The Universe Rings (A Ringing Purpose)

Chapter Six

The cool water soaked into Kenneth's hair as he ducked under the rushing river water. The sun beat down on his back through the branches. Halo was preparing to mend the universe ring, and Kenneth thought it would be good to wade in the shallows of the river till she was ready.

Kenneth opened his eyes underwater. Orange and yellow marbled fish swam around him, staring at him with their eyes—each had one large eye on their head. He stood, breathing in the hot and humid jungle air.

Halo's voice rang across the damp foliage, "Kenneth!"

Kenneth seized his shirt from a boulder blanketed by moss and pulled it over his chest as he stumbled out of the river. He stepped into his tennis shoes, not bothering to tie them.

Halo appeared out from the lean-to, her tattooed hand pushed her tangled hair back. "You went swimming without me," she pointed out.

Kenneth ruffled his hair with his hand, shaking the water out of his hair. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Halo hesitated. "Well, I've been practicing on so many other things, I can't imagine any consequences if this doesn't work but I still don't wish to fail. I only hope—" she rambled.

"You're stressing me—Are you ready to fix the ring or not?" Kenneth asked, forcing a dry chuckle to reassure Halo that he wasn't upset.

Halo nodded and crawled into the lean-to, Kenneth followed. On the stone slab, on which tic marks were scratched, was the broken universe ring. Halo knelt in front of it, Kenneth off to the side. "I'm only so nervous," Halo whispered.

Kenneth's eyebrows lowered as he stared at the ring. "Nothing will happen if this doesn't work, right?"

"I don't think so other than we will not be able to leave," Halo replied. Kenneth found her answer still depressing—this must work, he couldn't starve any longer in this unpredictable maze of jungle.

Halo's finger laid over the ring, her white lashes falling over her eyes. Kenneth's eyes darted from her hand to her face, nervously biting his knuckles.

The green glow seeped out from under Halo's hand and Kenneth's heart rose—this might work...

With a sudden bang, a shockwave blasted into Kenneth and Halo and they tumbled into the walls of the lean-to, vines snapping and branches toppling onto their heads. Halo shoved a branch away and crawled to the stone slab.

"Kenneth, the ring!" she gasped.

Rubbing his head, Kenneth approached. Cracks etched over the stone of tic marks, and dust sprinkled over. "Where's the ring?" he asked numbly.

"Reduced to powder..." Halo's white hair hung over her face as she stared at where the universe had been.

"You can fix it?" Kenneth asked in vain, he knew it was beyond repair.

Tears welled in Halo's eyes. "Are you mental? Not even the most powerful and knowledgeable Venenarius could repair this."

Kenneth's jaw clenched. "You said nothing would happen to the ring if you failed," he said, willing to not allow his voice to rise in cadence.

Halo's eyes glazed, seeming to darken. "I suppose I'm a liar, daft boy. How was I to know it might disintegrate?" she asked bitterly. Her quick anger diminished, overcome by tears. "Oh, I'm sorry I called you a name! I-I shouldn't have attempted to repair a magical artifact—I've never even heard of such a dimwitted idea."

Kenneth froze as Halo collapsed in her hands, sobbing. His heart numbed, emotion dissipating in the revelation they could never leave. Any hopes of escape were shattered with the universe ring; no one knew of their location, or even if they were alive. It all sunk in deep till he'd been kneeling as stone for a long while.