Chapter 30 #4
Bracing to plunge, I pulled in a deep drag of air before jumping into Lake Mirae.
The water slapped against me, searing on my injured shoulder.
I was not a prolific swimmer by any account, but I knew the basics.
I rotated my arms and legs, paddling forward.
Soon, I was kicking and grabbing at the water, shoving it back and myself forward.
Brackish liquid slipped into my ears, eyes, nose, and mouth.
I spat it out as I came up for each breath.
It burned my eyes, forcing tears to mix with the soggy soup surrounding me.
Something slimy brushed against my ankles.
Ahead of me, Corra reached the shore of the small island in the middle of the lake, dripping as she waddled toward the building.
I pumped my arms and legs faster.
I reached the shore a few minutes later, heaving my sodden body onto the sand. Bereft of the weightlessness from being suspended in the lake, the water had mutated into a crushing blanket trying to make me one with the ground. I crawled until I could stand upright, stumbling toward the lodge.
The sky’s hue was blossoming from raspberry to blackberry. I had made it before sundown, but barely.
My socks made a horrible slurping noise on the wood as I entered, but before I could peel them off I was engulfed in a bear hug by Pasha.
“About time!” she cried, squeezing what little breath I had left out of me. I clamped my arms around her, ignoring the flash of pain from my shoulder and the filthy state of our attire and personages.
The lodge was surprisingly expansive on the interior, exposed rafters terminating in a peak at the roofline.
Walls were dotted with a collection of paintings of indeterminate skill, subject matter ranging from abstract to picture perfect landscapes.
The style of art, and even the furniture in the room didn’t match properly, like one interior designer had been replaced with another while choosing what would furnish the space.
Not that it mattered much right now since it was generously stamped with muddy boot prints. Rain pelted the shelter. The upholstery gave off the smell of a drowned animal.
Instructor Penbrook stood beside Izaiah, removing his Skinscripted hand from the injury on Izaiah’s wrist. The skin looked flawless again, but Izaiah was pale as he leaned back against a wall.
“No problems getting here?” I asked Pasha.
“Who do you think you’re talking to?” she tossed damp locks over her shoulder with a dramatic raise of her chin. “There was some guy who looked like a chewed up shoe when he got here, though.”
Before I could ask her more about that, Instructor Penbrook made his way toward me, looking haggard.
“Forty sixth place,” he announced without inflection. “Any injuries?”
I motioned to my shoulder. He reached out, pressing the Skinscripted hand to my shirt sleeve. Knowing his style, I clamped my lips together to avoid screaming before burning pain seared through me.
“Good as new,” he declared, releasing me.
Slipping past him, I tugged Pasha with me deeper into the lodge to see who else had made it.
More familiar faces waited one room over, Veridiana, Henrik, Benji, Yeshar, Georlan and Talissa were all huddling around a crackling fireplace.
Everyone had formed a ring around the fire to warm themselves.
Three people I didn’t know were leaning against one another, dozing.
I didn’t see Rosa or Mikalyn. No one spoke, too tired from the final or too nervous about whether or not any stragglers would make it in time.
The silence was expectant, tinged with fatigue and worry.
Instructor Weavir hovered over the room, still like a statue.
Drained voices came from the front room, and two more trainees I didn’t know filed into the room, holding each other’s hands. Mikalyn followed them shortly after.
Pasha shot me a look with an eyebrow raised. I shrugged.
I let myself land in a seat by the window, knowing if I sat near the fire I wouldn’t be getting up again. The last of the light outside flickered out.
No one else entered the lodge.
This was it then. Scanning the faces in the room, I memorized each one. This was this year’s graduating class of Voyagers. Future crewmates I’d be working with on Arc expeditions.
Everyone else came to the same conclusion as we measured each other up. More strangers than friends stared back at me.
Had Rosa failed to make it here on time, or was she out in the storm somewhere, wounded? Had she made it out of the cave, or was she still stranded there, alone in the dark?
I was wet, hungry, and tired. From the look of it, the sentiment was shared by everyone in this room. All my emotions had eroded down inside me, leaving nothing but dying embers. Not even the dull twinge of pride could penetrate the exhaustion trying to lull me to sleep.
We’d passed the final exam, but I didn’t feel like celebrating.
“Congratulations are in order,” Instructor Weavir clasped his hands together. “You are all officially Voyagers.”