Chapter 16: CHILDREN WAR BASE

The pain is excruciating, akin to breaking free from compassion itself! AAAAAAAAAH! AAARGH! It's like sitting in the dentist's chair with a tooth that needs pulling, the anticipation of pain amplifying the stress in the waiting room.

Something rests against my side and stirs. I hear screams from below: "Thomas, where are you? I'll find you..."

"I heard you scream AAARGH."

"Are you alright?" Lucas asks.

Lucas's voice sounds youthful, indicating that they're probably playing hide-and-seek in the abandoned factory, their favorite playground.

"Thomas, did you hear the police cars on the other side of the derelict factory? Come and get your bike."

But Thomas doesn't respond. Of course, he heard Lucas, but he can't answer.

Thomas realizes he's standing on something that's breathing, lying against it and not moving an inch, barely breathing to stay unnoticed. The shiver of fear is the body's response when life is at stake.

It's amusing, his breathing is synchronizing with mine. Since he hasn't removed the blanket, I'll stay perfectly still, trying to resemble a sleeping crocodile. Then he moves away slightly and gets up slowly. He must have assumed I'm an old sofa collecting dust, paint, and dampness.

Just as Lucas steps away, he arrives at the scene and exclaims, "Thomas, I'm waiting. If you don't come now, I'll go alone to see the police."

"What? The police?" Thomas questions silently.

And Thomas signals Lucas to be quiet, but his shoe catches on a loose thread from the tarpaulin, and as his foot moves, he reveals my tail.

As I'm stressed, my tail starts swaying from left to right, growing thicker and broader than any crocodile's in the world. I keep the remaining blanket on my body, neck, and head.

"Whooaah, what is it?" Lucas exclaims.

"Don't move or make any noise. He'll catch me, please Lucas," Thomas pleads.

"I think it's a crocodile. You know, they dump them in the sewers when they grow too big to be kept as pets. It must be alone and hungry. I've heard they leave rabbits, addicts, or beggars here. Oh, there's a big bag..."

"Stop it, Lucas! We're going to die! You're crazy and even crazier to approach it. It will hurt you, or worse, eat you."

Me: If they dare touch my bag, Grrr.

A loud growl emanates from behind Thomas, not from my mouth, but from my stomach. GRWRLWRLWRLRLWRL.

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My tail drops flat onto the ground.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The boys sprint away, tumble down the stairs, and simultaneously tear their clothes on the debris along their path.

They leap onto their bicycles and pedal frantically across the wasteland.

Detective Drick????

"We found animal skins and the dogs returned to the car. They don't want to go out and they tremble with fear."

"Anything else?" The most courageous dog led us to a spot by the river. Deer had been skinned there, as evidenced by the traces of blood. We also discovered tracks leading to the old factory and enormous footprints. We don't know what it is, and the ranger accompanying us says the forest is in an abnormal state. It's as if a super predator, a crocodile, a bear, or even a grizzly bear, has appeared, but nothing like it has been seen in this region before. Perhaps it's a predator that escaped from a local circus?"

"No, we haven't had a report like this for years," Inspector Drick responds.

"Sir, we also observed that the furnace was recently used and ignited. The doors and grates are heavy; an ordinary person couldn't lift them."

"We haven't found any fingerprints anywhere," adds an officer.

"The location where the deer were skinned is entirely burned, and the trees around it died as if a massive thunderbolt struck the area, killing the deer. The suspect might have skinned the carcass, consumed it, and left the skin."

"That's the last place where GPS and Wi-Fi searches were conducted using the victim's computer and laptop."

"Alright, we're done here. He must be far away by now and likely gained considerable distance. Next time, turn off the sirens and follow me," Drick commands.

"Let's leave now."

He gets into his car, lights a cigar he's rolled, and mutters, "Until next time, Mr. Hit-Man."

As the police car moves forward, two silhouettes appear, waving frantically on the grass and riding bicycles.

"Sir, sir, over here, there, there, there!" Thomas exclaims.

"STOP SHOUTING," Drick commands as he rolls down his car window. "What do you have to say? One at a time and not all together."

"CROCODILE!" they both say simultaneously.

"What?" the inspector responds. "Can you repeat that?"

"Lucas, you first." "No, you." "Okay."

"We used to play hide-and-seek there, keeping it secret from our mother because we didn't want to be punished.

As I climbed upstairs, the room was warm, and animals were being cooked on steel drums. It smelled delicious, and there was a sofa.

I sat down comfortably and started playing on my phone, waiting for Lucas to find me.

Then the sofa moved and started breathing. That's when I realized I was sitting on a crocodile. I was afraid it might grab me, so I stood up slowly. Just as Lucas found me, I was about to jump, and that's when I saw the massive tail. The crocodile was gigantic, like a reclining elephant. It could've swallowed us whole in one bite. I couldn't see its face, but I'm sure it was enormous.

Then it let out a ferocious roar, the sound struck us, and we fled from you. It's still there, probably."

"Thank you, boys. Never come back here again; it's dangerous and strictly forbidden. Please go home now and promise me you won't return. You've seen how dangerous it is. Leave now!"

"Ready? Seems like we're going on a safari, just like in Crocodile Dundee," an officer remarks under Drick's watch.

Okay, still on the run. I should've attacked them, but I'm not heartless, and I know the pain of losing children.

Where to go? And as I contemplate, a pop-up map overlays my vision in red with a pointer. Just like in the dream?

No time to waste, Run. I grab my bag, sling it around my neck, gulp down the rabbit whole like a ravenous crocodile without chewing, and head for the rooftop.

With horror, I spot four police cars speeding towards the location, their sirens silent.

The kids must have reported me.

Damn.

I close my eyes and focus on the map. The escape route is through the air, and I decide to skim along the edge of the forest to minimize the risk of detection.

Destination: Eiffel Park. It's not heavily populated, with a few campers. There are castles, rocks