Chapter 4
Run! I sign. I get myself immediately under Pop’s arm and help him forward. He leans on me, and we run, Mom by our side.
“Get to the annex!” Mom yells at Max, sending him on ahead. “Find the others!”
Max runs and opens some distance between us.
Then we hear a second screaming.
And a third.
“Oh, no,” I hear Pop mutter.
A fourth. And a fifth.
“Faster!” Mom says. “Must move faster!”
We rush, Pop going as fast as he can. I can see in his Noise he wants me to leave him behind, but I can also see in his Noise that he knows I would never so he doesn’t even try it.
“Can you see them?” Mom shouts.
I look back. The town is mostly hidden through the trees, but we’re going up a hill toward the annex. We’re just about to break above the treetops to the flat part–
I point with the arm that isn’t supporting Pop.
A dozen giant gods are marching on the city.
And more are coming out of the woods in a line.
One after the other after the other after the other.
It’s the final invasion.