As a multiethnic kid, Keon Wesley has always had to straddle two worlds. He just never expected that metaphor to become a literal reality.
Ever since his dad left five weeks ago, he's struggled to adjust to life in a single parent household. When a...
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Keon was out of control, disorientated from the fall; the world kaleidoscoping around him. Suddenly the wind shifted direction and he levelled out. He was staring straight ahead towards the opposite walls of the Narrow Strait. He'd lost a good deal of altitude and was unlikely to make it even a kilometre. He wanted to turn and see if anyone was coming for him, but dared not risk banking off course. The floor of the canyon was fast approaching. He stuck out both legs, bracing himself for the impact.
Particles of dust choked his throat as his feet hit the ground and a rock clipped his ankle. He bent his knees and tried breaking into a controlled run to slow his speed. The pain shooting up his ankle forced him to let go of the glider, pushing him into a roll. After tumbling several metres, he slid to an achy stop.
His legs, his back, his ribs. Everything throbbed and he was caked in sparkling dust to boot. He looked like one of Bella's art projects. She always left these huge dunes of sparkly glitter piled up on the kitchen counter that he would inevitably have to clean up. The ordeal would leave him twinkling from head to toe.
Rolling onto his hands and knees, he took stock of his surroundings. The shadow of the shining cliffs loomed over him. Zaphon was nowhere to be seen and wisps of orange and red were creeping across the waves of the evening sky. Night was approaching.
* * *
Dawit reached the edge of the cliff first. He'd dropped his glider and taken off down the slope at a speed that belayed his size. There he was! Mercifully, Keon hadn't drifted far. What little lift he'd gained had guaranteed that. The others quickly amassed around the cliff's edge.
"The bloody hell happened?!" said Shem.
"The winds. They came sooner than I expected..."
"No, they came on time. We were late," seethed Avana.
"He was holding it up. I warned him not to..."
"Does it matter?! We need to help him!" said Zahara.
"Should we abseil?" offered Kai.
Shem shook his head.
"We'll lose the light. We need something fast."
"The gliders'll take us out too far," said Dawit. "Jonas?"
They turned to face the masked Torchbearer, cradling his chin in deep thought. After a few seconds he began signing.
"What...Helicopter seeds?" said Zahara.
"You mean, sycamore seeds?" asked Dawit.
Jonas pointed at him.
"Yes! That's it," she said.
"What about them?"
She turned back to Jonas.
"We can ride our gliders down like sycamore seeds. They just need a few adjustments."
