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It’s been seven days. The hike was grueling, especially for Resi, who is not
doing very well. He’s run out of medicine. It was supposed to last him a few
weeks, but he took a little more than the recommended dose each time, and
now he can’t even synthesize more. But this is it. This is his moment. If we
can predict exactly when this volcano erupts, it will be worth it. He can
die if he has to. Chaya, Caprice, and even Kartica will walk back down, warn
the Bungulan scientist when it’s going to happen, and then they can craft
their magical technology into a solution. The problem is, so far, he’s not
seen anything. They stopped a few more times than they absolutely had to so
he could take a nap. He needed the rest and recovery period, but he was also
always hoping to trigger a new vision. Nothing came to him. Not even a hint.
Every once in a while, Chaya would do something totally unexpected, like
throw a fruit at him. One time, she tore off all of her clothes. Or rather,
she was going to. He stopped her. Because he saw that she was
planning on it. Which was great. Not only could he save her the trouble, but
it also proves that changing the future is possible. They have to stop that
volcano.
They’re on the rim of the caldera now, in the process of walking around the
entire circumference. They’re moving even slower now; again, because Resi
can’t keep pace, and because he’s trying to see something meaningful.
Nothing is doing anything. He’s starting to think he made the whole thing
up. Yes, he has visions of the future, but maybe this one is just a dream.
Maybe that’s just what the Kidjum elixir does to his brain. Both things can
be true at the same time without it being this complex web of connections.
“Well, ladies, I don’t think this is doing us any good. I hope you at least
see it as a good way to make your daily steps, because nothing else has come
of it.”
They’re all breathing heavily, and nodding. They don’t want to agree with
that assessment, but there’s no reasonable alternative. It hasn’t helped
anything. Kartica drops her pack, and starts looking for something in it.
“There’s one more thing we can try.” She takes her hand back out, coming
back with a black box. She opens it, and as she does, dry ice vapor seeps
out of the gap. Inside is one vial of Kidjum elixir.
“You told me not to take that stuff again,” Resi reminds her. “You said it
was too dangerous.” He can’t admit that she was right to bring it. It only
makes sense.
“It is,” she confirms. “But you look desperate, and honestly, so am
I. You also look like you might not survive the night, so if you’re willing
to take the risk, I am too.”
“Don’t do this,” Caprice urges. “She’s wrong. You will survive the
night, and when we wake up in the morning, we’ll take the fast trail back
down. If we think you won’t be able to handle it, we can call for a
helicopter ride.”
“How would we do that?” Chaya questions.
“With this satellite phone.” She takes it out of her pack. The thing is
giant, probably to accommodate a huge power source, so it never requires
charging, and to make it harder to break. “I have a direct line to the
Bungulans. I had to, it isn’t safe.”
Caprice and Kartica start arguing with each other, but Resi interrupts them.
“I’ll decide.” He takes the sat phone, and then the box. “Let’s all have
some dinner, then go to bed. “Okay?” He doesn’t get a response. “Okay?” He
adds, “okay,” when they nod.
That night, he sneaks out of the tent he’s been sharing with Chaya, puts his
shoes back on, and then begins the descent into the caldera. That’s where
his visions are waiting for him. He knows it.
