Crimson sally's Arc

Chapter 3 of 8

The red rainbow carried Sally to its end. There the color spilled into a plain gray door. Two guards stood before it, arms crossed, wide as barrels. The purple guide slid off Sally's back and studied the men. "There they are," it whispered. "Big ones. Charge now and they'll toss you back down the path." Sally lowered the horn and stepped forward anyway. The nearest guard shoved Sally's chest with one flat hand. The blow rocked Sally back three steps. Hooves scraped the red. The guards laughed and settled again, blocking the door as if nothing had happened. "I told you," the guide hissed. "You need a trick, not a horn." It waddled off toward a low shelf beside the wall and tugged something down. A round furry creature rolled into the open. It looked like a fuzzy peach with legs, and a fat purple bulb sat wedged inside its open shell. The thing blinked at the guards and yawned. "What is that?" Sally asked. "Bait," the guide said. "Guards get bored. Guards get hungry. Watch." It gave the peach-creature a push. The little thing waddled straight at the guards, giggling, the purple bulb bouncing in its belly. The guards stared. One crouched. "Look at this weird little guy," he said, reaching for it. The peach-creature squealed and darted between his legs. Both guards turned to grab it. They lunged, bumped shoulders, and stumbled two steps from the door. The gray gap stood open behind them. Sally did not wait. Sally lowered the horn and drove through the gap. A guard's hand swiped and missed. Sally's shoulder slammed the door wide. It banged against the inside wall. Beyond it sat a man at a desk, counting stacks of bills, his face soft and smug. The boss looked up. His mouth fell open. Behind Sally the guards spun back toward the door. But Sally was already through, hooves loud on the floor between them and their master. The guide's laugh echoed from the path. "Go! Eat him for both of us!" Sally faced the boss alone in his room. The door hung open at Sally's back, and the two big men were charging in after. Sally had reached the prey at last. Now Sally had to finish before the guards reached Sally.