The Nibiru Effect

Memory 78

I wander around, numb. I stumble forward, too overwhelmed with shame and guilt to care where I'm going. I abandoned my friends in their time of need, and nothing I do can ever make up for it.

I eventually end up at the rope bridge. My fear of heights keeps me from crossing, so I sit on a nearby boulder and bury my face in my hands. I want to cry, but the tears won't come. I just sit there, drowning in an ocean of self-hatred.

I want to help my friends, but more than anything, I want to go home and forget any of this ever happened. But how can I live with myself if I abandon Jonn and Kara to their fate?

I think of Korri. He was so small. Not to mention cowardly—I've lost count of the times he bolted because he thought he heard something. But, even with all of this working against him, he still found it within him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Because of him, Jonn is alive today. I can't let his sacrifice be in vain. I won't.

I will save my friends.

Pride swells within me. For the first time in my life, I feel as though I can accomplish anything. I'm smart. I'm resourceful. But, most of all, I can shift. I'm not sure how this ability will come into play, but I suspect it will be the key to saving my companions.

The feeling of indestructibility persists for a few seconds before I realize how highly stacked the odds against me are. Avalon has an army of trained arkanes. She can shift, which means she likely can tell a real person from a replica. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the fact that she has a pet T. rex. But the worst part of all is she owns a time travel ring. One twist is all it will take for her to escape this time, taking Jonn and Kara with her.

The hope and pride that once inhabited me are gone. Only despair remains.

"I can't do it," I groan. "I can't save them."

There's a moment of silence before a voice reaches my ears.

"Yes," it says. "You can."

I look up but see no one. I get to my feet and scan my surroundings, but there's no sign of life. It's not until I notice a man hiding in the shade of a tree that I realize I'm no longer alone. He looks familiar, but his face remains hidden in the shadows.

"W-who are you?" I stutter.

"There's no need to be afraid," he says. Once again, the voice sounds familiar. "I'm a friend."

"Prove it. Show yourself."

"As you wish," says the man as he takes a step forward and emerges from the shadows. I immediately recognize him.

It's me.