They continued on until Mich halted them. “This is no good. We’re going nowhere. I’m going to look at the map again.”
They dismounted and studied the map together. There was nothing to tell them which way to proceed. They had gone off the map’s edge. Disgusted, Nola walked away.
“What now?” Tina asked.
“I don’t know,” Mich admitted.
“Did you notice the river?”
Mich turned and stared. “The dam must be finished! It must be drying up! I knew this would happen! We ‘ve got to find that dam! There must be some clue on what to do next in this map.”
They stood for a while, stymied. If only the map extended farther!
Mich practically tore the map as a scream came, and Tina jumped. “What was that?” she asked, alarmed.
“It was Nola!” he said, throwing down the map. “It came from over there.”
He looked in the direction Nola had walked. She had been standing on the bank of the river, but now she was gone. He hoped she hadn’t fallen in. The water was low, but the muck beneath could be deep. She couldn’t have been that careless!
As he stared at the empty spot where her voice had come from, he heard her scream again. He rushed over. Just as he reached the sound, he was blinded by a sharp and stinging flash of light, and Nola stood before him.
He went to embrace her. “Stop!” she cautioned. “You’re going to push me back through!”
Mich drew back, confused. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine! I was just startled. I think I found something.”
“What? What is it?”
Nola took Mich’s hand and walked him to the spot where she had disappeared.
“Feel this,” she said, guiding his hand. He felt a wall beneath his fingers. It was smooth, like glass, yet there was nothing there. His hand was pressed against air.
“How can there be a wall here? I don’t see anything.”
Nola moved his hand across the invisible wall’s surface and it disappeared with a spark of light. “It’s okay!” she said, seeing his concerned look. “Your hand is just on the other side.”
“The other side of what?” he asked as his own hand disappeared. The wall apparently had a hole in it.
“The other side of Kafta, I think.”
“What are you talking about?”
Nola decided she would have to show him. She led him through the invisible doorway.
Suddenly, they found themselves in a vortex of air that sucked at their bodies like a vacuum. Kafka’s landscape was rushing around them in a great circle as if they were in the eye of a tornado. The wind pulled at their hair and clothing and threatened to separate them. Nola wasn’t as afraid of it as she had been. It was actually kind of fun, like a ride at an amusement park. Mich, on the other hand, had a terrified expression on his face.
There was a loud cracking noise like the sound of lightning striking a power line, and in a few seconds they stood before the Mangor Mountain range, both slightly dizzy. “Do you know where we are?” Nola asked.
“Yeah, that looks like Mangor, where Madrid lives,” he said, pointing south. “And look, here is the river.” Then he did a double take. “But how can Mangor be south? It’s always been the most northern point in Kafka. No one has ever been beyond because of the monsters that live there. How have we gotten north of them?”
They turned north, away from the mountains, and saw the unknown. The River of Thought stretched as far as they could see and the landscape looked the same as the one they had just left.
Nola found the wall behind them and they stepped back through the doorway. They returned, near to the spot where they had exited.
Spirit, Heat and Tina were standing nearby. All were amazed by what they saw. Snort had returned, and was staring similarly. “Just exploring,” Nola said brightly. “We’re all right.”
Snort, relieved, got back to business. He gave the Kahh back to Mich, who put it in the pocket of his sweatpants. Snort reported that he could not find the dragons. When he searched the mountains, he only found Fren.
“What happened to us just then?” Nola asked before Mich could ask about the Fren.
“I’m not positive, but I think we entered some kind of warp. We just stepped beyond the northernmost region of Kafka!”
I understand that portholes like this exist, Heat thought. When you went there, did you find the source?
Mich became worried. He should have seen the source, but had not. “We were at Mangor. I saw the river, but it never ended.”
“What the hell d’ya mean, it never ended?” Tina demanded. “All rivers end!”
“I’m sure they do. But I saw no end.” Mich contemplated what he had seen. If this was a porthole, why did it bring them to Mangor? Why not some other part of Kafka, or why not another world, for that matter, as was the nature of portholes? Unless it was some kind of magic loop.
“Heat, do you think it could be a magical loop?” he asked.
I suppose it is possible. If you went through it here, which is as far south as the map shows, and then came up just north of Mangor . . . He trailed off and walked over to the invisible wall. Let me conduct an experiment on this wall. Perhaps I can find out more about it. Would you mind assisting me, Tina?
Mich was shocked that Heat would ask for her help instead of his. She was a Creator, but Heat was his best friend. He felt a little jealous for the relationship that had begun to form between the two during their trip down.
“Sure, why not,” she said wryly.
Snort. The little dragon perked up. See if you can locate some life form, such as a pink bunny or a rat, but do not harm it.
Snort bounded through the grass in his usual way, trying to scare out some critters, but nothing appeared. The plain was barren of game. Snort finally came back carrying a purple cricket. He was disgusted that he couldn’t come up with anything better.
It’s kind of small, but it will have to do. Give it to Tina.
Snort did as directed. He was glad to have the bug out of his mouth. It had taken great restraint for him not to chomp it and swallow it. He was starving!
Now, place the cricket on the wall.
Tina gently put the cricket on the vertical face of the wall. The cricket slipped down, but scrambled back up and slipped again. It managed to stay on the wall with difficulty. It hung there, in the air.
Now, Tina, cut the cricket in half. Make sure that it doesn't fall off the wall.
“Ewww!”
“Just do it!” Mich snapped. He was immediately ashamed for that outburst. He was somewhat miffed at her for an obscure reason that made no sense to him. He was also anxious to see what Heat was getting at.
Watch carefully, Heat told them.
Tina fished in her purse and produced a tiny pocket knife, just the right size for slicing up crickets. She gingerly held the cricket to the wall and pressed the knife across its midsection, separating it into two halves.
The others looked at the halved cricket as its lower half slid disgustingly down through the air, leaving a string of guts on the wall. “So, what about it?” Tina asked.
Just keep watching the two halves. The cricket is not yet dead.
Everyone was extremely interested now. They all stared at the cricket, which still twitched an antenna. As it twitched for the last time, something strange happened.
“Look!” Mich said. “It has multiplied, like the worms. There are four of them now!”
Not so, Heat thought. Look closer.
They did.
It is not four crickets, but two halved crickets.
The group exchanged bewildered glances. “What good are two halved crickets?” Nola finally asked.
Then Mich caught on. “Oh! I get it now.” He doubled over, as if someone had punched him, and he stomped his foot. “Why didn’t I realize that before! Damn! Misty uses one of these when she gets ready to go spooking!”
Nola saw that he was going through his cute little dramatics, but the curiosi
ty was getting to her. “What?’’ she demanded.
“Don’t you get it? It’s a death mirror!”
The others were blank. He decided he had better explain before the girls became furious. “It’s a mirror, really. It reflects only dead things.”
“But it reflects everything,” Nola said. “It reflects the grass and the river so that it looks as if it goes on forever.”
“But the grass is brown. It’s all dead here, and the river is not a living thing,” he said.
“That’s true.”
Mich turned to Heat. “Can we fly over it?”
I’m afraid the lack of even the slightest breeze would make flight impossible. We need wind to help lift our bulk.
“Can we go around it?”
Let Spirit and me check.
Heat leapt over the drying river and galloped a short distance away, while Spirit galloped to the other end. They stood for a moment, checking the dam, then ran on again. They repeated this until they were over the horizon and out of sight. In a few minutes they came galloping into sight and rejoined the group.
The dam seems to extend infinitely. Perhaps it makes a circuit around the whole of Kafka. The Fren have surely been planning this for a long time.
“Do you think the source might be behind this mirror?”
Indeed, it seems quite possible. However—
“Then all we have to do is smash it!” Mich found a large rock and heaved it at the mirror.
Uh, I wouldn’t advise— Heat warned, but it was too late. The prince was still too impetuous for anyone’s good.
The rock flew toward the mirror, struck it, and began to fly right back to him. He ducked, just as the rock flew over his head and landed with a splash in the river, causing its colors to mix.
Mich looked at Heat. He felt like a fool. Why did he always act first and listen later? He should be more patient.
I apologize, Heat thought. I should have warned you about that. It seems that this death mirror has been constructed of dreamstone, the type which cannot be destroyed by any Kafkian.
Mich was stricken. What would he do if the source were behind it? He couldn’t destroy it. No Kafkian could, and neither Nola nor Tina were ready.
Just then he felt a wonderful notion creep up inside his head. It grew and grew and grew, until it burst out of his mouth as joyous laughter. He laughed so hard that he was forced to sit down.
He was jolted out of his enraptured state by two silver hooves being stamped down beside him. He looked up. Heat was glaring at him, his ears flat. Mich could see his distorted image in his friend’s silver eyes.
I fail to behold the drollery of this predicament. Heat was gritting his teeth, trying not to be angry with his friend.
Mich tried his best to keep from smiling, but could not. He knew that Heat rarely lost his temper, but when he did, his words became almost too large to comprehend. “We found it.”
Spirit stepped closer as he saw Mich about to laugh again. Found what? he asked blithely.
Mich looked at Tina, then at Nola, who was now smiling also.
“We found the source!”
Nola’s smile turned to a look of astonishment and confusion. “We found the what?”
“The source! You still don’t get it? This death mirror wasn’t put here to reflect the dead; there is nothing here for it to reflect but bugs, grass and sky.”
“Would you just get to the point? I’m going nuts!” Nola said. His bright green eyes were wide with excitement.
“This is the dam,” he said, almost crying for joy. “This mirror was built to trick people! This is the dam!"
Nola realized, finally, that he was right. The mirror did extend across the river. She bowled him over in her rush to hug him. She lay atop him and kissed him.
Mich enjoyed her happy kiss and held her close. Her body was soft and warm and cushioned in all the right places, so this position was hardly uncomfortable.
The kiss was excruciatingly sweet and long. He felt a hot flash travel up from his toes. When it finally reached his heart, she pulled away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered to him. Then she spoke louder to the others. “This means Kafka is safe!”
“Far from it!” a nasty voice howled.
Nola looked up and found herself gazing into the mirror. In its reflection was a small, scraggly-looking creature. It looked like an ugly little dog with a man’s head. It stood on its hind legs and in his paw was a scourge. Across its forehead was a diadem of thorns. Behind him were several more creatures, each with a dangerous-looking razor that was shaped like a jag of lightning. Their black eyes glinted ominously.
She disengaged from Mich and stood up. “What—?”
“I have come to kill the ones who may aspire to halt my takeover, and it seems I have found you.”
Reility! Spirit whinnied. He reared up, his hooves stroking the air, his teeth bared.
Reility whipped Spirit’s flank with the scourge. The assault was so swift and accurate that Nola didn’t see it until Spirit’s black hide was turned red with his own blood. She winced as she felt his pain.
Reility’s face showed no emotion, neither malice nor pity. Something in his face seemed horrifyingly familiar.
“Next?” he said, smiling an artificial smile.
Nola slowly backed up against Mich, who in turn backed against the dam. One of the Fren was instantly between Mich and the wall, holding his jag at Mich’s back.
“You realize that you cannot escape death,” Reility informed them. “It comes, ready or not.”
This was awful. It had come down to this at last. Nola had thought it would. The Fren would destroy her and her friends, just as they had the rest of Kafka. The Fren would conquer and this wonderful place would be a world of pain, despair and hopelessness—and the blame would be laid at her feet. It was just like her to screw it all up. Why couldn’t she discover her power?
Nola felt Spirit’s voice speak to her, privately, carefully. Nola, you must jump into the river. You must go home. Take Mich and Tina with you.
Nola started to cry. I can’t leave you here! she thought back. I can’t come back until you recharge! That’s five years; please don’t make me go!
Please, Nola. By my troth, I swear you will return soon. As for me, if you truly love me, my friend, you will do as I ask and do not worry; just go.
Nola could feel the sadness in his heart, but she knew that if she did not take his advice, he would be even more unhappy and they might never see each other again. It seemed that five years wasn’t so long to wait after all. She would have to leave, though her heart was breaking.
Tina was surprised when Nola took her hand. Did she, after all, care what happened to her? Maybe. She would have to remember to thank her one of these days for it, if they got out of this alive.
“Well, Lady Nola, who will be first to taste death?” Reility asked. “Perhaps your horse?” He whipped Spirit again across his tender nose.
Nola was angered beyond control. “You cannot kill him! He’s a dream!”
“No, but he can feel pain and feel what it’s like to wish he were dead. And I can do worse to him than inflict pain. Perhaps you’d like to see?”
“I will destroy you!” she yelled. “I know where the source is. Did you think you could trick us with this mirror?”
“You fool! Your stupidity is astounding; the river has no source. It is never ending and never beginning. The only source is your own tiny brains! And as you can see, they are not enough. My people grow stronger every day, and you are helping us!”
“Helping you? Never! I am here to wipe you out!”
“Don’t think that I don’t know about you and your misguided friends. You have not yet fathomed the secret, and don’t think I will give you the chance to do so. Take her!” he yelled to his minions.
“Bite me!” she cried back.
As the first Fren reached her, she threw herself into the river. She felt a razor graze her side as she plunged, headlong, into the tep
id water. Tina’s hand was wrenched from her own when she fell in, but Tina had already lost her balance. Mich was caught by surprise and was pulled in with Tina.
They found themselves in the sea, struggling to reach the surface.
They were deeper than they had been before, and Tina blacked out immediately. This time, both Mich and Nola were wide awake and swimming mightily to the surface, trying to drag Tina.
Nola’s head came above water and she filled her lungs with clean air. Her heart rate suddenly increased and she too blacked out.
When Nola came to, she was lying on a beach towel on the shore. Mich was kneeling beside her, speaking softly.
“Nola, are you okay?” he asked, stroking her forehead.
“Yes,” she answered, smiling weakly. The razor wound had been bandaged up. She could see that it had bled a lot. The bandage was soaked. Too bad she couldn’t have remained in Kafka long enough to have it magically healed. But of course that was the point: to get out of there in a hurry.
Nola thought she had better be cheerful for the sake of the others, considering what had happened, but inside she was sad and angry. Somewhere in the back of her mind, her suicidal voice cried out for the escape of death. She did her best to ignore it. Reility had taken her away from her heart friend, possibly forever. She felt as if a vital piece of her soul had been torn out. But no matter how long she was here, she had to have faith in Spirit’s promise that she would be able to return to Kafka one day. What, then, would become of Mich? Was she going to lose him forever?
She tried to hold back the torrent of tears, but one slipped loose. She quickly wiped it away.
“Are you sure you are all right? You look flushed.”
“It’s okay. I’m just a little upset, that’s all. Where is Tina?” she asked, changing the subject.
“She’s okay. She’s here.”
Nola sat up and looked. Tina was standing behind her.
“How you feelin’ girlie? Lemme change that bandage for ya.” Tina ripped another long strip from the bottom of her skirt. She removed the old bandage, and when Nola saw the cut she felt squeamish. Tina quickly applied the new bandage, tying it tightly.