The Nibiru Effect

Memory 73

Jonn is alive.

Kara leaps to her feet, a high-pitched squeal erupting from her mouth, and leaps into her father's open arms. I'm equally thrilled to see Jonn, but part of me resents him for his poor timing. Couldn't he wait a few more minutes? It's not every day I almost get to kiss the girl of my dreams. Then again, that may well be the reason he chose that precise moment to emerge from the darkness.

It takes a while, but the hug finally ends. Kara is still giddy with excitement, but Jonn's expression is grim. The sight of his foreboding demeanour fills me with worry.

"What happened?" asks Kara.

Jonn doesn't answer.

"Where's Korri?" I ask.

The furrows in Jonn's brow deepen, but he doesn't answer.

"Where's Korri?" I repeat.

Jonn hesitates for a second before staring deep into my eyes and speaking the two words I have been dreading.

"He's dead."

The revelation hits me like a blow to the stomach. My legs give out, and I crumble. I want to cry, but no tears come. I just sit there and stare blankly ahead as the sadness overwhelms me.

It's my fault. I told him to go right, and now he's dead. If I hadn't insisted, he'd still be alive. But he's not. He's gone, and it's my fault!

No one speaks for the longest time. Minutes pass. Hours.

"What happened?" finally asks Kara.

The last thing I want is to hear the details of Korri's death, but I'm still too stunned to speak.

"You were about to die," begins Jonn. I don't have to look up to know he's talking to Kara. "I pushed you out of the way, but I got hit, and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was flying down the half-pipe on my stomach. Korri was on my back. At first, I was mad, but then I realized he was trying to help. Not only that. He... he saved my life."

Jonn falls silent for a second, then clears his throat and keeps speaking.

"We kept going until we reached the end of the half-pipe. I thought our bad luck had finally run out, but the half-pipe ended with a drop into a bottomless pit."

My tears have started flowing. They slither down my cheeks, drawing pale lines in the grime that coats them.

"I thought we were done for until we noticed none of the boulders were falling into the pit. They were swerving and flying off the walls of the half-pipe. At the time it seemed impossible, but I later discovered—"

"We know," interrupts Kara. "They're snails."

"Snails?"

"Giant insects," says Kara. I considered pointing out snails are, in fact, mollusks, but I don't have the strength or the willpower to speak.

"It doesn't matter what they are," says Jonn. "They were avoiding the pit, and unless we could find a way to copy them, we would die. I was at a loss, but Korri had a plan. He jumped off and started pushing me up the wall using his super speed. At first, I didn't understand what he was doing, but then it hit me. If I was high enough, my momentum would carry me over the chasm."

"Did it work?" asks Kara.

Jonn nods.

"Then how did Korri die?"

"I'm getting to that," snaps Jonn. I can't tell if he's angry because of the interruption or merely feeling guilty for what happened to the lava korrigan. "Korri's plan was good, but not perfect. It quickly became obvious that by pushing me up the half-pipe, he was slowing himself down to the point where he wouldn't be able to make it over the pit. He sacrificed himself to save me."

A heavy silence follows the grey-haired soldier's revelation.

"You bastard!" I yell. "How could you let him do that?"

Jonn glares at me.

"I didn't. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. He kept pushing me higher and higher until, finally, we reached the end. The last I saw of him, he was falling into the pit."

Another silence.

"Did you try to save him?" asks Kara.

"Of course," growls Jonn, "but the pit was bottomless, and the walls so smooth I couldn't climb down. There's no way he could have survived."

I could blame Jonn for abandoning Korri, or blame Korri for sacrificing himself, but the truth is I'm the one responsible for the lava korrigan's death. Had I not insisted he go right, he would still be alive.

I'm vaguely aware of Jonn explaining what happened after Korri fell into the chasm, but I'm too overwhelmed with guilt to pay attention. I only make out the occasional word, but it's enough to reveal Jonn followed a path similar to ours and overcame a series of obstacles before finally stumbling upon us.

"We should get some sleep," says Kara after a while. I don't bother answering. I just lie down and close my eyes. I expect slumber to remain at bay, but the exhaustion of the day, combined with the grief acts as a potent sleeping agent, and I pass out moments after closing my eyes.

I awake to Jonn shaking me. He looks worried.

"What's wrong?" I ask, still groggy with sleep.

"Something happened to Kara."

I'm suddenly wide awake.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"Kara's missing."