Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen We're here to speak with Warg. Are any of you WARUP are you perhaps all warg? The eyeballs turn to look at one another—which is, yes, as weird as it sounds. And then—

THEY SWARM! "I don't think this is a welcome party!" June shouts. They're tumbling over one another, bounding and jumping from all sides. One clings to my back. Another is on my shoulder. "Run!" I shout. "Run? Really?" June asks. "Good plan, Jack. I thought we should stay put and cuddle up with the eyeball army!" "No time for battle banter, friends!" Quint exclaims. "FLEE THE EYEBALL ARMY!" We quickly get separated, and I'm soon lost in a maze of trees. At every turn, I see only pine needles and eyeballs—eyeballs rolling and bouncing toward me. More leap at me, sticking to my clothes. They're unstoppable. I swat one away—then two more leap. Suddenly, I'm pushing through thick needles and stumbling out into a small clearing. The barn is ahead. A rusted tractor sits next to it, half-buried beneath snow. I see a sign for Christmas tree decorations. "EYEBALL HORDE!" June shouts. I glance over and see her burst through the trees.

"IN HOT PURSUIT!" Quint cries out, following. The barn's two doors are open just wide enough for us to, maybe, fit through... "In there!" I cry, and we speed across the snow. I burst through the barn doors. My shoulders scrape against the wood. Splat sounds echo as the eyeballs are knocked off.

We spill onto the cold, straw-covered ground. The eyeballs scatter as we stand. A light dusting of snow is sprinkled on the barn floor. It's dark—just a few thin shafts filtering through cracks in the wood beam walls and the high ceiling. More eyeballs follow through the door—but they don't attack. They're waiting for something. From the far-corner darkness comes the sound of shuffling feet and slime. I squint—and see a monster that's like a weird, saggy, fleshy sack. "It's like a big booger with feet," June whispers. One of those feet stomps the floor. At once the eyeballs roll toward her. They leap up, covering her like some coat of peeping pupils. We are looking at... -WARG

Spiny bone tentacles. Who are you and why are you in my barn face? Outer eyeball. Layer The barn shudders in the wind. My voice is shaky. "Our friend was bit by a zombie. And we were told you can help us." Warg speaks in a raspy whisper. "Who?" "Um. Dirk. Dirk Savage. You probably don't know him." "Who told you I could help you?" Warg asks. "Oh. Right. Bardle."

Warg laughs. It's a sandpaper-and-broken glass sound. "He was wrong." Every one of Warg's eyeballs blinks in unison. I realize they're all interconnected. Part of one another. "Leave," Warg says. "I will not help you. I have learned it is best not to get involved in the affairs of others." I rock slowly in place. My chest is tight. Hands shaking. Leaving is not an option. Warg has something. Some knowledge, some cure, something that can help us. June growls. "Listen up. We demand you help us. You came to our world and you brought a zombie plague and now that zombie plague is gonna end my friend's life. So like I said—HELP US!" The monster sighs. Somewhere, Dirk is hurting—and all the monster can do is sigh. I'm suddenly racing forward, with no plan. All I have is a deep, furious WANT to save my friend. Because soon, Dirk will be lost forever.