The Nibiru Effect

Memory 30

I awake to the sound of Jonn and Kara arguing.

"You're so stubborn," groans Kara.

"I'm stubborn?" retorts Jonn. "Look who's talking. I'm trying to get us out of this mess. What are you doing?"

"I'm taking care of the plague victims."

"You're playing nurse."

"I'm helping them," insists Kara.

"They're already dead!" barks Jonn. "Don't you get that?"

There's a moment of silence, and I wonder whether I should let them know I'm awake. I'm about to sit when the arguing resumes.

"What do you hope to accomplish by leaving?" asks Kara.

"We need to locate Avalon. It's the only way we'll ever get out of this drowned time."

There's that word again. Drowned. From what I can gather, it's an Atlantean curse, but I have yet to determine why such an innocuous word holds such dire meaning to my companions. Then again, perhaps I would view things differently had I grown up in an underwater city. But now isn't the time to think of such things.

"There's no proof Avalon sent us here," says Kara.

"She did," insists Jonn. "Trust me."

Kara sighs again.

"Even if that's true, how do you expect to find her? The jungle is huge. We could wander for months and still not find her."

"We'll find her. And when we do she'll pay for everything she put us through."

I perk up, hoping to learn something new, but neither of my companions reveals anything of use.

"I'm not letting you do this," says Kara. "It's too dangerous."

Jonn scoffs.

"You can't stop me. I'm leaving. Are you coming or staying?"

"I'm staying. I won't abandon the korrigans."

"Fine," grunts Jonn. I hear the shuffling of boots, followed by the distinct echo of receding footsteps. Moments later, silence fills the air. I'm debating whether or not to make my wakefulness known when Kara leaves.

I sit and glance around.

I'm alone. Jonn is gone, and Kara is so focused on trying to help the korrigans she doesn't have time for anything else. But what about me? What's my role in all of this? The korrigans claim I'm a hero, but the truth is I'm just a teenager who got sucked into an adventure he never wanted. I'm not strong like Jonn. I'm not selfless like Kara. I'm just the son of a woman I never even met.

Jonn returns just as the sun is beginning to set. Sweat and blood cover every centimetre of his body, but he seems unharmed.

"What happened?" asks Kara.

"I fought a dinosaur," answers Jonn. "I won."

I gulp. It seems unlikely a man could survive an encounter with a prehistoric reptile, yet the grey-haired soldier's appearance leaves no doubt in my mind that's precisely what happened.

Jonn removes his knife and boots and places them next to his sleeping furs.

"What are you doing?" asks Kara.

"I stink. I'm going for a swim."

"You can't," I blurt out.

"Is that so?" asks Jonn. "Who's gonna stop me? You?"

I gulp again. I seem to be doing that a lot lately.

"Will's right," says Kara. "The river is sacred. You can't bathe in it."

Jonn grunts. Under normal circumstances, he would argue, but he seems exhausted.

"Whatever. Just don't complain when I start smelling."

I consider pointing out hisbody odour is already quite pungent, but that would only make things worse, soI say nothing and join Jonn and Kara for dinner. By the time we're done, thesun has set and our third day in the korrigan village comes to a close.