Interlude
Naga fell.
Naga wanted to pop, but Naga could not pop. If Naga popped without permission, Naga must leave Arturo behind.
Bob! Naga said. Can I pop?
Not yet! Bob said. Wait, Naga!
Naga did not want to wait. Naga wanted to scream. Naga tried to flute. Air whooshed by. Naga’s spines would not flute, so Naga fluted silently inside her mind. A silent, desperate scream.
Arturo held Naga tight. As long as Arturo held Naga, Arturo was not dead. When Arturo hit the ground, Arturo would be squished. Naga would be squished. Arturo and Naga would be dead.
Naga did not want to be dead. Naga could not help friends if Naga was dead. Naga screamed silently and waited until she could pop.
The ground was getting closer. Naga and Arturo fell down, down, down, and still Naga could not pop.
Bob, Naga asked again. Can I pop? Can I pop?
Wait, Bob said. Wait. Oh, wait, YES! POP, NAGA! POP!
Naga could not pop far because of the Cloud around the planet. So Naga found a place beneath the trees. Naga found a place near where Dayan fell. A quiet, secret place.
Naga popped with Arturo. Naga saw the Big Minds. The Big Minds saw Naga. Under the gaze of the Big Minds, Naga floated. Naga was no longer falling. Compared to falling, the Big Minds were not so scary. Naga hoped that they were friends.
Did you like the mushroom? Naga asked.
Yes, little delver, the Big Minds said. Then Naga ceased to float. Naga popped into the secret place. Naga was tucked inside the crook of Arturo’s arm. Arturo held on too tight. Naga was squished.
“Squish!” Naga fluted.
Arturo did not respond. Arturo was breathing hard. Arturo seemed even more scared than Naga, but he had not screamed. Naga imagined he also screamed silently inside his mind.
“Squish!” Naga fluted again.
“Oh, sorry,” Arturo said. Arturo loosened his grip. He set Naga down on a log.
Arturo fell to the ground beneath a big tree. The tree did not move. The tree did not try to eat Arturo. If the tree tried to eat Arturo, Naga would need to pop.
Can I pop again? Naga asked Bob.
No, Bob said. Wait.
Want the others, Naga said. Pop?
No, Bob said. Wait. Too many pops. Wait now.
Naga quivered. Naga waved her spines. Naga wished she could pop to her friends.
Friends are safe? Naga asked.
For now, Bob said. Wait.
Naga had to wait, but Naga did not have to like it.
Soon, Bob said.
Soon, Naga would be reunited with her friends.