Not because of the rain.
But because there was a man standing there.No, not a man, a god.
He wore plain clothing, but his blond hair shone.As did the massive hammer in his hand.
The wind whipped around him, but he was a monolith, a mountain, a force against the storm that did not dare touch him.
“Is that?”Lula asked.
“I don’t think…” I said.
“Thor,” Abbi nodded.“The god of thunder.”
“The storm.He’s sent the storm to kill us,” I said.
Abbi shook her head.“He’s the god of protection too.And he’s good.I know him.He’s here to protect us.”She pushed against my arm, straining forward.“Thor!”she yelled.“It’s me!Moon Rabbit.”
“Don’t!”I said.
But it was too late.He lowered his head.The storm was rage, torment, impossible to penetrate.But he looked at her.Straight at her.
“Oh, shit.”Lula put the truck into reverse, twisting to look over her shoulder.
“Go,” I said.“Go.”
Thor took a step.The sky roared with thunder.Another step.The next explosion nearly blew my ear drums.I ducked my head to my shoulder.Abbi screamed and covered both of her ears.
The god took another step, as unrelenting as the storm.His stride was supernaturally long, a pace no man could achieve.Fast, and growing faster.
“Thor?”Abbi said confused.
“Fuck,” I breathed.“Drive, Lula, drive!”
But even with the truck at full throttle, we weren’t gaining ground.
The god didn’t pause, didn’t slow.He grew larger, huge, his head lost in the churning sky, his power breaking the physics of this reality.
He was going to crash into us, step on us, smash us flat.
But moments before he was on us, moments before I knew he was going to run right into our truck orthroughit, he pulled back his arm.
His hand disappeared in the distance, and then whipped forward, his hammer flying straight at us.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Iyelled and tightened my grip on Lula and Abbi, Lorde pinned between us all, bracing for the hammer’s blow.
Time slowed.I wondered if Lula had thumbed the stem on the magic, time-stopping watch she wore.
But she couldn’t have.Even with her inhumanly fast reflexes, there wasn’t enough time for her to do anything more than reach for me.
The hammer struck the hood of the truck.
The truck and the whole dang world rang like a bell.
Sunlight blinded me.
Blue sky filled our windshield.
