Just as I get close, her remaining two locust pets fly into White Streak. They’re no match for the monster, and he tosses them aside easily.

The rest of the scorpion-tailed locusts fly in nervous, agitated loops above and in front of me, going in every direction and just barely avoiding crashing into each other. They seem confused and upset.

I can’t get past them and have to back off from their shifting barrier.

White Streak lifts his enormous stinger, getting ready to strike at my little sister, who is still thrashing under his foot.

I try to dart in between the swooping locusts, but their stingers are everywhere and I can’t get past. On the other side of the fight, I see my mom having the same problem.

White Streak’s stinger whips down toward my sister.

I scream and take a step toward them. A locust flies right into me, slamming me down onto the concrete.

Amazingly, Paige reacts faster than the stinger. She twists her body out of the way. The stinger jabs into the asphalt, embedding the tip in the bridge.

Before White Streak can pull it out, she bites into his tail. Blood bursts out around her mouth as if she bit into an artery. She rips out a chunk of his tail before he can swat her away.

This time, when he hits her, there’s desperation in his motion. This time, when he hits her, a locust drops from the sky and stings his neck.

White Streak swings and blindly grabs at the traitorous thing. He snaps its neck and tosses its dead body onto the street.

Another locust hits him with his body in a fast flyby. White Streak staggers, taking his foot off Paige for a split second. It’s long enough for her to scramble up.

From above us, two locusts dive to attack Paige.

She ducks from one and runs headlong into the other. My blood freezes as White Streak’s locust shoots its stinger toward my sister.

A shotgun blast hits Paige’s attacker.

The locust falls writhing on the ground. The shooter stands nearby, looking familiar.

Martin nods to Paige, with his rifle still aimed at the bleeding locust. If he keeps this up, I might even forgive him for lassoing Paige for being a monster.

Paige turns around and leaps to rip into White Streak’s throat.

Locusts begin swarming on Paige’s side, swirling above her as she rages. They’re drawn to her furious cries despite whatever influence White Streak has over them.

Another group of locusts swarms on White Streak’s side. I wonder if there is going to be an all-out war among them.

The ones hovering above Paige spin off to attack White Streak. The ones above White Streak drop to attack Paige.

Martin shoots at Paige’s attackers as they come for her.