I strained to pull free. I was willing to yank out every strand of hair on my head if that's what it took.

Ogre raised his other foot.

As he looked down at me, a blob of his blood-drool spattered against my cheek.

Kyle's hand wrapped around Ogre's face, clawing at his eye. "Leave Mommy alone!" he screamed.

Ogre momentarily lost his balance. His foot slammed down inches from my face. His feet straddled each side of my head.

I reached up between his legs, grabbed tight, and squeezed as hard as I could, using my fingernails.

Ogre squealed.

Then he really lost his balance.

As he stumbled forward, he lifted the foot pinning my hair. I scooted out of the way as he started to fall.

Kyle was going to be crushed beneath him.

They say things move in slow motion during moments where every split second counts, and I found this to be absolutely true. I reached for the arm holding Kyle and raked it with my fingernails, trying to break his grip on my son before he fell.

Ogre's grasp did not loosen.

Slow motion transformed back into regular speed as he dropped to the ground.

And landed on his knees, not on my son.

For a terrifying moment I thought he'd tumble forward onto his stomach, but he sustained his balance. Kyle frantically but unsuccessfully tried to wiggle free.

Again, I raked Ogre's arm with my fingernails. Kyle leaned down and bit into the giant's flesh.

"Ow, shit!" Ogre screamed and released Kyle. He shoved him away. "You goddamn little cannibal!"

I punched Ogre in the face as hard as I could. This time he seemed to feel it.

"Kyle, run!" I shouted.

Ogre slammed his hands onto my shoulders. He stood up, lifting me with him.

"How about I grind your bones, bitch?" he snarled, squeezing his hands together.

My arms were pinned, but I kicked him over and over. By now I was filled with so much adrenaline that the pummeling took its toll. Ogre let me drop then grabbed the back of my neck.

He slammed my face into his gut and pushed hard.

The smell of rotten sweat was almost unbearable.

I couldn't breathe.

Dear God, I was going to suffocate against the belly of a five-hundred pound maniac. My face was pressed so tightly against his belly that I couldn't open my mouth to bite him.

I landed several blows with my fists that did absolutely no good.

I felt myself starting to black out.

"You little shit!" Ogre shouted, although his voice seemed to be miles away. "I'll tear your tiny little-"

I could suddenly breathe again.

"-head off!"

As I pulled away, Theresa jabbed the branch into Ogre's ribs again. He swatted her aside, only to be met by another branch in his other side, wielded by Kyle.

Though neither of the branches had poked right through his body, Ogre had spots of his own blood on his shirt.

Theresa jabbed him again.

So did Kyle.

In one smooth motion, Ogre swung his arms together, catching each of my children and slamming them into each other.

He tossed their dazed bodies aside as I grabbed my own branch and lunged at him again. This time it tore across the side of his head, still missing his eye.

He snatched the stick out of my hand, picked me up, hoisted me over his head like a professional wrestler, and tossed me into the air. I landed hard next to Kyle and Theresa, sure I'd broken something.

Ogre wiped the blood off the side of his head. "I'm gonna eat all three of you right up," he said, enraged. "I'm your death. I'm the bogeyman." He stepped toward us. "And I like little girl meat the best of all."

Every muscle ached. My bones felt like eggshells. My blood felt like ignited kerosene. But I still got back up… not in a fluid ballerina-like motion, but back up nevertheless… and put myself between this monster and my children.

Ogre raised his fists and smiled. "You really think you can take me?"

I raised my own fists and gave him a steel-eyed gaze. "No."

"Good. Then we're in agreement."

He stepped toward me and I stepped toward him. We slowly circled each other like boxers.

Ogre spat out some blood.

I spat out some of my own.

He was almost five times my size, but I wasn't backing down.

"I'll hand it to you, you've got some spark," said Ogre, leering at me as if a fight weren't the only thing he had planned.

"I'm pregnant."

Uncertainty flashed in his eyes.

"That's right. You're beating up a pregnant lady. I bet that makes you feel like a real man, doesn't it?"

The leer returned. "You know, I said little girl meat was my favorite, but I was wrong. Do you know what really tastes the best? Do you know what I most like to feel rolling around on my tongue?"

I ran at him, claws extended, before he could finish.

He batted me aside.

"Yeah, you know what I'm talking about," said Ogre. "Maybe I'll just suck it right out of your belly for dessert."

I felt like I was going to vomit. But no. I couldn't let him get to me. They were just words.

Ogre made a vulgar slurping sound.

I ran at him again.

This time, instead of hitting me, he grabbed my arm and twisted it around my back. I cried out, pain richocheting from shoulder to wrist.

"Shhhhh… not so loud, you'll wake the baby," said Ogre.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw something running toward us.

Joe.

The pug latched on to Ogre's foot and thrashed around, biting and snarling.

Ogre gave it a kick. Joe let out a high-pitched squeal then attacked his leg.

It was enough of a distraction. I reached around and grabbed a handful of blubber, digging my fingernails into Ogre's gut.

Theresa, who I hadn't seen get up, slammed a new branch into Ogre's side.

Ogre released my arm, grabbed my other hand, and pried it off his belly.

Theresa jabbed him again. The tip of the branch broke off in his side.

A second kick, a second squeal, but Joe kept fighting.

Ogre lurched his head down toward my face, mouth wide open, giving me a full blast of his fetid breath.

I leaned out of the way.

He lurched at me again, moving his mouth in an animalistic biting motion. His red teeth clacked together over and over, so viciously I thought he might shatter them.

I swear he growled.

He pushed Theresa out of the way, but she came right back at him, stabbing the branch wherever she could land a blow.

Ogre spun around, practically roaring, and reached for my daughter. I leapt up onto his back, wrapped both of my arms around his neck, and squeezed.

He grabbed my arms and tried to pry them off, but I refused to budge.

Nothing could make me budge.

I squeezed and squeezed, trying to crush his throat.

Ogre staggered away from Theresa, swinging around as he tried to dislodge me. It wasn't going to happen. I put everything I had, every last bit of strength I possessed in the entire world into breaking his neck.

"I'll kill you!" he screamed.

I wasn't squeezing hard enough if he could still scream.

"I'm gonna… gonna…"

He let out a disgusting choking sound.

He stumbled around. My strangulation efforts were clearly doing some good. I couldn't possibly squeeze any harder, but I sure as hell wasn't going to let up.

He moved more and more erratically, swaying back and forth. And in an instant of raw horror I realized where our struggle had taken us.

I let go of him and slipped off his back.

His foot snapped the fishing line.

A long metal spear sailed down from the trees, striking the upper left side of his skull. The tip burst through his right thigh.

Ogre stood in place for what felt like an endless moment… then fell.

I stared at him in shock.

Now the forest animals could eat him.

I turned away from the gruesome sight and Theresa rushed into my arms. I gave her a tight hug despite my aching limbs, and we hurried to Kyle, who still lay on the ground. The bite on his arm was deep, but he wouldn't bleed to death.