Their Punching Bag Became The Storm novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20 A Bonus Meal

Whitney hurried through the woods. She had deliberately gone into the densest part of the forest to get out of Ryan’s sight.

But she could still feel his burning stare on her, unrelenting.

It was strange. This rush of emotion unsettled her, and she really didn’t like how it could mess with her feelings.

She didn’t stop until she had walked several hundred feet and finally emerged from the thick trees.

Looking up at the drone that had followed her out, she then raised her hands and rubbed her face.

After a few seconds to compose herself, she continued on her way.

[I bet Whitney is blushing right now.]

[She has a crush, doesn’t she? Tell me I’m right. Ryan is way too handsome. No one can resist him.]

[Whitney trying to hide it is adorable. I already took a screenshot and I’m posting it in Ryan’s social media comments later.]

[The happier Whitney and Ryan are with their haul, the worse Emily’s side looks.]

[Poor Chase. His own sister completely screwed him over.]

While people were still busy comparing the two streams, a terrified scream tore through the air. On this creepy, silent wild island, the sound was especially chilling.

Whitney stopped in her tracks. She narrowed her sharp, alluring eyes and glanced toward where the scream had come from.

Then the voice cried out again, this time laced with sobs, “Help! There’s a snake.”

Whitney didn’t hesitate. She rushed straight toward the sound.

[A real snake there? Why is Whitney running straight toward it? Is she crazy? That’s way too dangerous.]

[This island is crawling with poisonous bugs and snakes. One wrong move and you’re dead.]

[Whitney knows there are snakes over there, but she’s still charging in. Is she trying to be a hero or something?]

[It’s Nora’s group. Looks like they stirred up a whole nest of snakes. They’re everywhere.]

[Man, the word “snake” alone gives me the creeps.]

Chapter 20 A Bonur Meal

The scream came from pretty close. Whitney arrived a few minutes later.

Nora and Elian had headed toward the coast. Unlike the dense forest from before, this area had almost no bushes. Instead, scattered rocks stretched across the ground, and more than a dozen snakes were crawling all over them.

The chat was freaking out.

Whitney, meanwhile, stayed calm as she scanned the snakes, like she was sizing up the situation.

Then her eyes landed on a spot past the rocks.

Nora was on her hands and knees, shaking like a leaf with tears streaming down her face.

Elian crouched beside her, trying to help her up.

But Nora was completely drained. She was crying, her voice trembling and choked with sobs, “I can’t move. Leave me. Go.”

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A few feet away, a snake as thick as a man’s wrist had reared up, its red tongue flicking in and out. It let out a chilling hiss, its tongue darting out every few seconds.

Anyone faced with that would be totally freaked out, white as a sheet and frozen in

terror.

“We’re a team. There’s no way I’m leaving you behind,” Elian said, his expression tense. He wrapped one arm around her waist and gently lifted her wrist over his neck.

He spoke in a calm, steady voice to reassure her, “Stay calm. Don’t make any sudden moves or loud noises. If we don’t scare the snake, we’ll be okay.” He looked so calm and confident, not like an eighteen–year–old at all.

Nora wanted to stay calm, but she couldn’t stop shaking.

And the snake didn’t back off because they froze. Instead, it kept flicking its red tongue, slithering closer and closer toward them.

Nora was completely losing it. She could not keep herself together anymore.

The snake was inches away when it suddenly lunged. It moved so fast there was no

time to react.

Nora let out a scream she couldn’t control and curled up in fear.

Elian instantly threw himself in front of her to shield her from the snake.

They both squeezed their eyes shut.

Five seconds ticked by. Ten seconds slipped away. A full minute crawled past. The pain of a snake bite never came.

Nora couldn’t take the feeling of waiting for disaster any longer. She opened her eyes.

Chapter 20 A Bony Meal

Right in front of her stood Elian, blocking her from harm, protecting her with everything he had.

His young, energetic face was clenched tight, his brows furrowed with fear and tension. He was clearly terrified, but he never wavered.

Something deep inside Norà stirred. She grabbed Elian’s face, tears streaming down her cheeks, her voice breaking. “Elian, are you okay? Where did it bite you? Does it hurt? Let me see. We have to suck the poison out. Hurry.”

Elian blinked, still confused, and stared at Nora’s tear–soaked face. He hadn’t felt any bite at all. He let go of her and reached back to feel his own backside. “Nope. Doesn’t hurt at all.”

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Nora started sobbing even harder, “Stop lying to me. I know you do not want me to freak out. Please tell me where you got bitten. We need to find the crew and get a doctor to check you right now.”

Then a girl’s clear, cool voice came from the side. “If you two keep sitting there like that, more snakes might come after you.”

It startled both of them. They immediately turned to look in the direction of the sound.

Not far away stood Whitney. Her high ponytail gave her a bold, striking look. She was standing exactly where the thick snake had been moments ago. And right now, she had it gripped firmly by the neck.

Her fingers were slender and delicate, almost fragile in the light. But those same fingers were wrapped tight around the snake.

She looked calm and expressionless, as if she were holding nothing more than a piece of string.

Then they watched as Whitney killed the snake easily, her face completely blank but almost impossibly gorgeous.

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She weighed the snake in her hand, gave it a couple of shakes, and said, “Looks like we’re having a bonus meal tonight.”

The whole scene was seriously creepy.

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