I can do this, Terrin told himself as he used his undamaged arm and the side of his thigh to get a good throwing grip on his shoe.
His left arm was numb. He knew putting that kind of stress on his injured limb was dangerous. It might never return to proper working condition due to the damage, but that was the least of his worries at the moment. The enchanted bracelet’s test of durability was also making Terrin nervous, as he didn’t know how long it could support his weight. If it snapped, he would fall straight into the monster’s stomach.
He aimed carefully toward the sea behind the ship. He pulled his good arm back to aim, but the movement made him swing. The sharp edge of the tooth dug into his skin and tore through flesh. The agony was excruciating, and he bit his lip to keep from screaming. He had a feeling the tooth had reached his bone. His hand was probably useless. He felt dizzy from the blood loss. Time was running out. In a few seconds, the beast would realize he should’ve landed in its mouth. It would snap its jaws closed, and Terrin would be a dead man. Blood started to seep through his pants, causing the fabric to stick to his leg in crimson patches.
I must distract it. If it tilts its head down, it will drop me into the water.
Terrin ground his teeth together and threw his shoe at the ocean. The wind picked it up and blew it toward the Dwarf’s deck. The damp footwear collided with Rowan’s surprised face, who swatted it away, so it toppled back over the side. The others laughed as Rowan wrinkled his nose. Terrin envied their complete disregard of the dire circumstances.
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That didn’t work how I’d planned. I’m dead meat. I don’t think I have time to throw the other one, he thought gloomily as he watched his last hope fall into the calm ocean.
It hit the water with a small splash, but the monster didn’t notice. Terrin’s heart sank.
I am completely out of ideas.
Blood dribbled down his leg in a thin stream. He looked up to see his arm wasn’t bleeding as badly. It took his mind a moment to understand why.
No circulation to my arm means the bleeding stops.
It was too late though. The trickle of crimson dripped down to his bare toes.
I cannot let that blood fall into the leviathan’s mouth, or it will know I’m here.
He was losing too much blood. His vision started to lapse. He watched helplessly as his blood dripped from his foot down into the beast’s mouth. Suddenly, the monster tilted its head down and let out an ear-piercing screech, and Terrin was hurtling toward the sea once more. He had no control. He could barely force himself to stay conscious, much less swim when he hit the water. He knew if he blacked out, he would never wake up again.
The great jaws of the beast appeared around him. The sky and sea swirled, and he landed on a damp, spongy tongue covered in bumps and fish remains. The smell of decay assaulted his nostrils, causing tears to flood his eyes. Terrin watched in a half-conscious haze as dark triangles closed around him, blocking out the pools of blue sky. Everything faded to black. Fear constricted his chest. He was going to die, and there was nothing to save him. Mercifully, his body kept him from experiencing the horrors of the leviathan’s digestive system by forcing him into unconsciousness.