She whispered, “Micah.”
The warriors clustered around her, gazing out in silence. The leader looked at her, solemnly acknowledging her loss.
Catalina shook her head, shouting, “No! I ain’t buying it,” and bounded down the rim toward the water.
She’d only made it halfway when the ground beneath her feet began to shake, knocking her down. The lake water churned violently, generating ocean-worthy waves.
And the Anomaly that had been stationary for millions of years began to rotate.
#
Micah was floating inside the sphere. But he wasn’t adrift in a confined space; it was as if all of infinity stretched out before him. Phosphorescent strands swam by, connecting with each other to form new, brilliantly colored light sculptures. Vaporous shapes of extinct creatures drifted around him, like ghosts from millennia past. Micah couldn’t tell if they were near or a hundred miles away. In the distance, thousands of those glowing strands intertwined, forming some huge pulsing celestial ball. The only sound was an endless, oscillating wind rushing past.
Micah realized he was looking at firing brain synapses. I’m not just inside the Anomaly, I’m inside the intelligence. A mind functioning outside of space and time.
Looking back, he could see the hole in the sphere—but it seemed so far away. The hole momentarily lit up in a brilliant flash of light. Micah tried to turn towards it, but he was being propelled forward, towards the pulsing celestial ball.
One of the phosphorescent strands veered off its course, coming straight at him until it touched his head. A low electrical shock coursed through Micah’s skull, accompanied by a deafening burst of static. The initial jolt was agonizing; then the electricity and sound diminished as if tuning to a comfortable volume.
Other glowing synapses coalesced into floating images. But this time they weren’t forming the ghosts of extinct creatures. It was Micah’s life.
Images of an infant Faye rippled in front of him, followed by more recent memories. Pulling her away from the snake. Holding her out so Catalina could save her. Embracing her on the dinghy as Megapiranhas leapt around them. Finally, her serene, smiling face as she stroked the pink dolphin.
Micah looked at the image floating in the air and whispered, “Faye,” then closed his eyes, certain that would be his last word before he was dragged into some alternate reality. The electrical charge in his skull ceased, and something squeezed his hand. He felt himself being drawn backwards, towards the entryway.
Opening his eyes, he found himself face-to-face with the ancient shaman. Somehow, the old man was walking, despite not having a floor, or anything, beneath him—an amazing feat, considering that he was dead.
Nothing to be freaked out about. You’re floating in a celestial black hole with a dead man dragging you along. Totally normal.
The old man gazed at Micah with a smile so beatific that it melted away the panic welling inside him. The shaman released his grip, and Micah was sent rocketing through the void towards the exit.
A heartbeat later, he was fired through the hole like a human cannonball. He hurtled through the air, bracing himself to land on the hard wooden platform.
But instead, he splashed down into violently churning water and sank.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Micah sank straight to the bottom of the lake. Once his feet touched the bottom his survival instincts sprang into action, driving him to kick hard until he broke the surface, coughing up water. But something seemed determined to drag him back under.
It was a whirlpool.
He tried grabbing the Anomaly for support, only to discover it was spinning. Its rotation was creating a water vortex he couldn’t escape.
A voice, barely audible over the churning waves, shouted, “Grab it!”
Micah went under again, sucked straight to the muddy bottom. Using his legs, he pushed off the lakebed, kicking like a madman. The action propelled him to the surface, where he managed one deep breath before feeling himself being dragged under again.
He heard that voice again, shouting, “Grab the ring, dummy!”
Something bounced off Micah’s forehead; then he caught a flash of red and white bobbing in front of him. He latched on to it before going under again. Someone wrapped their arms around his waist, pushing him back to the surface.
Catalina popped up from beneath the water, slipping the red-and-white life preserver under his arms. Despite wearing two life jackets she’d salvaged from the gunboat, she could barely stay afloat. Once the life preserver was secure, she frantically yanked on a rope running back to shore.
Grabbing on to the edge of the life preserver, she shouted, “Now kick!” and started swimming.
They both swam furiously, fighting for every inch of forward motion. The rope on the life preserver snapped taught, and their speed increased. Someone on the other end was pulling them toward land, while the water vortex was hellbent on hauling them under.
Micah was able to make out the distant shore, where a line of warriors stood, the rope slung over their shoulders. They marched forward in unison, pulling them a few feet, before reining in the slack and repeating the ordeal.
The water grew shallower until Micah’s feet finally touched ground. His legs trembled from the seismic activity below.
He shouted, “What’s happening?”
“Whatever you did triggered an earthquake.”
“Oh.”
After a few more steps, Micah was clear of the water. He crawled a few feet before flopping down on his back, chest heaving. The ground beneath him still shook, but he was too exhausted to care.
Catalina plopped down next to him, looking just as spent. She looked at him, smiled and asked, “So, did the Earth move for you too?” Her words whistled through the gap where her front teeth should have been.
Despite the pain in his … everyplace … Micah managed to laugh. With her help he sat up, watching the top of the Anomaly slip beneath the surface in a giant whirlpool. Moments later, the lake’s water was sucked down into the earth, like a giant bathtub drain, reducing the water level to mere inches. There was no sign of the Anomaly.
Micah said, “The quake must have caused soil liquefaction, the same thing that made the Anomaly rise in the first place.”
Catalina chuckled and said, “Only you could make Armageddon sound boring.”
“Hopefully that’s what we stopped. Now it’s back underground where it’s supposed to be.”
“Along with your pants.”
Micah realized that he’d been stripped naked by the whirlpool but couldn’t summon the energy to be embarrassed.
He said, “I think it’s going to sleep again.”
The warriors lined up along what had been the water’s edge and dropped to their knees, their ethereal voices ringing out in unison.
Catalina saw the wound on Micah’s side. “Christ, you’re shot!”
“Yeah. I also have second-degree burns on my feet and frostbite. I think being inside sort of helped me heal up.”
“Inside what?”
Micah said, “The Anomaly. I went inside.”
Catalina stared at him in amazement. “Wow… What was that like?”
Cocking his head toward the chanting warriors, he replied, “Well, if I wasn’t so beat up, I’d be right there singing hymns with ’em.”
Catalina asked, “So why didn’t it, you know, reset the world? I mean it was clearly under attack.”
“I think it saw something that changed its mind.”
“What was that?”
“Faye.”
Catalina gave him a puzzled look.
Micah said, “I guess the intelligence decided that, despite the attack, there was hope for the world after all.” He lay back, staring up into the sky. Brilliantly charged particles rose from the lake into the sky, dancing like a daytime aurora borealis. He said, “Pretty, ain’t it?”
Catalina gazed up at the dancing lights and sang, “Beautiful Nebraska, as you look around,
you will find a rainbow reaching to the ground.”
“You know, most people would have just sung ‘Over the Rainbow’.”
Catalina curled up closer, placing her head on his chest and whispered, “That’s Kansas, dummy.”
Micah started laughing until, overwhelmed by his injuries and the sheer absurdity of it all, he passed out.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Micah slowly opened his eyes, uncertain of his surroundings. The room was dim, but he could smell incense, herbs and cooking food—a homey mélange that made him feel safe. He let out a long grunt, attracting the attention of an elderly tribal woman. She hovered over him for a few seconds then slipped away.
Moments later, a familiar voice chimed in with, “Well, look who’s finally awake.” Catalina looked down at him, offering a gap-toothed smile.
Micah asked, “Are we at the village?”
“Yup. You’ve been out cold for three days. Mostly with young native girls massaging and bathing you.”
“Kinda sorry I slept through that.” Micah tried to sit up, but a throbbing headache made him reconsider. “At least I’m not waking up on a boat, ’cause that never ends well. So, how am I?”
“Intact and remarkably well. That bullet just went through the meaty part of your side, and the burns on your feet are healing up. You also cracked some ribs, bruised a kidney and probably had a concussion. You were just a hot, steaming mess, but their herbal medicines work miracles. I’m getting the impression some of these folks are going on two hundred years old. You’ll probably be up and hobbling around soon, and once that happens, they’ll help us get back to civilization.”
“Can’t we just take Batista’s yacht? Trust me; he’s not using it.”
Catalina shook her head. “Not happening. Your little stunt created an EMP that fried everything for miles. That yacht’s just a million-dollar rowboat now.”
“It had too many bad memories anyway.” Micah looked around. The hut was jammed with fruit, arrows and clay statuettes. Resting among them was the fragment of the Anomaly he’d returned to the tribe. “What’s all this stuff?”
“Gifts. You’re quite the celebrity around these parts. I guess some folks think restoring balance to the universe is a big deal.”
Faye charged in, letting out an excited squeal that echoed in Micah’s throbbing skull.
She shrieked, “You’re awake!”
The little girl threw her arms around her father, squeezing his cracked ribs. He didn’t even wince. Seeing her safe was more restorative than any herbal medicine.
Micah said, “Hey, honey bunny, did you miss me?” Faye just laughed, squeezing him even harder. He asked, “So have you gone native?”
Faye was dressed in a loincloth, her hair adorned with decorative feathers.
She replied, “My other clothes were ruined,” then launched into a rapid-fire account of her new friends, the games they played, animals she’d seen and every other conceivable detail. She bookended it with, “Here’s my other new friend.”
Queen Caveira’s monkey slunk into the hut, still wearing the tattered remnants of its sailor suit. Upon seeing Micah, it took refuge behind Faye, clearly remembering their previous encounters.
Micah said, “Is that little bum still hanging around? I kinda hoped somebody would’ve eaten him by now.”
Faye petted her simian friend, insisting, “No, he’s a good monkey. I named him Bandit ’cause he always brings me stuff.”
“Other people’s stuff no doubt. You know, the tribe was wasting their miracle medicine ’cause your mother’s just gonna kill me anyway.”
Sensing the tension, the monkey scurried into the far corner of the hut and began furiously digging at the dirt floor.
With a groan, Micah said, “Oh, please tell me it’s not gonna take a dump in here.”
After a few seconds of digging, the monkey came back over, carrying something. It cautiously approached Micah, placing the object next to his head, then ducked for cover behind Faye.
Micah picked it up, gaping at it. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Catalina asked, “Is that what I think it is?”
It was the emerald that had traveled from Batista to Micah to Queen Caveira before winding its way back to him.
Locking eyes with the monkey, Micah said, “The queen taught you well. I’m officially declaring a truce.” He turned to Faye. “Honey, can you go play with your thieving pal outside for a minute, so Catalina and I can talk?”
Without hiding her disappointment, Faye said, “Okay. But don’t take forever,” and left with her monkey pal in tow.
Catalina studied the emerald, saying, “Ain’t that something? It goes all the way around the jungle and then plops right back into your lap.”
“Your point?”
“I’m just saying, maybe there’s a little woo-woo magical stuff going on here. Things science and logic can’t explain.”
“I get it. Relax, I’m one hundred percent sold on the whole, ‘more things in heaven and earth’ deal. Now, how about helping me up?”
“You sure?”
“No, but let’s give it a shot.”
With a little work, and a lot of groaning, Catalina helped Micah out of the hut. The cool night air felt revitalizing. Members of the tribe eyed him bashfully then went about their business.
With a mischievous grin, Catalina said, “See, they’re acting all shy ’cause you’re the big man on campus. So, what’re you gonna do?”
Micah leaned back against a post, asking, “What do you mean?”
“You just proved all your whacky theories and discovered an alien artifact to boot. You can pretty much write your own ticket now. So … whatcha gonna do?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Really? ’Cause the clean energy from that thing could save the earth.”
“Humanity’s not the earth, we’re just one of its tenants. One who’s only been around for the blink of an eye in geologic time. The Anomaly seeded the planet, helped life emerge and take hold.”
“But using it as a clean energy source might save humanity.”
“Think about it. Even if we reversed climate change, we still have the potential for nuclear war or a global pandemic or AI running amok. And let’s not forget how people will react when we tell them that God’s … what did you call it?”
“A big dirty Christmas ornament.” She took a moment to ponder that. “Yeah, that news might cause some social unrest.”
“More like World War Three. But here’s the thing; even if humanity puts a gun to its head, and kills everything else in the process, Mother Earth will still have her insurance policy. The Anomaly can reset the clock and give life a second chance. Then, who knows, maybe in three or four billion years humanity’ll get another turn at bat. But if we share this discovery, governments will descend on this place like locusts; hell there’d probably be a war just to see who gets their grubby mitts on it.”
“So what happens to humanity?”
Micah said, “Humanity has to put on its big boy pants and save itself.” He watched Faye innocently playing with the village children and his tone grew wistful. “You know, I think that, just maybe, we have a decent shot at that.”
“What if somebody else finds it?”
“It’s hidden again, and everyone who knew about it is dead, except for our pointy-headed friends, and they ain’t talking. Let’s just leave it be and let these folks keep their simple life.”
Catalina grinned.
Micah asked, “What, no argument?”
“Nope, Faye and I figured that’s what you’d say.”
He gazed up into the night sky, where a ribbon of blue light rippled among the countless stars.
Catalina said, “It’s been like that since the big hoedown. Our own little aurora borealis. It’s getting a little dimmer every night.”
Tossing the emerald up and down in the palm of his hand, Micah said, “Well, my show’s probably cancelled, which means I’m broke and ou
t of work. So, what say we sell this off and split the take?”
“I can’t accept any money.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m a government employee who’s on the clock.”
“So nothing? Not even a used Honda or some cosmetic dentistry?”
Catalina laughed. “Oh please, even with missing teeth I’m still way out of your league. But how about I let you buy me dinner? And I’m not talking piranha and dragon fruit either. I want someplace back in the world where they have plates and silverware and shoes.”
“I think I’d like that.”
“Oh, believe me, you will. Now rest up and get your strength back. If you play your cards right, you’ll need it.”
Micah gazed out at the children playing, pondering all the madness they’d been thrust into and how destiny or some higher force had intervened to save the world.
But what about them? he thought. These ancient people, and perhaps the Anomaly, are still vulnerable to outsiders. He couldn’t stay here because he had a life back home and a daughter to raise.
Maybe, he thought, somebody else will come along to protect them.
EPILOGUE
With the dam destroyed, the crater lake gradually swelled to its original level. Batista’s yacht floated across the remnants of the dam to drift in the lake’s now peaceful waters.
It floated there, abandoned, until the woman arrived.
Queen Caveira smiled, secure in the knowledge that Boiúna had once again provided. Gazing out at the water she offered thanks while reflecting on the mystical journey that had led her here.
For at least a day she’d lain on the rocks, barely conscious, her body a mass of shattered bones. Her pirates were dead, her boats destroyed, and that ungrateful monkey had even run off with her emerald. Despair and pain were her only companions as she waited for the carrion feeders to feast on her.
Then, in her darkest moment, he had appeared.
She’d awakened to find an old man staring down at her with the red-rimmed eyes of the Morte Tinto. She tried to shout, Finish me, you bastard, and choke on my meat, but only managed a pathetic groan.
Primeval Waters Page 29
