Fleche

The bridge was now complete. The Doctor shouted, "The middle is not strong. One at a time! Astra, you go first!"

Astra turned to look at Fred, who pushed his hands forward and back in a motion that conveyed, "Go!" Astra turned and ran as fast as she could. It took just a few seconds to cross the middle, and less than a minute to arrive at the other side. Astra looked back. Fred was not behind her.

After urging Astra on, Fred saw that the monster was gaining too fast. He was sure to catch them before they reached the middle of the bridge. Fred fled toward the middle, and then made a wild gamble. About a third of the way across, he suddenly turned. He gritted his teeth and closed on Attackur, with both running toward each other at top speed. Just before they met, Fred yelled "Fleche!" and lunged at a point just below the monster's collarbone with his sword. He would either stop the monster or be hewn to bits. The frogman gave a salute, recognizing Fred's audacious move.

His eyes fixed on the target, Fred saw a flash of light and heard a metallic *ZITCH* sound as he felt a jerk on his sword. But the deadly saws moved back. Fred looked up. A shard from his sword lodged just above one of Attackur's eyes. Attackur was disoriented, but not down.

Fred now turned and fled at top speed across the bridge. He had delivered his one blow, and he did not believe his truncated sword could deliver any more real damage to the monster. Even so, it felt awkward to be running away from an enemy, even if it were the most sensible thing to do.

Fred neared the crowd of his companions on the other side of the bridge. They suddenly erupted into cheers as Fred approached. Fred turned around, and Attackur was not on the bridge, but the gap in the middle had returned.

In the waters below, there was a low buzzing noise, much like the hum of a beehive, that was different from the grind of the saws. Bluish white flashes of flight sparked. The grinding of the saws stopped, and then Attackur sunk below the surface of the water, never to return.

The Doctor said, "That was a brave and clever, Fred. The bridge could not hold his weight, and if you had not held him, both you and Astra would have fallen with him."

Fred replied, "It was the only thing that I could do."

Human Astra hugged him, and said, "Even if it were the only thing you could have done, few would have thought about it so quickly, or taken the risk. I am so glad that we are rid of that monster."

The Doctor addressed the group. "We still have an even more horrible monster to deal with. Remember, we are in the bowels of his castle."

The frogman offered, "Monsier, I know a way out. I can show you the way if we go quickly, and you take me with you. I fear the revanche of Minestus."

The Doctor replied, "I cannot accept that. We still have to rescue Josh. Do you have any idea where he might be?"

1. The frogman answers...
2. Josh, Mike, and Mikey ...

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