***
Billy sat at the edge and watched them get farther away from the shore. The more he thought about the last days’ events, the more surreal they seemed. He felt as if he was merely a bystander observing all this happen to somebody else.
Slowly but surely the ferry came down to the middle of the Lazy River. Rohan shut down the motor. A silence fell. Only random water splashes here and there dared to break it. The man went to the other side of the ferry. He stood there with his arms crossed on his chest and surveyed the chaos. The entire opposite bank of the river had turned into a pile of trash.
“Where did it all come from?” Billy asked, joining Rohan.
“The earthquake triggered landslides. What you see is the remains of what used to be a human dwelling.” Rohan sighed sadly.
As the ferry got closer to the shore, Billy recognized pieces of furniture in the mixture of muddy water and wooden wreckage.
“Why does everything pile up on only this side of the river?” he asked.
“Due to the stream and the curvature of the riverbed at this place,” Rohan explained.
“Then how are we going to land?” Billy was worried.
“We disembark over there.” Rohan pointed. Billy followed his gesture and in the foggy distance saw the rubble of what used to be a bridge. “The road is closer to the river at that point,” Rohan said. “It is our best chance.”
Billy stared at the distant spot with doubt on his face. By now he had learned to trust Rohan, but why did everything have to be so challenging?
“A little help here,” Rohan’s voice jerked him out of his thoughts.
“Eh?” Billy cocked his head.
“I said I could use a pair of strong hands here.” Rohan took the road sign and began using it as a shovel to clear off snow on the deck around the car. Billy took his place beside him and leaned against the sign.
By the time they finished they were only several yards from the shore.
“Good timing,” said Rohan with satisfaction and tossed the sign into the river. It splashed on the surface and in a moment disappeared into the murky water, leaving only a few ripples behind.
The landing spot was not far away now, so Billy could take a better look.
At the first glance, his anxiety jumped sky high. He saw the road, only it wasn’t as close to the river as he had imagined. The riverbank under the road was partly washed away by the surge and the pavement was simply hanging over the water.
Next to it, a huge concrete plate, which used to be part of the bridge, almost vertically protruded from the water. The plate rested against a bridge pillar, blocking water flow at that spot and creating a big swell in front of it. The current there was stronger, and it carried the ferry right towards the plate.
“The swell will bring us up to level with the road,” Rohan pointed out.
“We’ll never get close enough to it,” Billy fretted.
“A few feet won’t be a problem for the car,” Rohan replied.
“We are going to jump with the car?” Billy exclaimed.
Rohan didn’t answer. He opened the front door and started the car engine. Then he returned to the edge of the deck and studied the flow. Billy had nothing better to do than to join him. His eyes followed a small wooden log that got sucked over the swell, then was tugged along the concrete plate and around it and then carried further down the stream.
“Oh boy,” Rohan muttered quietly, yet loud enough for Billy to hear.
“What?” the boy asked anxiously.
“The water has subsided,” Rohan grumbled.
“What does that mean?”
“It means that three days ago the water was higher. The swell won’t bring us high enough to be level with the road.”
“This is my fault,” Billy said. “If I weren’t in the hospital for so long, we would be fine.”
“Don’t think like that, Billy. I am grateful you survived, and you should be, too.”
Billy looked around, trying to come up with any idea.
“I know!” he exclaimed. “We need a ramp!”
“We just cleaned the deck,” Rohan said. “There is nothing to build a ramp with.”
“Then we need another landing spot!” Billy wouldn’t give up.
“There is no other landing spot.”
“What do you mean?” Billy cried. “The river is long!”
“Look over there, Billy. What do you see?”
Farther ahead, the lazy river was boiling with the white caps due to the rapids.
So much for lazy, he thought.
There had to be another way. He just had to think harder. “I know!” Billy shouted again. “We flip the hourglass. When everything stops, we’ll have enough time to climb up the road.” Of course, so easy, he should’ve thought of it earlier.
“We can’t do that. This could be a trap.”
“What do you mean a trap?” Billy asked, baffled.
“The hourglass could be already preset in such way that if we flip it over we’ll be right in the hands of our enemies.”
Our enemies, Billy thought. Only a few days ago he didn’t have any enemies.
Rohan pressed his lips as if he read Billy’s mind.
“Or maybe worse,” he added. “We may end up in between chapters.”
“You mean like in limbo?”
“Call it what you like. There is no way from there on your own. I’d rather not take that chance.”
“Then we’re doomed,” Billy said hopelessly.
A powerful shove shocked the ferry and almost threw Billy onto the deck. The sound of metal grinding against concrete hurt his ears. Billy looked up; the road was so close, yet so unreachable, even if he ran and jumped. The ferry stayed on the top of the swell for a short time and then slowly began turning around and sliding down along the concrete plate.
“Get in the car! Fast!” Rohan’s hail shook Billy from his stupor. He jumped into his seat and pulled the seat belt.
“Don’t do that,” said Rohan.
“Why?”
“If we fall into the water your hands would be too frozen to work the buckle.”
What? The water?
The car engine revved.
“A ramp, you say? I say you’re a genius!” Rohan had an insane look in his eyes. He released the handbrake and shifted the gear stick to reverse. The car drove backwards all the way to the edge of the ferry. They almost fell over when Rohan stopped abruptly and pulled up the handbrake lever.
“What are you doing?” Billy shouted. “We are supposed to go forward!”
Rohan ignored that remark. He shifted the gear stick forward, released the clutch pedal and pressed on the gas. With an eerie screech, all four wheels rolled forward fast, but the car stood still, held by the handbrakes. White smoke enveloped the vehicle. Billy rolled down his window and peered outside. The weight of the car was pushing the back end of the ferry down at the same time inclining at the opposite end, facing the road. When Billy looked up, he didn’t see the road anymore. All he saw was the hood of the car and cloudy skies. He glimpsed down again—the river was about to pour over the edge.
“The water is coming!” he shouted.
“Now!” roared Rohan and slammed down the handbrake lever. The car jolted forward, pressing Billy into his seat. Gaining speed, it drove across the ferry and, like a wild animal, leaped over the gap. Billy didn’t dare look down. His brain kept on rewinding the same thought—not in the water, not in the water. He watched the cloudy sky through the windshield like a wide-screen TV. Then the treetops slowly appeared and the car hit the edge of the road with its back wheels. Part of the road gave in and the car slid on its belly, but the front wheels already clawed into the road and pulled the car forward. A moment later, they drove at full speed farther away from the river.
“Hoo-ah!” A victorious yell came from Rohan.
“Yeah!” echoed Billy, still shaking.
* * *
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chi
ldproof
They drove for some time on the main road. Then at a point only known to Rohan, they made a sharp turn and went off the road into the forest. A light coat of snow dusted the ground, making it hard to tell whether the road really existed or they were just randomly dodging trees. Small bushes would appear in front of the car but Rohan drove over them without slowing down. A few times Billy glanced at Rohan just to make sure they weren’t lost. There was no confusion on Rohan’s face. He seemed to know what he was doing, so Billy didn’t ask. Finally, they came to a halt.
“We are here,” said Rohan and shut down the engine.
Billy looked out through the foggy window and saw nothing but bushes and trees.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” he asked with doubt.
“Positive.” Rohan glanced at Billy’s puzzled face and smiled. “Let’s go.”
Billy opened his door and slipped outside. The fresh snow softly crunched under his boots.
“It’s so quiet here,” Billy said, watching his own breath.
“Yes, it is,” Rohan agreed.
Billy zipped his jacket all the way up.
Rohan opened the back door and climbed inside. “We’re going to have a short walk,” Billy heard Rohan’s voice from back there along with the clanking and clattering of metal and wood. “Grab the hourglass, will you.”
Billy reached for his seat and pulled out the metal canister. He put it on the snow and carefully opened the lid. He removed the rags and checked the hourglass. It was intact. Billy sighed with relief and closed the lid.
After some hassle and a heavy grunt, Rohan appeared from the back of the car, holding a spare wheel.
Billy stared at him, puzzled. “We’re taking this?”
“Oh yeah,” Rohan grinned, satisfied.
Billy shrugged. “Okay.” The spare car wheel wasn’t something he would’ve taken for a short walk, but knowing Rohan, if that was his choice, there had to be a reason. Billy was just too weary to ask questions. Everything in time, he thought.
Rohan threw his backpack over his shoulder and with the spare wheel in the other arm led the way.
When they walked into the trees, darkness fell almost instantly. Treetops blocked the cloudy skies, leaving only a few small patches for the weak light to get through. If it wasn’t for the snow on the ground brightening the way, Billy would’ve thought that it was already night time. Carefully choosing his steps, he followed Rohan. Yet, despite his best efforts, very soon his pants and gloves became wet from frequent falling in snow on the slippery trail. Billy coiled his free arm around trees to help him keep his balance. The short walk turned into a trudge.
“Almost there,” said Rohan, as if sensing Billy’s mood, although there was no complaint coming from him.
They waded around a thick hedge of bushes. Half the leaves were gone. The ones remaining were colored green, red, and faded yellow. A thin layer of snow brought a truce between the colors.
Rohan halted. He dropped his load on the snow. “Wait here,” he told Billy and disappeared inside the bushes.
Billy lowered his canister and leaned on a tree. Light snow began to fall again. Billy removed one of his gloves and stretched out his arm. A few tiny snowflakes fell onto his warm palm and melted instantaneously. Billy wasn’t cold. He felt sweaty and hot from the hard walk.
The bushes rustled once more, and then Rohan appeared. He picked up his bag, the spare wheel, and the canister. “Let’s go,” he said and walked back into a leafy wall. Billy hesitated for only a second. He didn’t want to lose sight of Rohan. He plunged in and almost ran into Rohan’s back. Two steps forward and three to the right. Then forward again and a shift to the left. Zigzagging like that, they finally cleared the bushes, and Billy found himself standing at a doorway.
“What is it?” he asked.
“It’s a hunters shed. I found it in a previous chapter. It’s been long forgotten.” He saw Billy’s hesitation. “Don’t worry. No ghosts in here.”
“I’m not worried,” shrugged Billy and walked in.
He grimaced as damp air touched his nose. It also felt colder inside the shed. Rohan squatted beside a small fireplace, and a minute later Billy heard the crackling of wood in the fire.
Rohan added one more log and turned to Billy. “Get close to the heat; your clothes are soaked.”
Billy pulled up a small bench by the fireplace. Stretching out his hands, he basked in the fire’s warmth and watched the cheerful flames dance along the logs. The warmth on his palms never felt so good.
“Come here, Rohan. Aren’t you cold?”
“I’m fine, Billy, thanks.”
“What are you doing over there?”
“Getting ready for the next move.”
Billy looked over his shoulder. Rohan already had the hourglass on the table. His left hand was on its frame, right hand on the top plate, the expression on his face focused. Rohan took a deep breath, tightened his grip and then turned the top plate and lifted it up slightly. The compressed air escaped with a puff. Carefully, he put the plate on the table. Then Rohan reached for his bag and pulled out his modified time synchronizer, the one he had managed to save from their broken hourglass. He carried it closer to the fire and thoroughly examined it for any damage. Satisfied, he returned to the table. Billy silently observed Rohan switching the plates. He had no intention of interfering. The more comfortable he got by the fire, the sleepier he felt. In fact, up to this moment he hadn’t realized how exhausted he was, physically and emotionally. The weariness was slowly overtaking him.
In the meantime, Rohan positioned the time synchronizer on the top of the hourglass and turned it until it got to the right place and a light click sounded.
“Is it a childproof lid?” Billy asked in a weakening voice.
“You bet.”
Billy couldn’t tell whether Rohan was serious or joking back. It didn’t matter. His eyelids were getting heavy.
Billy watched Rohan disappear into a dark corner of the shed. A moment later, he materialized with a spare wheel in his arm. He placed it on the table beside the hourglass.
The mystery of the spare wheel is about to be unveiled, Billy thought, fighting to stay awake.
From the pocket of his nurse scrubs Rohan pulled out some plastic bags with IV tubing and sterile needles that he had snagged on his way out from the medical tent. He ripped them open and connected two needles to both ends of the IV tubing. He inserted one needle into a small hole on the side of the hourglass frame. Then he took the other IV needle and positioned it to the side of the wheel’s tire. Holding the needle with two hands, he firmly pressed it in. Billy heard air hiss as it passed from the tire to the hourglass.
“Perfect,” said Rohan and quickly removed the needle from the hourglass. He turned to Billy cheerfully, “Are you ready to rock?”
There was no answer. Unable to resist anymore, Billy had finally shut his eyes and fallen into a deep sleep.
* * *
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Truth
The heat was getting stronger and stronger until it became unbearable. White blisters appeared on Billy’s hands and face. They began to pop up like popcorn, letting clear fluid out, which evaporated at once under the heat.
“Ah!” Billy jerked up on his elbow, fully awake.
He was lying on his side, facing the fireplace. Beneath him was Rohan’s jacket, his backpack serving as a pillow. Billy looked at his hands—his skin was normal. He touched his face—it was warm from the fire but other than that, it was fine. A sigh of relief escaped from his lips—just a dream.
“Are you all right?” He heard Rohan’s voice behind him.
Billy turned around and froze in dismay. Instead of Rohan, there stood a spaceman. The dark visor of his helmet stared coldly at Billy.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Rohan’s voice sounded again. The spaceman lifted his hands and slid the visor to the top of his head.
“Rohan!” Billy exhaled in relief. “You a
lmost gave me a heart attack.”
“I’m sorry, Billy. I didn’t expect you to be up so soon.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“About two hours,” Rohan answered. “How do you feel?”
“Great.” To his own surprise, Billy indeed felt well rested.
“Well then, “said Rohan, “it’s time to change your attire.”
He tossed Billy a plastic package. “Put this on.”
“What is it?” Billy asked.
“It’s a protective suit.”
“Oh yeah,” now Billy remembered Rohan telling him about special suits that were supposed to protect them from harsh environments. Billy unfolded his suit, “It’s so light and thin.”
“Yet durable,” added Rohan.
“What is it made of, some kind of plastic?”
“Polyurethane laminate, to be precise. This laminated fabric is extremely useful as an all-weather barrier. In this, you don’t have to worry about rain, wind, or sun. ”
“Pretty cool,” exclaimed Billy. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“Actually, you may have, but not this quality.”
“Do I put it on top?”
“Oh no, leave on minimal clothing. It is going to be hot there.”
“Where are we going?” asked Billy as he changed.
“Back to Egypt.” Rohan paused for a moment. “Or forward, to be precise.”
The last remark completely restored Billy’s memory. “The Final Chapter,” he
whispered and looked at his suit with more respect.
Billy’s manner didn’t escape Rohan’s attention.
“Don’t worry, Billy,” he said. “It is a short mission, in and out. You’ll be home in no time.”
“You mentioned global warming,” Billy said quietly.
“It is not that big of a deal.” Rohan tried to sound more casual. “Besides, we have these suits.”
“If it’s not a big deal, what do we need special suits for?”
“This is more of a precaution, in case something goes wrong.”
“And how many times lately have things gone as planned?” Billy looked directly at Rohan’s eyes. “Tell me the truth. I need to know where I’m going and what I’m going to be dealing with.”
“I guess the boy has really grown up,” Rohan said softly. He pulled himself a bench and nodded at Billy to be seated too. Billy parked cross-legged by the fireplace.