Chapter 30

chapter thirty Quint scales the ladder. Bardle hops on my back like an oversized Yoda, and we follow. June and Dirk greet us at the top. "We need to get the bestiary far away from Thrull!" June exclaims. "If he gets it back, he can do the key thing again!"

Bardle steps forward. "He will come after us. He is too powerful. We must make a stand." "How?" Quint asks. LEAD THE FEED BACK TO JOE'S. THE MANY MONSTERS THERE WILL TAKE UP THE FIGHT TOGETHER. YOUR KIND AND MY KIND FIGHTING AS ONE-THAT IS OUR BEST CHANCE OF DEFEATING HIM. "And we've got the Weed-B-Gone Super Soakers!" I exclaim. "Combine all that—maybe we can cut this tree down to size." "You sure your monster buddies aren't loyal to .e...c.?" June asks Bardle. "Or Thrull?" "I am certain," Bardle says. "Thrull cloaked his evil stench. I was a fool for not noticing. But no one

else there emits the scent—I'm sure of it." Behind us, the earth quakes. Thrull is continuing to rip himself from the earth. He'll be upon us soon. I reach for the bestiary. "OK. I'll take it. I'll ride Rover to Joe's and tell the monsters to prepare for battle." Quint grips it tight. "No. I'll go." Behind us, Thrull continues to pull himself loose. The earth rolls and quakes. "Quint, there's no time!" I say. "It's too dangerous. You guys stay in the tree house; it's safer. I'll take it." "Jack, let me do this!" Quint barks. "You can't do everything!" "Yes, I can!"

Jack, Let Quint go. I eye my friends. Am I being scolded? Like a little kid! And scolded for trying to save them? No. No, I'm being scolded for not trusting them. For not placing my faith in them, the way they've placed their faith in me. I know it. I can't do it all. Friends are important. Family is important. Maybe the most important thing. But even a post

apocalyptic action hero can't keep them safe all the time. Looking into Quint's eyes, I realize that I have to let him do this. He must carry the bestiary alone. I feel a nudge at my side. I see Rover, eyes wide, eager to help. "Rover," I say. "Take Quint to Joe's, OK? And Bardle." Quint scrambles up on Rover's back. I lift Bardle and he wraps his long, strange fingers around Quint's shoulders. "Jack, slow Thrull down," Bardle says. "Give us time to get to Joe's and prepare my friends." "On it. No problem," I say. "And Quint?" "Yes?" I grab his hand. We shake once, hard. "You got this, buddy." Quint grins, and then Rover leaps. They hit the ground and my monster dog takes off into the woods. An instant later there's a tremendous KRASH as Thrull the Tree Beast stands opposite us.

It's time to chop down a tree together. Let's hurt this thing. Monstrous feet of trunk and root take tremendous, earth-shattering steps as Thrull storms past us. He's focused on Rover, Quint, and Bardle— and the bestiary. "Wormungulous, go, go, go!" I shout. "Follow that big ol' tree monster!" Thrull's Vine-Thingies dart at us, swinging and slashing through the air. "LAY ON THE SOAKERS!" Dirk shouts, squeezing the flimsy plastic trigger. Neon-green