Chapter 23
Jabari squeezed through an opening between two walls and nearly tripped over a nest of snakes. He shouted, leaping back and smacking into Deto, who was right on his heels. Deto fell backward toward Ivy, and the three of them landed in a pile in the muck that lined the dark streets of the small city.
Oof.
“Jabari!” Ivy shrieked. “Look at this mess! Why can’t you ever be careful?”
Jabari was too busy trying to untangle himself from the pile of arms and legs to answer. Several white snakes began slithering through the opening, looking for the people who had stumbled on their nest. Jabari couldn’t move fast enough. Everything was slippery. He tried to warn the others but his voice stuttered.
“What?” Ivy snapped, thoroughly angry, but then she caught sight of the snakes whipping
