Ходячий замок
Chapter 16
Theywereidenticaltothefirsttwo,exceptthescalyonewasclosertothecatlikeone.Andthenextrollingwavebroughttwomore,closertogetheryet.
“What’sgoingon?”Sophiesquawkedasthisthirdpairracedpast,shakingthestonesofthejettyastheyran.
“Illusions,”Michael’svoicecameoutofthehorse.“Someofthem.They’rebothtryingtofooloneanotherintochasingthewrongone.”
“Whichiswho?”saidSophie.
“Noidea,”saidthehorse.
Someoftheonlookersfoundthemonsterstooterrifying.Manywenthome.Othersjumpeddownintotherollingshipstofendthemofffromthequay.SophieandMichaeljoinedthehardcoreofwatcherswhosetoffthroughthestreetsofPorthavenafterthemonsters.Firsttheyfollowedariverofseawater,thenhuge,wetpawprints,andfinallywhitegougesandscratcheswheretheclawsofthecreatureshaddugintothestonesofthestreet.TheseledeveryoneoutthebackofthetowntothemarsheswhereSophieandMichaelhadchasedtheshootingstar.
Bythistimeallsixcreatureswereboundingblackdots,vanishingintotheflatdistance.Thecrowdspreadoutintoaraggedlineonthebank,staring,hopingformore,andafraidofwhattheymightsee.Afterawhilenoonecouldseeanythingbutemptymarsh.Nothinghappened.Quiteafewpeoplewereturningawaytoleavewhenofcourseeveryoneelseshouted,“Look!”Aballofpalefirerolledlazilyupinthedistance.Itmusthavebeenenormous.Thebangthatwentwithhitonlyreachedthewatcherswhenthefireballhadbecomeaspreadingtowerofsmoke.
