he wanted.

Tenebrim was rushing Will now. Across the street, Will saw Bet and Ezra stumble and stop. They were stunned that he had become the mantis’s new target. Will’s eyes cut back toward Tenebrim. The praying mantis stopped about ten feet from him, then began to rear up again.

“Look out, Will!” Bet screamed.

In a sudden flash, the mantis shot forward and sliced him across the chest. He flew backward and landed with a crack against several stone steps. He leaned up to see what had happened but could barely focus. About ten yards away was Tenebrim, swaying and snapping. Past the creature, he could see Bet and Ezra running his way, and from the corner of his eye he saw the purple-black blur of Swoop. He hoped it was Swoop, at least, and not that firefly thing of Murden’s.

Will began to fumble his hands along the ground in an effort to push himself up. And then he saw it. The purple pill bottle, or Binders, as Bet had called them. He snatched it up and tried to twist off the cap.

But he was losing focus. He had been hit hard and his chest was beginning to bleed. He had a plan, he just had to keep from passing out. Ahead of him, the Mantis stopped. Something had forced it to stop.