Free May Bird Among the Stars by Peter Ferguson, Jodi Lynn Anderson, Sammy Yuen Jr., Christopher Grassi

if they were actually there. The line of cyclists bristled again, rubbing their hands together, testing their pedals, leaning into their pogo sticks, turning their handlebars just slightly.
    May looked at Beatrice, sitting primly sidesaddle on another bike, curled against her rider and squinting into the distance with a frown. May looked behind her for Somber Kitty, but he was far behind them—still running, but unable to keep up.
    â€œSteady,” Zero whispered. “Steady …”
    As the shadows up ahead came into focus, a surprised murmur went through the crowd.
    On the horizon were six dark shapes. They rode astride six winged gargoyles with flames spouting from their nostrils.
    Zero gasped. “Oh!”
    Sighting the line of bikers, one of the figures let out a blood-curdling screech. Then they launched into a full-on gallop.
    May’s arms and legs went numb. She watched in horror as the figures hurtled toward them, becoming more and more distinct. Six horrible faces emerged from the darkness. They were a ghastly blue, gaunt and lifeless, with sunken cheeks, twisted, toothless mouths, and gaping holes for eyes. Long, oily black hair hung out of their black top hats. They spurred on the gargoyles beneath them with their riding crops.
    â€œPull back!” Zero turned his bike on a dime and began to pedal furiously. All around them, the line of Risk Fallers eruptedback in the direction they’d come, skidding and swerving, hopping, falling into their pedals and pushing ahead with all their might.
    Behind them, May could hear the
huff-huff
of gargoyle breath. Zero hit a rock, and the bike went wobbly. As they lurched, May couldn’t help but fling a look over her shoulder.
    The riders weren’t far behind. They were executing flips in the air, flying sideways and even upside down.
    â€œFaster, Zero!” May screamed. Most of the other cyclists had disappeared into the trees. May searched the remaining crowd for Beatrice, or Pumpkin or Fabbio, but they had disappeared too.
    Zero veered left, then right, sending May wobbling and scrabbling her fingers in the folds of his T-shirt to hang on. She felt herself start to slide backward off the seat. “Zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee …!”
    Zero reached an arm around to grab her, but it was too late. May felt the seat disappear beneath her, and suddenly she was tumbling backward through the air, landing on the grass with a hard thump. Her death shroud fell open on one side.
    The plains went silent. Those who were biking away came to a halt and looked over their shoulders at the living girl, her shroud fallen away. Zero circled in an about-face on his bike to stare, his mouth dropping open. Slowly, May sat up. Behind her, across the plain, the Wild Hunters had stopped too.
    The leader’s eyeless eyes stared at her, frozen. And then he shrieked and kicked his gargoyle forward.
    May leaped up, unsteady on her feet, her shroud now hanging limp from her neck. For a moment May met Zero’s eyes. His, for the first time, were filled with terror.
    â€œMay, run!”
    May was frozen in place watching the riders come toward her. And then she looked frantically about. There was the church at the edge of the field.
There!
    May ran toward it full tilt. Behind her, she could hear Zero and some of the others racing to catch up, perhaps to bait the hunters.
    She hit the front of the church at a sprint, not daring to look behind her. She yanked hard on the door, but it wouldn’t give. Turning, she pressed against it with her back. Only three of the terrifying riders were racing in her direction now. The others fanned out behind them, blocking her escape. She dashed around the side of the church and into the cemetery.
    The tombstones were as crumbled and crooked as bad teeth. May chose a stone tall enough to hide her—sculpted in the shape of an angel—and crouched behind it. She curled herself into a ball and waited.
    Several moments went by,