Holden’s reaction to the apparent appearance of the Crab made Izzy’s breath catch as she took another quick look around the room. Still careful to keep her head bent, she focused on the direction he was avoiding, but still saw nothing. She supposed it made sense; after all, he was the one who had been effected by the god.
She looked to Riley when he told Holden to join him. She hesitated a moment, unsure if she should follow to stay close, or remain where she was to avoid potentially running into what she could not see. In the end, she took a couple cautious steps toward the two, but still kept a respectful distance from them.
When they placed their hands in their laps, Izzy awkwardly clasped hers behind her back, her head still slightly bent. Though she remained mostly still, her eyes continued to switch from focusing on Riley and Holden to flitting about the room. That the Crab was there and she could not see it was more than a little unsettling.
She listened as the two talked, the barren walls giving their voices a slight echo.
Her attention settled back on Holden when he jolted straighter. She inhaled as he told his story, pity glittering in her emerald eyes. Now that was something she could not possibly imagine how it had felt to go through.
She bit her lower lip as he broke down, wishing there was something she could do to comfort him, when he began to return to his feet.
No. Not return, but be pulled up by his throat.
She took a startled step back when what could only be the Crab pinned Holden against the wall. She glanced frantically between Riley and Holden, unsure what to do about an aberration she could not see.
Thankfully, Riley had a better grasp on the situation. Whether Riley could actually see it, or was simply guessing at where it was, Izzy could not tell, but as soon as he succeeded in freeing Holden of the Crab, she hurried toward Holden to stand between him and where the now destroyed alter and, presumably, the Crab was.
As Riley moved toward it, Izzy took a defensive stance, ready to do what she could against an invisible opponent.
Her head twitched toward Holden when he called out. She adjusted herself so she could keep him partially in sight, without fully sacrificing a view of a good portion of the room. She relaxed her stance slightly when Holden pleaded with the Crab.
As his words faded, the tension in the room became tangible. Would the Crab accept, or would it attack again? Time seemed to have forgotten how to pass, the trio frozen as if their world had been transformed into a painting. Only the flickering candlelight served as proof that life still went on around them.
Then, at last, the Crab broke the stillness. With a briny, almost electric-scented burst of air, as if the angry sea had at last decided to exhale, the world remembered how to turn. Izzy tensed when the candles sputtered out, leaving them in the pitch black for a short moment before the golden glow of first light filtered in through a grimy window.
Dawn. They had stood there until dawn.
Izzy’s attention snapped to Holden as he began to both cry and laugh. She looked at him curiously, debating on if everything had worked out, or if he had lost his mind.
A smile pulled at Izzy’s lips at Holden’s words. It had worked.
“Well.” She crossed her arms, and stepped toward him. “That’s usually what happens when you weigh more than five pounds.” She looked toward Riley. “Was I the only one who couldn’t see the Heavy Crab?” she asked, a tinge of disappointment in her voice. “Or were you totally just winging it?”
She looked to Riley when he told Holden to join him. She hesitated a moment, unsure if she should follow to stay close, or remain where she was to avoid potentially running into what she could not see. In the end, she took a couple cautious steps toward the two, but still kept a respectful distance from them.
When they placed their hands in their laps, Izzy awkwardly clasped hers behind her back, her head still slightly bent. Though she remained mostly still, her eyes continued to switch from focusing on Riley and Holden to flitting about the room. That the Crab was there and she could not see it was more than a little unsettling.
She listened as the two talked, the barren walls giving their voices a slight echo.
Her attention settled back on Holden when he jolted straighter. She inhaled as he told his story, pity glittering in her emerald eyes. Now that was something she could not possibly imagine how it had felt to go through.
She bit her lower lip as he broke down, wishing there was something she could do to comfort him, when he began to return to his feet.
No. Not return, but be pulled up by his throat.
She took a startled step back when what could only be the Crab pinned Holden against the wall. She glanced frantically between Riley and Holden, unsure what to do about an aberration she could not see.
Thankfully, Riley had a better grasp on the situation. Whether Riley could actually see it, or was simply guessing at where it was, Izzy could not tell, but as soon as he succeeded in freeing Holden of the Crab, she hurried toward Holden to stand between him and where the now destroyed alter and, presumably, the Crab was.
As Riley moved toward it, Izzy took a defensive stance, ready to do what she could against an invisible opponent.
Her head twitched toward Holden when he called out. She adjusted herself so she could keep him partially in sight, without fully sacrificing a view of a good portion of the room. She relaxed her stance slightly when Holden pleaded with the Crab.
As his words faded, the tension in the room became tangible. Would the Crab accept, or would it attack again? Time seemed to have forgotten how to pass, the trio frozen as if their world had been transformed into a painting. Only the flickering candlelight served as proof that life still went on around them.
Then, at last, the Crab broke the stillness. With a briny, almost electric-scented burst of air, as if the angry sea had at last decided to exhale, the world remembered how to turn. Izzy tensed when the candles sputtered out, leaving them in the pitch black for a short moment before the golden glow of first light filtered in through a grimy window.
Dawn. They had stood there until dawn.
Izzy’s attention snapped to Holden as he began to both cry and laugh. She looked at him curiously, debating on if everything had worked out, or if he had lost his mind.
A smile pulled at Izzy’s lips at Holden’s words. It had worked.
“Well.” She crossed her arms, and stepped toward him. “That’s usually what happens when you weigh more than five pounds.” She looked toward Riley. “Was I the only one who couldn’t see the Heavy Crab?” she asked, a tinge of disappointment in her voice. “Or were you totally just winging it?”