Michael Buckley - The Unusual Suspects

Just as their ropes were secure, the monster leaped into the air and came down violently on the car's front end. The impact was so great, the car's back end lifted a full six feet off the ground, then came down violently. The monster leaned forward to get a better look through the windshield and then licked her wide lips.

"Going somewhere?" She laughed.

Elvis whined and crawled under his blanket as Granny floored the accelerator and the car lunged forward. The monster tumbled over the hood, up the windshield, over the roof, onto the trunk, and fell off the back end of the car.

"She's gone!" Sabrina cried, just before the freak hopped back onto the trunk. It laughed at them through the rear window.

"She's back," Daphne cried, diving under the blanket with Elvis.

Granny made a sharp left onto an old dirt road and pressed hard on the gas pedal. The ancient car screamed in protest, but held up its end with a burst of speed so powerful Sabrina felt the g-force pushing her body into the seat springs. Despite the incredible speed, the frog-girl held on with little effort and pounded angrily on the rear window. The massive blows caused a thick crack in the glass.

"Turning right!" Granny shouted from the driver's seat, just before she made the turn. Elvis tumbled over the girls as the car banked to the right, but the maneuver didn't seem to shake the monster.

"Turning left!" Granny shouted and Elvis tumbled to the other side of the car, landing heavily on Sabrina's belly and knocking the wind out of her.

The frog-girl smacked the window again, and this time it exploded, sending chunks of glass into the backseat. Several large

portions of the window stayed attached, but the monster pulled them off effortlessly and tossed them into the road.

Sabrina pushed Elvis off of her and fought to fill her empty, burning lungs. As she struggled, the frog-girl reached into the backseat with her big sticky hands, unfastened Daphne's rope belt, and snatched the little girl right out of her seat. Still choking and gasping for air, Sabrina grabbed desperately at Daphne's ankle and tried to pull her back inside the car, but the frog-girl's grip was too strong.

"She's got Daphne," she gasped, but Mr. Canis had already sprung into action. He rolled down his window and pulled his upper body out of the car.

"There's no need to hurry, old man," the frog-girl screamed over the wind. "You'll die soon enough."

A ferocious roar echoed back at the monster and Sabrina could see her eyes grow wide with surprise.

"You're one of us?" the frog-girl cried. "And you fight for the life of a filthy Grimm! You're the traitor. I should have known you by your stink."

"Put the child back into the car," Sabrina heard Mr. Canis demand, even over the roaring engine.

"The traitor gets no favors!" The frog-girl laughed. She reached into the backseat with her free arm and grasped for Sabrina. Sabrina squirmed and slapped at the disgusting hand, but it still managed to snatch her sweater and drag her out the window as well.

"I'm not going to tell you again, beast," Mr. Canis threatened.

"I've heard stories about you, traitor," the monster croaked. "The Big Bad Wolf-trying to make amends for all the bad things he has done. You'll fail, old-timer! Your heart isn't in it! But no matter, I'll give you the dignity of knowing you died trying!"

Mr. Canis was too far away to do anything. Sabrina knew if she and her sister were going to survive, they were going to have to save themselves.

"Daphne, do you remember Mr. Oberlin?" Sabrina shouted, hoping her sister had not forgotten this particular foster father.

"From the Bronx?" the little girl asked.

Sabrina nodded.

The disgusted look flashing across her sister's face told Sabrina that her plan wasn't the little girl's favorite. Regardless, Daphne nodded and together the sisters leaned down and bit the frog-girl hard.

The monster shrieked in agony and let go of Daphne. Sabrina grabbed her sister and together they scrambled back into the car. The frog-girl huddled on the trunk, clutching her wounds.

"What happened?" Granny Relda said, still pushing hard on the gas.

"It appears I am not the only one in our home with fangs," Mr. Canis said, climbing back into the car.

"You've got to get rid of this thing," Sabrina shouted as she wiped the horrible taste out of her mouth with her shirtsleeve. A bit of the goo was on her chin and her shirt stuck to it like it was a powerful glue. Daphne was also busy rubbing the monster's taste off her tongue onto her sleeve. Again, the frog-girl reached in through the window, but Elvis snapped at her hand and the monster pulled it back.

"Don't worry, lieblings,"Granny said as she made a rough turn onto a gravel road. "I have a plan."

Sabrina looked through the windshield and saw a sign blocking the road ahead. It read DANGER! BRIDGE UNSAFE! GO NO FARTHER! Worse was what was beyond it. In the distance was an old, rundown country bridge covering a rocky stream. One look at it told Sabrina that a mouse wouldn't be able to cross the bridge safely, let alone Granny Relda's ancient two-ton monstrosity on wheels.

"What's Granny's plan?" Daphne said, smacking at the frog monster's hand as it snatched at her through the window.

"You don't want to know!" Sabrina replied.

The car crashed through the old wooden sign and it exploded around them. A giant chunk slid over the roof and by the sound of the pained groan, smacked the monster in her head. The collision was enough to knock the frog-girl off the car and she tumbled painfully to the ground.

Unfortunately, Granny didn't stop driving, and when the jalopy raced onto the beginning of the rickety bridge, Sabrina knew they were in trouble. Creaking beams and snapping wood drowned out the car's backfires and grinding gears. The old bridge tilted to the left just as the car reached the halfway point, and she saw a sight that nearly gave her a heart attack. The middle of the bridge had collapsed, leaving a giant hole no car could ever get across. And Granny wasn't slowing down.

"Granny, we're not going to make it!" Sabrina shouted, battling the roaring engine to be heard.

"I love pancakes, too," the old woman shouted back.

I hate this car,Sabrina thought to herself.

Granny Relda floored the accelerator, the engine screamed, a flame shot out of the car's muffler, and suddenly they were soaring over the gaping hole. They landed hard on the other side and raced onto the road just as the bridge buckled and collapsed into the rocky stream below.

After several yards, Granny brought the car to a stop. She shut off the engine.

"That took care of the ugly little beast." Granny laughed as she turned around to face the girls. "How exciting was that? Were you excited? I'm having the time of my life!"

Everyone remained speechless, except for Elvis, who whined softly. Granny Relda didn't notice; she continued to jabber on like a little kid who had had too much sugar before bedtime.

"Oh, boy, did Froggie get the surprise of her life," she continued, smacking the steering wheel proudly. "You put Relda Grimm behind the wheel and things get done."

The old woman turned back around and prepared to start the car again but everyone shouted "No!"in unison. Mr. Canis snatched the keys out of the ignition. Sabrina saw the disappointment in her grandmother's face. The old woman slowly got out of the car and Mr. Canis slid over into the driver's seat. As she got in on the passenger's side, Granny Relda crossed her arms and pouted. It reminded Sabrina of something Daphne would do.