Pete McGee and the Master of Darkness by Adam Wallace

blinking against the light of the stone Pete held. She was in a great deal of pain, but she managed a smile, breaking Pete’s heart.
    â€˜Pete. You’re okay.’
    â€˜Thanks to you,’ he said. ‘You saved my life.’
    Tahnee smiled again, closing her eyes. They suddenly snapped open again, and she spoke with a great deal of effort.
    â€˜Did you see us before you joined us? Did you hear what we said?’
    Pete shook his head, covering up.
    â€˜Nah, course not. Just leapt straight in.’
    Tahnee sighed, relieved. She closed her eyes again, then her body tensed in pain, only relaxing as she fell unconscious. Pete and Ashlyn pulled Tahnee up, hooked themselves under an arm each, and dragged her out of the forest as best they could. Pete’s mind was all over the place. He couldn’t believe that Tahnee could be dying, and it was because of him. His journey, saving him , it was all because of him. At the same time, over and over, he heard her voice saying: see those we love again, see those we love again, see those we love again …

Chapter Eighteen
    Exit forest, stage right
    P ete McGee and Ashlyn reached the edge of the forest and moved out into the real world again, the sunlight harsh on their eyes. Pete tried to ignore the grunt of pain Tahnee gave as they sat her against a tree. There were so many questions. Would Tahnee be okay? Did she really love him? Was he going to lose her forever? Where were Molloy and Smithers? Why do flies always fly clockwise?
    He got the answer to the second-last question as the sound of voices and laughter came drifting through the dense forest air. Pete looked at Tahnee and Ashlyn. Ashlyn nodded. Pete gently ran his hand down the side of Tahnee’s face. She had fallen asleep, but she smiled. Pete felt a warm glow rush through him. He stood and went back into the FOREST OF DEATH.
    His rock helped him, lighting the way as he headed for the voices. He hadn’t gone far down a side trail when he saw an amazing glow further down the path. Slowly the voices and words took shape. Pete picked up the pace, starting to run as he realised the voices he could hear were coming from the glowing area.
    â€˜Slime-bucket snot-licker.’
    â€˜HAHAHAHAHA!’
    â€˜Rat-poo elephant-baby.’
    â€˜HAHAHAHAHA!’
    Pete McGee burst into the light and saw Molloy and Smithers sitting on the path, an arm around each other’s shoulders, saying insults and then laughing. They both had tears streaming down their faces, but they were tears of laughter. Pete could sense the magic forest freaking out. The path was still, but the trees were flashing by at an amazing speed, trying to keep up the illusion. The light was almost blinding. The forest was trying to get Molloy and Smithers back into the loop of despair, but they were too engrossed in grossing each other out with gross insults. The forest couldn’t trap them. It couldn’t even make them see the loop any more. Pete watched the trees going past and had no idea what was going on.
    â€˜Molloy? Smithers?’ he asked warily. The two looked up at him.
    â€˜Sweet!’ Molloy yelled, leaping up and giving Pete a huge hug. ‘I’m so sad you’re okay!’
    (Yep, that was some weird rhyming slang from Molloy. He was actually glad Pete was okay. He could have chosen another word maybe, but his tone showed he was sad! Yes. That was me using the rhyming slang! Who knows what words are real? Who knows what’s a rhyme? Smoke and mirrors, people, smoke and mirrors.)
    Smithers stood up and shook Pete’s hand.
    â€˜It’s good to see you, Pete,’ Smithers said seriously. ‘Molloy and I have been fools these past days. We realise now that we can both be friends with you, and with each other.’
    Pete breathed a huge sigh of relief.
    â€˜Seriously, you have no idea how good it is to hear that. I was thinking I was going to have to beat the both