#Chapter 98: Up a Creek

Kadeem Kadeem’s heart clenched with dread as he watched Ardal go limp. Her skin drained to a chalky white and her eyes rolled back in their sockets. His grip on the children tightened in an effort to contain them while trying to remain composed himself. Erbao squirmed out of his grasp and shot towards Ardal. Kadeem lunged after him, grabbing hold of his shirt just before he would have reached her. The little boy, though brimming with angry tears, had no choice but to comply with his grasp. "She's holding for now," Rayburn said grimly. His fingers remained pressed to her artery while he held her legs propped up with one arm. 'Lucky for you,' Kadeem thought, ready to berate Rayburn, even as his chest heaved with the speck of relief. But their reprieve was fleeting. No sooner were the words out of Rayburn’s mouth when the sound of wild, feral animals ripping through the trees thundered towards them. “You've got to be kidding me," Kadeem hissed, shooting an angry glance up at the s