Giant Alligator

Things happened so quickly that no one had time to react. First, Josh saw this huge pale creature emerge. Its body was alligatorlike. It had fangs like a serpentand luminous round eyes and a mouthful of sharp teeth. It shot up out of the water, and in an instant Wash’s beautiful big fish had disappeared down its gullet. As the creature fell back into the river, its teeth cut through Wash’s fishing line.

Reb yelled, “What is that thing?”

“Reb, get out of the water! He’s coming for you!” Josh shouted.

The alligator, or whatever it was, had surfaced again. The bright round eyes seemed fastened on Reb this time. It charged toward him, mouth gaping open.

Reb let out a yell and splashed toward the bank. Then perhaps he stepped into a hole, for down he went.

At Josh’s side, Sarah screamed, “Reb!” He glimpsed her fumbling for her bow, but she had left her weapon back with Meta and the babies and their equipment. So had everyone else—except for Josh himself.

Josh did not even think. His mind was not working fast enough. His hand was fast, however, and from its sheath he jerked the sword that he always carried. He leaped into the water and splashed past Reb. He lifted the sword over his head.

Now the creature was upon him. It had a purplish black mouth and throat that looked like a huge cavern armed with teeth. Josh brought down the sword with all of his might. He felt the jolt all the way to his shoulders, and the head of the beast disappeared under the surface. It came up at once, wounded but with teeth still snapping. Again and again Josh swung his blade. He was desperately aware that, if he missed, the creature’s teeth would close on him.

But finally the animal sank, bubbling, and then Reb was at his side, shouting, “Get out of here, Josh! There are more of them!”