Before:

     Mr. Tusks grabbed at his eyes as he turned to scramble for safety. He never expected to be put on the defensive.

     But, before his scramble, Niki kicked away from his skull with the idea of landing back on solid ground.

     Never got there.

     Tentacles strong enough to grasp and hold snatched at her, then pulled her to where arms and fists waited to grab and strike.

     Niki saw an open maw ringed by pointed teeth.

     Niki used both feet to kick the creature in the throat, and I mean the inside of its' throat, the maw, making certain to leap back out again before it could clamp its' jaws shut. 

     It made a shrill, shrieking sound when it screamed before folding up within itself like a blooming flower, only in reverse.

CONTINUE