Meg - Squeezed By Serpent

The serpent struck. Meg and I dove in opposite directions. The creature’s head caused a tsunami between us, somersaulting me through the water. I swallowed a few gallons of the canal and came up spluttering, then gagged in horror when I saw Meg encircled in the snake’s tail. The serpent lifted her out of the water, bringing her level with its remaining eye. Meg slashed wildly, but the monster kept her out of striking distance. It regarded her as if thinking, What is this stoplight-colored thing?
Then it began to squeeze.
Leo yelled, “I got it!”
Clang. The grate’s golden bars swung inward.
Leo turned, grinning in pride, then saw Meg’s predicament.
“Nuh-uh!” He raised his hand above the water and tried to summon fire. All he managed was a puff of steam. He threw a wrench that bounced harmlessly off the snake’s side.
Meg yelped. The snake’s tail constricted around her waist, turning her face tomato red. She hammered her swords uselessly against the monster’s hide.
I stood paralyzed, unable to help, unable to think.
I knew the strength of such a serpent. I remembered being wrapped in Python’s coils, my divine ribs cracking, my godly ichor being squeezed into my head and threatening to spurt out my ears.
“Meg!” I shouted. “Hold on!”
She glared down at me, her eyes bulging, her tongue swollen, as if thinking, Like I have a choice?
The serpent ignored me, no doubt too interested in watching Meg implode like the pedal boat. Behind the snake’s head rose the damaged brick wall of a condominium. The sewer entrance stood just to the right of that.

***

The Dark prophecy, Chapter 21