Now the youth realised what was happening. He leapt quickly away from the swaying path, well away from where the arthropod was sure to appear. Wing jumped left ignoring his pain, and ran further up the mountain. The roots of the tree behind him ripped out into the rain-soaked air - the jaws of the huge worm firmly clamped upon them as the creature struggled to get away, its small undulating legs propelling it out into the air at incredible speed. Behind it came the flood of hot volcanic rock which had caused it to flee its underground world in terror. The creature screamed in pain - the sound burning deep into Wing's head, and he thrust his palms over his ears as he hit the ground hard behind a large granite outcrop. The youth took a deep breath and peered out to see the creature's segmented body burning fiercely - pushed from the newly created vent by the hot rocks and gases which rose up from beneath the ground. The worm disappeared down the mountainside and screamed in agony as it fell through the forest over a sheer precipice, flattening everything in its path with the mighty tree which was now firmly trapped in its jaws! This then is the story of the youth Wing, and his self-chosen quest to learn the secrets of khnom lach faa and take them back triumphantly to his people. Little did he know what would befall him and what he would actually find...what terrible secrets lay behind the entrance to the Paradise Gate. The author, Graham Seaman, lives in Liverpool, UK. He is married to Sandra and has three grown-up children - Jenna, Peter and Becky. Graham also has a beautiful grand-daughter, Paige Maria. He is known to her as Grampy and likes it very much thank you! :-)