Part 42

At that instant, Fenton Barney arrived. There was a thump as he fell through the wall just as Lowell Vern had done. An instant later he charged into the room brandishing his knife.

He skidded to a comical halt seconds later.

Fenton blinked, confused at the chaos before him. Two versions of Oscar and Lowell went about their business... one pair preparing to burn the house and its occupants, oblivious to the other pair that had already lost the fight that Fenton had rushed in to join. Fenton's eyes went from Oscar, to Lowell, to the stranger and back again.

"Ah..." he said already backing away.

"AFTER THE BOY!" Lowell shouted, pointing to the bedroom. "THAT WAY! JUST LIKE BEFORE!"

Fenton didn't think. He swiveled and ran, following the same path that his own double had taken seconds earlier.

"No!" The stranger erupted. He swung his staff toward the fleeing Fenton. "You Will Stay HERE!"

The staff flew from the strangers hand. At first the throw appeared too low, but it wasn't aimed at Fenton's back. The gnarled wood hit the floor just behind Fenton and slid into his feet as he ran.

"AAGH! F-OOF!" Fenton joined the others on the floor. He reached for his ankle-

The stranger spat another of his bizarre words, and suddenly the staff began to twist and writhe. The knotted hardwood softened into brown and black scales as it encircled Fenton's calves. One end of the staff yawned open... the fanged mouth hissed loudly at Fenton's hands.

To say that Fenton Barney screamed would insult the very concept of language itself. The shriek that emerged from his lips was almost inhuman in every quality a sound could possess. Terrified, Fenton tried to kick the giant- and still growing- snake away, but his legs were hopelessly snared.

"Coward," the stranger's hiss matched that of the serpent he had summoned. He moved toward Fenton slowly, almost gracefully.

Behind him, Oscar Bartleby stood up. To one side, Lowell Vern crouched... still eyeing the glowing knife at his feet.

"Tell me the name of your master," the stranger commanded. "Tell me, or the serpent begins to feed."

"No! NOO!"

Oscar retrieved his sword and inched closer to the stranger's exposed back, but Lowell remained cautious. And unarmed.

"You may not think it so, but this kind swallows its prey whole. It will grind your bones to shards before it feeds. If you're lucky, you'll be dead before-"

Oscar charged... a repeat of his previous failed attempt. The stranger heard the footfalls and danced aside at the final instant. Somehow, the stabbing blade became entangled in the flowing folds of the stranger's robe. Oscar tried to yank the weapon free, but the red cloth held it fast. As Oscar pulled, the stranger surged suddenly toward him. A simple backhanded slap to the face sent Oscar staggering yet again, dazed and unsteady. The short sword hit the ground somewhere between them as Oscar sought a place to fall.

Now the stranger turned to Lowell.

"ONE of you will tell me! ONE of you will reveal the demon's name!"

Lowell glanced at the glowing dagger.

"Pick it up," said the stranger. "It will sear the flesh from your bones long before you have a chance to use it."

Lowell stared at his hands as he took one step backward... then another....

The stranger followed him, drawing closer as he spoke.

"Perhaps YOU will tell me-"

"NO!" Fenton Barney shrieked from the floor. The serpent had grown as thick as Fenton's leg, and its coils covered him from feet to upper thigh. Bands of muscle in the serpent's flank began to undulate as it squeezed. "I'LL TELL YOU I'LL TELL YOU I'LL TELL YOU! JUST GET THIS THING OFF ME!!"

The stranger rotated toward Fenton.

Smiling, Lowell snatched the burning dagger from the floor... with his injured hand. The bandages that wrapped his earlier wound hissed as he clutched the weapon and thrust it into the stranger's side.