Between The Crystals

Ch 77 Sandy Waters

I ported eight to Catseye Mural and counted to thirty before returning to Irwin Village. Tiredness was beginning to invade my legs after six loaded ports and the solo return trips. There wasn't any tightness in my chest yet, but I feared it was just a matter of time. It might take a lot of porting before I hit that point, but once I did, the porting strain would progress quickly.

Most of the porters had returned home after using most of their ports, including Merryl and Roxanne. There were about eighty villagers left; possibly too many for me to port by myself, even if I went right to the point of collapse.

As soon as I had eight, I took them to safety. I fidgeted as I counted to twenty, unsure if the tiny break would help, returning to Irwin Village for another group. My next trip went just as smoothly.

When I returned to Irwin Village the next time, a man was racing down a path. The villagers milled around—all older folks since the younger ones had gone first—and pressed closer to us while leaving a ring of open space around the crystal.

The coordinator told us, "It's coming! Once you leave, don't come back unless you can bounce!"

I held out a hand to the nearest people. "Let's go! I can take eight."

I desperately wanted to take more—there were too many people left—but I knew better than to try bouncing larger groups when my legs were already feeling somewhat shaky.

As soon as eight had grabbed on, I ported. The first tinges of discomfort tightened my chest muscles, but that didn't stop me from shaking off their hands and pulling away so I didn't take any back by accident.

"Irwin Village."

The air barely cleared before hands landed on my shoulders and arms as panicking people tried to escape. Another porter also arrived, telling them she could only take three.

"Catseye Mural," I said, as discomfort spread after another back-to-back loaded port. Only seven had come with me, not the eight I had assumed.

The race against time made me bounce back to Irwin Village as soon as people were clear. My vision cleared just in time to see water cascade over the far end of the ridge. The sand-colored water kept coming, spreading along the ridge as more and more poured down. There were no sticks or grass in it since nothing grew in the desert. Just water that was foamy from sand dust.

Eighteen were left. Had I been rested, I could have pulled off such a port, but not with the strain already taxing my strength.

"Nine!" I called out. "I'll be back for the rest in a second, be ready to bounce!"

By the time I finished talking, those closest were already hanging on, and a knee-high wave of swirling water was headed right for us. It brought back unpleasant memories as I stared at it.

"Go!" The coordinator told me, his eyes locked onto the water as he remained with the last villagers.

My mind turned to their backup crystal even before the location phrase left my lips. The air hazed around us and cleared with painful slowness. My heart raced as I staggered away from the people, my hand not leaving the spire.

"Irwin Village," I gasped, my fingers tightening on the crystal as part of my mind visualized Sunrise Village in case I had to bounce. The air around me hazed over as slowly as it always did, as if I wasn't in a rush to try and save the last few people.

Even before my eyes cleared, warm water drenched my pants from the knees down. The current seemed confused and wasn't flowing as fast as I expected. Hands grabbed onto my shoulders. I blinked as my vision finally returned.