The Nibiru Effect

Memory 40

We're dead. These words repeat over and over in my head until it's all I can hear. I have no choice but to rely on my other senses. I feel the earth shake as the T. rex slams its massive feet into it. I can see the glowing brilliance of its red eyes. I can smell the fetid odour of its breath. While I can't taste it, the fear that grips me lures bile to my mouth, forcing me to endure its acrid taste.

I wait for the end to come, but it never does. The tyrannosaur releases one final ear-splitting roar, then turns and stomps off.

I watch with a mixture of relief and confusion as the dinosaur vanishes into the jungle. Its heavy steps quickly disappear, leaving only the Triceratops corpse as proof of its passage. The tooth that protrudes from its neck proves its adversary didn't escape the skirmish unscathed, but a tooth is a small price to pay for such an impressive victory.

Silence. It seems to stretch on forever.

"Did you see its eyes?" asks Kara.

I nod. "What do you think it means?"

"Who cares?" says Jonn. "We're alive. And the sooner we get going, the sooner we can find Avalon and use her ring to get out of here."

"That may be easier said than done." I don't understand what Kara means until she points out the fact that all four of our mounts have vanished. They must have fled during the frenzy. All that remains is a leather satchel, which must have come undone during the escape.

I'm about to retrieve it when Korri emerges from the forest. He strolls through the mess of trampled vegetation, a big smile curling his lips.

"That was a close one," he says.

"Coward," growls Jonn as the korrigan passes near him. Korri doesn't understand the soldier's words, so he marches on without a care in the world. But his smile vanishes once he reaches me.

"What did he say?" he asks.

I consider lying to him to spare his feelings, but who am I to decide what Korri deserves to know?

"He called you a coward," I say. "But don't take it personally. He's mean to everyone."

Korri chuckles.

"Don't worry. He'll pay for it soon enough."

I'm not sure how a small guy like Korri can get back at a big, tough guy like Jonn, but I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, I watch as Korri approaches what remains of our supplies and goes through the satchel.

"What's the verdict?" asks Jonn.

"As long as we ration, we should be able to reach our destination," answers Korri once I've translated the soldier's question. "I think."

It's not the reassuring statement I hoped for, but I'll take it.

"What now?" I ask.

"We keep going," says Jonn as though stating the obvious.

"Is that a good idea?" asks Kara. "Now that we're travelling on foot, the journey will last much longer. Perhaps we should head back and resupply."

"We can't," says Jonn. "They want to sacrifice us, remember?"

Kara is at a loss for words, but only for a moment.

"We could—" she begins, but her father cuts her off.

"We're not going back."

Things are about to degenerate.

"I suggest we let Korri decide," I say. "He knows this jungle better than anyone. If he says we can make it, that's good enough for me. If not, we head back to the korrigan village and find a way to resupply. Agreed?"