Attack of the Fabulous Prizes! (for Zell)

[polly_okeefe]

A week after the carnival, I went down to the Compound early to help the Children's Office set up for the day. I stayed a couple of hours to cover for Savannah, and then headed home around mid-morning. There, I was surprised to find Zell still in our bed. He usually left early for some ITF training but, now that I thought about it, he did mention

Comments

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

"Zell!" I shouted. I dashed forward, my towel flying, and grabbed the nearest of the octopi and pulled it back. It... resisted. And it was surprisingly strong. I pulled back with all my might, but its tentacles wrapped around Zell's neck.

"NO!!" This wasn't going to happen. Not while I had breath. I curled my fingers in, gouged with my nails and squeezed hard. And the octopus exploded with a loud 'POP!'

The other two octopi, and the teddybear turned. They let go of Zell and started crawling across the bed towards me. Clearly, I'd attracted their attention, and the fight was now on. I was cornered, and didn't have any weapons immediately at hand, but I didn't care. They had at least left Zell alone, and I was quite willing to fight them tooth and nail.

"Come on!" I shouted. Stepping back towards the bathroom door. "Come get me!"

[spirited_hero]

[polly_okeefe]

Suddenly, the three prizes lunged at me, the octopi balloons aiming for my head and the teddybear rushing at my legs. I swung my fists, but punching the octopi was like... well, like punching balloons. But they pressed forward like something more.

Then the bear grabbed my ankle and twisted with surprising strength. I stumbled, and went down, and suddenly all three prizes were on top of me. I beat at them, kicked at them, desperate, but they pushed forward. Their tentacles tangled on my wrists. One of the octopi got past my hands and pressed against my face. I turned away, but I knew, if this kept up, it was only a matter of time before one of them suffocated me.

"Zell!" I shrieked. "Help!"