CH 17

"Lily!" I turned to see my mom running towards me. The bird screeched again.

Sam took out his sword Hatty and Mally gave him. Crystal and Tiffany ran into the castle. "Brandon go with them, I got this." Sam ordered. Brandon did as was told.

The bird came at me and James. James shoved me down to the ground while Sam tried to hit the bird. I looked down at my leg and it was bleeding again. The bird was circling around the kingdom and I knew who it wanted.

"James my leg." He looked down and then back at the bird.

"Ok, I got you." He picked me up "Sam you got our backs?" Sam nodded with his sword held in front of him in a defensive position. Hatty had stopped my mom from getting any closer to us.

"Lily!" She continued to yell. I looked over at her and pointed to the castle.

"You have to get in there! Please go!" I yelled as I put my arms around James and Sam followed. Then the bird swooped down at us and tore me away from James with its claws. Angle jumped just high enough to place a firm bite on the bird's leg. It howled with pain and dropped me. I thought I was going to puke. Angel managed to catch me on her back, but when she landed she whimpered at her leg.

"Lily! Come on! Hurry!" My mom and friends were yelling at me. James picked me up again followed by Sam and Angel. I watched the bird land on top of the castle tending to its leg. This was our opportunity to get inside. My mom helped James with me and Hatty got Sam. "Are you ok?" She cautiously checked my leg but stopped at the sight of blood.

"Ok so what's the plan?" I hadn't realized Brandon standing behind the girls until now.

"We kill the bird." Crystal sighed. Then Tiffany feinted.

"Tiffany?" Brandon checked her. "She's breathing. I am going to get her to her bed." He picked her up and left.

"Alright captain what's the plan." Sam stared at me. I thought for a moment and gave a sly grin.

"Pranks of course." They had puzzled expressions. "I need water balloons, a torch, a sling shot and Sam" He looked at me his sword in hand "I am going to need you to be brave." His eyes got wide full of curiosity. "I will explain as we get everything, now lets go go go!"

Everyone got the things I asked for. The Tweedle boys fixed up the water balloons like I asked, while James tended to my leg. I explained to Sam his role in the plan. He seemed rather calm about it. Mark got me my sling shot with the help of Thackery. Then Crystal got my Torch.

"Hey crystal?" She looked at me "Do you have that can of hair spray you always carry?" She grinned and ran to her room.

We stood in the garden watching the bird still on the castle. I reached for the sling shot and placed a water balloon in it. I let it go. It didn't go very high but it got the birds attention. "Come on you stupid bird! What you scared of a little girl!?"

It screeched at me and swooped down. I dropped the sling shot and the water balloons and grabbed the torch from James and the can of hair spray. He jumped back into the bushes so it was just me and the bird. The bird came closer and closer I held the torch in front of me with the can of hair spray. I only had one shot at this. It opened up its sharp claws and its gold- yellow beak to stick out its blue tongue.

It got close enough and I sprayed the hair spray. A long blaze of fire shot at the bird and it began to tumble towards me. Angel jumped out of the bushes and knocked me out of the way. Now the bird was on the ground, but staggering up. Its red and white feathers were smoked.

"NOW!" I yelled and Sam jumped out from behind the tree onto the bird. It thrashed around aggressively, but Sam held on. The bird threw him in the air above its self. Sam staggered for a moment but found his balance while he dangled. He faced the blade of the sword down as he fell onto the bird's back. The blade went in piercing the skin. The bird wailed with pain but soon fell. It continued to breathe for a short moment but secede to last any longer.

"Way to go Sam!" James congratulated him with a fist bump. I continued to lean on Angel as they came over.

"Nice plan Lily! I must say with your brains and my bravery we make a great team!" I looked up to see Sam widely grinning and returned with a weak smile.

"You ok Lily?" James scanned me up and down. I leaned my head on Angel and felt her inhale and exhale. "Lily?" Everything was becoming hazy. I tried to look down at my leg. Blood was streaming out of the bandages. "No, hang in their Lily; it's going to be ok. Sam, go get help." Sam ran off.

"Lily!?" I looked over at my mother. She stopped when she saw the blood covering my leg. "Someone run and get Mrs. Smith!" I heard her yell to everyone. She watched Angel as she came over to me keeping her eyes away from the blood. "Good girl." She petted Angel's head who returned with a whimper. I felt her gentle hand stroke my hair. "It's going to be ok, my little Lily." I heard her gentle voice before there was nothing.

Red Queens Castle

"Your majesty, are you ok?" Knave questioned the expressionless queen. The queen took a deep breath before turning red with anger.

"THE BIRD IS DEAD AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE THAT GIRL! DOES THIS SOUND LIKE I AM OK TO YOU!?" She practically snarled at the man. She inhaled deeply and put on a smile. "If we can't force her to come here, then we will have to give her a reason to come."

"What are you thinking my Queen?" Knave moved closer to her.

She began to walk off and snapped her fingers "Come on we have a girl to persuade."