Chapter 62—Flying through the Unknown

"I hope I live to see the end of this day," Tip said. "And I'm an idiot to be doing this." He looked down at his escape vehicle—a plant canoe—and shook his head, grumbling about how he'd rather stick a needle in his eye than get on the thing.

But Kuthumi had been clear about not backtracking. So the team was stuck riding the fast river to an unknown destination. It was like jumping out of an airplane blindfolded.

Tip continued to mutter as he lowered his body onto the thick piece of foliage and sat down cross-legged. He grabbed the solid edges and folded them over his lower body. "Let's get this over with before I throw up," he said in a shaky voice.

"Turn your headlamp on in case you need to duck," Jojo said as he guided Tip and his pod onto the moving waterway.

"Yeowww—" was the last sound anyone heard as Tip and a single beam of light were swept away under the rock wall. Eager to be first, Taylor had already disappeared into the unknown channel. Chaz was next and had no trouble launching. Then Jojo slipped the pod beneath him, dropped onto the river, and pulled his legs onboard. Within seconds he too vanished under the low overhang.

At the same time Jojo launched, Taylor popped out of the mountain as if being shot from a cannon. Jojo's prediction had held true—she had made it out safely. Taylor leaned this way and that to steer her tiny boat into a slower moving eddy. Seeing a tall, slim rock, she swung one arm around it and came to a stop. Then she held on tight, breathing hard.

She looked back toward the opening and let out a "Woo-hoo!"

First Tip and then Chaz whooshed out, as if propelled by a slingshot. With his good hand, Chaz steered his craft into the shallow pool and grabbed hold of Taylor. Tip leaned to maneuver toward them but fell sideways into the shallow water. "Bloody h—," he said.

"I won't tell Mom you swore," Taylor said, lifting her brother upright. He stood shaking wet arms, knee-high in the chilly river, and dragged himself and his craft to shore.

"Now I'm cold and wet," he grumbled.

"Is your pack wet too? Pull out your extra fleece right away."

"Pack's dry, but it's about the only thing that is." Tip shivered and pulled the zipper.

Chaz paddled to shore and climbed out onto the dry grass while rubbing the wet seat of his pants. Hearing a sound, he glanced back to see a grinning Jojo emerge from the mountain. He deftly steered his pod to the shallows and then leaped onto the shore in one elegant move.

Chaz ran to him. "That was impressive." Then forgetting his wrist, he gave Jojo a bro-hug, which was followed by a loud "Ouch!" Then everyone hugged as relief sank in.

Wet or dry, they now had all the remaining crystals and, after a good night's rest, would be ready for the full moon the next morning. All they had to do was find a way back to the Woody—on the other side of the mountain—in the dark.