The Paper Monster didn’t go down quietly. Right as the Author wrote the last words, the huge beast let out this scream—like a thousand books tearing apart at once. It lunged forward, claws made of paper slicing through the air so close to Maya’s face. But Maya didn’t flinch. Her boots pressed hard into the park grass, and she held the silver locket up like a shield.
“Write faster!” Maya yelled.
Her arms shook. The monster was way too strong, and the purple energy shield around her was starting to c***k. Whenever the monster hit the shield, Maya felt a sharp pain in her chest—like her heart was being erased from existence.
Julian moved fast. He didn’t have a weapon, but he was brave. He scrambled up the monster’s leg, covered in dripping black ink, aiming for a glowing red stamp on its c
