10 The Invisible Wall

CHAPTER 10 THE INVISIBLE WALL The friends stared at the rushing water. "How can we cross the waterfall?" Tag asked. "There's no bridge." "We will have to fly over it," Blaze said. Tag noticed the dark smudge on the edge of the paper again. "What if there's something bad waiting for us on the other side?"

"What if my family is over there?" Blaze replied. She gave the paper to Tag, and he tucked it back in his sack. Blaze opened her wings. She took off, so Tag followed. "We'll be right back!" Tag called out to Skyla, who watched from the edge of the water. But as soon as Blaze and Tag got close to the waterfall, a great wind and spray of water pushed them back. They tried again but it felt like there was an invisible wall holding them back.

"It's no good," Tag said, landing back where they'd begun. "We'll have to find another way." "Skyla?" Blaze called out. Skyla was nowhere to be seen. "Over here!" she replied, poking her head out of some bushes a little farther down. "I found a secret path behind the waterfall. We should follow it." "Are you sure you can do this?" Tag asked. He knew Skyla was terrified of water. Skyla nodded. "It may be the only way across."

Tag and Blaze followed her through the bushes and onto a narrow ledge behind the waterfall. They carefully shuffled along, staying close to the rock wall. Whooooooooooo! A whistling sound filled the air.

The wind blew harder and harder. It's strange for the wind to be so strong back here, Tag thought. It's as if someone—or something— doesn't want us to reach the other side. He held on to Blaze and Skyla so that they weren't swept over the waterfall.

The water fell faster and heavier beside them. The roar of the water filled the air. "Watch out!" Blaze shouted. Just then, the strange and powerful wind swept the wall of water into one gigantic wave. It surged toward them. "Get beneath my wings!" Blaze yelled.