𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍, leo valdez

𝐢𝐢

        𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐢

They reached the other end of the exhibition hall, where large glass doors led onto a terrace.

»All right, sugar babies,« announced trainer Hedge. »You're going to see the Grand Canyon now. Try not to break it. The platform can support the weight of seventy jumbo jets, you flyweights are probably safe on it. If possible, try not to push each other over the edge, that would give me quite a lot of papeir work.«

The trainer opened the doors and everyone ran outside. The Grand Canyon stretched out before them, live and in person. A horseshoe-shaped walkway made of glass that was completely transparent towered over the abyss. 

»Man,« said Layna and Leo. »Just awesome.« 

The canyon was bigger and wider than any picture would suggest. They were so high up that birds were circling below their feet. Over a hundred and fifty metres below them, a river meandered across the floor of the canyon. Storm clouds had gathered above them while they had been in the museum, casting shadows that looked like angry faces on the rocks. As far as Jason could see, red and grey canyons cut through the desert as if some crazed god had run amok with a knife. Jason felt a sharp pain behind his eyes. A crazed god... How had he come up with that idea? He had the feeling he was approaching something important - something he should know about. He also had the unmistakable feeling that he was in danger. 

»Are you all right?« Layna asked. »You're not throwing up over the railing, are you? Leo, I should have brought my camera.« Jason clung to the railing. He was shaking and sweating, but it had nothing to do with a fear of heights. He squinted his eyes and the pain behind them subsided. »I'm fine,« he managed to get out. »Just a headache.« Thunder rumbled above them. A cold wind almost knocked him over.

»This can't be normal.« Leo looked up at the clouds with narrowed eyes.»The thunderstorm is right above us, but everywhere else is quiet. Weird, isn't it?« Jason and Layna looked up and saw that Leo was right. A dark circle of clouds was spreading over the viewpoint, while the rest of the sky was clear and blue in all directions. 

»Come on you sugar babies!« shouted Coach Hedge. He looked up at the storm, frowning, as if it was worrying him too. »We might have to cut this short, so get to work. Don't forget, complete sentences.«

The thunderstorm grumbled and Jason's head hurt again. He didn't know why, but he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a coin-a round gold piece the size of a half dollar, but thicker and not as smooth. One side was stamped with the image of a war axe, the other with some kind of laurel wreath. The inscription read something like IVLIVS.

»Jesus Christ, is that gold?« asked Leo. »You kept that from me.« Jason pocketed the coin again and wondered where it had come from and why he had the feeling that he would soon need it. »Oh don't mention it,« he said. »Just a coin.« Leo shrugged his shoulders. Maybe his mind needed to keep moving as much as his hands did. »Come on,« Layna said. »Whoever dares to spit over the railing first.«

They didn't put much effort into their worksheets. Jason was distracted with his own confused thoughts, Layna had no idea of it anyway and Leo was busy making a helicopter out of pipe cleaners. 

»Let's test it.« He let the helicopter take off. Jason expected it to crash immediately, but the pipe cleaner rotors were really spinning. The little helicopter made it halfway up the canyon, then lost lift and spiralled down into empty space. 

»How did you do that?« Jason asked. Leo shrugged his shoulders. »Would have been better if I had some rubber bands. « »Seriously now,« said Jason. »Are we friends?« »As far as we know, yes«, said the other two together. »Are you sure? When did we meet? What did we talk about?« »That was...« Leo frowned. »I don't remember exactly. We have ADHD, man. You can't expect us to remember the details.« »But I can't remember you guys at all. I can't remember anyone here. What if...« »You're right and everyone else is wrong?« asked Layna. »You think you just turned up here this morning and that we all have fake memories of you?«