EXCERPT - THE EXEUMUS BY FOLAMI & ABENI MORRIS

Excerpt:

A scream rippled through the emerald-green sea. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Singleton groaned. I sighed deeply, trying to remain composed. Another scream pierced our ears, this one coming from a different direction. Within seconds the horizon was filled with no less than twenty of the slug-like creatures traveling with chilling military-style precision towards us. They were all swimming from different directions, their eyes flickering in the distance.

“Hyles, leave.”

“No,” I said firmly.

“I'm losing too much blood as it is. I’ll never make it back and who'll avenge my mother? Get out of here. I will not watch you die too! Do it now, Hyles!”

“Would you leave me?” I challenged him, racking my mind for a course of attack.

I gripped my sword awkwardly in my hand as I tried to keep Singleton afloat with the other one. “Hyles, just go or we’ll both die.” The creatures were close enough for us to see their rattling teeth. The combined effect of their screams was enough to shatter our eardrums. “Hyles, go!” he said again. The creatures were no more than eight feet away, and it was clear that neither of us was getting out of here alive.