DANTE
Dante’s entire body went numb. His stomach curdled as a loud ringing in his ears made him stagger. He stood torn between grief for Mrs. Cassar and feeling proud of what she had done. Several younger children held each other and cried for her. A few older ones sobbed too, though it might have been for Andrew Romolo. Dante was glad the old teacher had killed the four-armed monster; it had deserved to die for killing Andrew. Despite all the confusion and grief, he looked to the path for an opportunity to escape, but his hopes withered in an instant. The four-armed monster was dead, but the menacing green one with tentacles had replaced it. The many long teeth in its crocodile head looked ready to tear the flesh off anyone who tried to get away.
The ringing in his ears went away as Dan
