The Nibiru Effect

Memory 62

The world spins as I tumble down the steep slope of the half-pipe. I catch glimpses of blue sky and black spheres. The hard surface pulls away momentarily, only to slam back into me. It takes all the strength I have not to cry out in pain. But such bravery evaporates when something heavy crashes into me. The mass of muscles that is Jonn flattens me, trapping my battered and beaten frame between it and the hard surface of the half-pipe. While it puts an end to my uncontrolled tumble, it also turns my skin into a bruised mess of cuts and scrapes. I'm just about to lose consciousness when Jonn rolls away.

"Thank god!" I mutter in a momentarily fit of gratitude. But I forget all about that when I see a black shape rush toward me. I roll to the side and only barely avoid getting flattened.

I glance around but see no other immediate threat. I take advantage of this to get my bearings. I'm now gliding along on my back, the rugged surface of the half-pipe surprisingly undamaging to my frail body. It would almost be fun if not for two small details. One: I'm hurtling along headfirst, which is both scary and dangerous. Two: Dozens of massive spheres speed by at random intervals. While the second is impossible to remedy, the first requires but a simple maneuver. I'm about to do just that when Jonn's voice reaches me.

"Won't!" he yells. "Watch out!"

I barely have time to look up before Kara slams into me. I grunt in a mixture of surprise and pain as her fist slams into my stomach, once again knocking the wind out of me. It's thus with a complete and utter lack of oxygen that I do my best to put an end to Kara's mad tumble. It's not easy, but I manage to pin her against the half-pipe. As soon as she's safely sliding along, I pull away and focus all of my attention on luring air back to my lungs. It takes a while, but I finally succeed.

"Thanks," mutters Kara once I've gotten my bearings. We now slide side by side. Our feet lead the way while our arms act as balancing mechanisms. I'm just about to accept the fact that the immediate danger has passed when Jonn's voice once again reaches my ears.

"Look out!" he yells. I barely even notice the shadow looming over us before Kara shoves me aside. The force of her push sends us off course just long enough for a black sphere to speed past us. One more second and we would have been flattened.

"Thank y—" I begin, but the exclamation dies in my throat when I spot the ball speeding toward Kara. I want to warn her, but my voice is gone. I want to save her, but I'm too far away. All I can do is watch as Kara unwittingly slides to her demise.

I fear I will lose the only girl I've ever cared about when a shape comes out of nowhere and knocks Kara out of the way just as the giant marble reaches her. Kara is safe, but Jonn isn't. He tries to dodge the massive boulder, but he isn't fast enough.

"NOOO!" Kara and I yell in unison as Jonn vanishes from sight.

For a brief moment I think he's dead, but then the sphere rolls past and Jonn reappears. He's alive but unconscious.

I breathe a sigh of relief, but the reprieve is only momentary. Jonn is comatose, and it's only a matter of time before one of the countless balls that bounce along on their way down this seemingly never-ending slide flattens him. Both Kara and I struggle to alter our trajectory, but there's no way we'll reach him in time. I'm about to accept the grey-haired soldier is doomed when the most unexpected saviour of all appears.

Korri.

The small korrigan uses his super speed to slow his descent, kicking the stone half-pipe with unrelenting consistency. Within seconds, we have caught up to him. Jonn's unconscious body now slides alongside the lava korrigan, his limbs bouncing up and down.

"Do something," begs Kara.

I don't have to translate for Korri to understand. Going against his natural instincts, the small humanoid jumps right into the path of an oncoming boulder. He scrambles onto Jonn's back, and rides him like a sled, using his arms as steering levers. It takes Korri a moment to grow accustomed to the improvised controls, but he masters them just in time. He pulls hard on Jonn's right arm, and both the human sled and its korrigan rider swerve out of the way just as the sphere speeds past.

I can't believe it. Not only did Korri overcome his fear and act as only a true hero can, but he saved the life of the man who went out of his way to make his life a living hell. Few are those who would do such a thing. Fewer even are those who would continue to risk their lives for an enemy as Korri now does. He steers Jonn's unconscious form left and right, avoiding sphere after sphere. I'm so focused on the korrigan's bravery I fail to notice what lies ahead.

"Will!" yells Kara.

I tear my gaze from Korri and Jonn and focus on the beautiful blonde. She's pointing straight ahead, her face a frozen mask of horror. I don't understand why until I follow her gaze.

There's a fork in the slide.

Korri and Jonn are heading straight for the right side, while Kara and I speed toward the left. I have no way of knowing which of the two routes is the safest, but the fact that every last one of the black spheres seems to be defying the laws of physics bodes ill for Kara and me. I watch as every last one of the giant marbles swerves to the right. Not a single one enters the left branch.

"That can't be good," I mutter as I try to alter my trajectory. Kara does the same, but neither of us succeeds. Perhaps if we had more time, but the fork is nearly upon us.

Korri angles Jonn toward us, but I yell for him to stop.

"No!" I scream. "Go right!"

Korri seems hesitant.

"Trust me!" I insist. "GO RIGHT!"

Korri swerves just as we reach the intersection. One second he's sliding alongside us, and the next he's gone.

Kara and I progress in silence for a moment before she finally speaks.

"Why did you tell him to go right?"

"All the spheres were going right. It seemed like the safest route."

"I hope you're right."

"Me too," I mutter. I acted as I did in an attempt to spare Jonn and Korri from whatever fate awaits Kara and me, but the truth is I may have doomed them.

Kara and I slide along for another few minutes before finally reaching the lowest point of the valley. The slide gradually levels out, and we slow to a stop. I immediately regret telling Korri to go right.

"I'm sure they're fine," says Kara.

"I hope you're right," I say as I stand on shaky legs and offer her a hand. She takes it, and I pull her to her feet.

One look at our surroundings reveals the trail which ended at the entrance of the half-pipe starts up again at its conclusion. There's nowhere else for us to go, so we decide to pursue our journey up the mountain.

We're about to depart when something bumps into my foot. It's the satchel. Jonn must have dropped it during his tumble and it slid the rest of the way down on its own. I grab it and we head off.

It's the first time Karaand I are alone. Under different circumstances, I would welcome such intimacy,but I'm consumed with guilt. All I can think about is the moment when we'rereunited with Jonn and Korri. Hopefully, they will still be in one piece.