Free The Dragon's Descent by Laurice Elehwany Molinari

Tack said.
    â€œWe’ll take you there,” Vero said as he took her arm and walked her over to the elevator.
    Tack left the cart and followed. He pushed the elevator button, and the doors instantly slid apart.
    â€œYou must have the magic touch,” she wheezed to Tack.
    â€œAs a matter-of-fact, I do.” Tack puffed out his chest.
    They stepped inside the elevator. The doors began to close. Vero reached for the second-floor button when the woman immediately snatched his wrist and squeezed hard. Her face contorted into one of complete anger. Tack’s eyes shot wide.
    â€œWe know it’s you, Vero,” she growled.
    Her hand pressed even tighter around Vero’s wrist.
    â€œHey, get off of him!” Tack yelled as he tried to pull Vero’s arm from her grasp.
    â€œWhere is it?” she shrieked.
    â€œWe left the cart in the hallway!” Tack screamed, yanking on Vero. “But we could go back and get you some cookies or something!”
    The old woman would not release her grip. Her fingers began to smolder on Vero’s skin. Tack looked as if he couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing. Vero gazed into the woman’s eyes, and he saw red—the red flecks of a malture.
    â€œShe’s burning you, dude!” Tack screamed. The woman’s arm was as hot as fire. Tack instantly let go of it, and shook his hand in pain.
    Vero’s eyes narrowed at the woman. A determination came over him and then one by one he pried her fingers off his wrist. Tack watched in horror and disbelief as Vero bent each of her fingers back, systematically breaking them. In a total panic, Tack hit random buttons on the elevator panel.
    â€œWe gotta get out of here!”
    The woman hissed at Tack, displaying a mouth full of rotted teeth. He recoiled. She was about to pounce on Tack when Vero ran straightforward. He took two big steps right up the elevator wall before him, got airborne, and back flipped, landing behind the woman. He put her in a choke-hold, while Tack gripped the handrail. The elevator finally stopped on a floor.
    â€œRun, get out!” Vero shouted to Tack.
    Tack held on to the rail, frozen with fear.
    â€œTack, go! Get out of here!”
    â€œI can’t leave you!”
    â€œDo it!” Vero shouted as the woman tried to break free from his grasp.
    â€œI’ll get help!” Tack shouted as he let go of the railing and ran toward the open elevator door. A massive, slimy, one-eyed creature stood blocking his way. Tack stopped dead in his tracks and stumbled back into the elevator. He tripped and fell on the floor. The creature stood over him.
    â€œTack!” Vero shouted as he released the old woman and threw himself between the new malture and Tack.
    The malture stepped forward. As it reached out to Vero and Tack, a black iron chain shot out of its clawed hand. The cuff at the end of the chain flew over their heads and wrapped around the woman’s neck and clasped. She shrieked. Then in one forceful tug, the malture pulled her toward him. He grabbed her, and they vanished instantly before the scared boys’ eyes.
    Tack’s eyes went back into his head. He passed out. Vero kneeled over him, desperately hoping that when he woke, Tack would think it had all been a dream.

7

    WORLDS COLLIDE
    V ero stood over Tack, who lay on a gurney in the emergency room. They were alone behind a curtain that hung all the way around the bed. Vero lightly slapped his friend’s face, hoping to wake him.
    â€œTack, Tack, wake up . . .”
    Vero was nervous. Had Tack really been able to see that malture? Would he remember the attack? If he did, how would Vero explain it? He had other questions as well—like why did the second malture rescue them from the malture posing as an old lady? What was that all about? Before Vero could think about it further, Tack’s eyes started blinking—he was coming to.
    â€œTack, you all right?” Vero