Kingdom Keepers(41)

A low male voice began narrating the ride. The scene became as dark as the inside of a stomach. The boys bounced off the rails and the chute walls. Bruised and cold, Finn grew increasingly desperate. “Exactly what are we doing here?” he asked as his head came up from underwater again.

“My bad, Finn,” Philby said. “But keep the glasses on. Okay? And keep an eye out for more clouds.”

A large wolf wearing a cowboy hat and holding a rabbit was saying something that was probably funny, though Finn wasn’t listening. His ears were tuned to the steady groan of the system—the approach of the log cars.

“Maybe we risk the cameras,” Finn suggested.

Philby said, “And have our DHIs removed from the park? I don’t think so!”

Finn knew this was right. He felt his courage gathering and was glad to have it back.

They slipped down a dip, traveling ever faster in the dark, churning water. Finn saw light up ahead. He felt a profound sense of gratitude. The end of the ride, in sight at last! But then he remembered where they were in the ride. Next up was—

A really big drop. The ride’s biggest drop of all. Its biggest thrill. Thrill or kill? Finn wondered. He back-paddled, fighting the current.

“That baby’s about four stories, straight down,” Philby said. “Forty-five degrees. A million gallons of water driving you like a freight train.”

Their bodies slapped forward—closer to the edge—despite their vigorous splashing.

“It’ll either crush us,” Finn said, “or we’ll drown.”

Philby didn’t disagree.

Finn said more loudly, “I said: it’ll either crush us, or we’ll drown!”

“Yeah,” Philby said. “I think you’re right.” He rolled onto his stomach and tried to swim away from the drop, but it was no use: the water was too fast.

Finn also rolled over and started swimming. He tried for the edge, happy to climb out, even with the risk of getting busted, but the strong current prevented him from reaching the side. He panicked.

Though the two boys swam frantically, they were actually moving with the current toward the drop.

Philby said between strokes, “If we—could get—into a log—”

Was that possible? Finn wondered. It did seem the perfect solution.

How much longer until a log arrived? Finn wondered. He twisted his watch while flapping his other arm in an awkward crawl. Any moment, he decided. Between gulps of disgusting water he said, “Sounds like a plan. Keep swimming!” They were both still slipping backward despite their efforts. The ride’s dramatic plummet drew near.

It felt to Finn as if he were being sucked down a giant drain.

“We’re not thinking right!” he said. The first log appeared. It looked big and powerful, and it was coming right for them.

Still thinking out loud, Finn said, “We’re made of light, Philby. Holograms! We’re half light. We aren’t solid. Wayne talked about Einstein. About how we’re more space than atoms.” He couldn’t see Philby through all the splashing.

A voice surfaced. “I don’t think this is the best time to discuss physics,” Philby said. “Besides—I probably know more about it than you do.”

They heard a loud bump! and whack! from the dark as the log grew closer.

“If we’re mostly light,” Finn proposed, “then water current can’t affect us. Light moves through water; it doesn’t get carried off by it.”

Driven by his newfound confidence, Finn rolled onto his back and stroked more gently. Slowly, he pulled away from Philby, and with half the effort.

It’s all what I’m thinking, he realized.

Philby watched as Finn’s glowing body—brighter now—swam past him upstream. In doing so, Philby allowed himself to relax for a moment.

A moment too long.

Philby was sucked down the throat of the final plummet.

Time slowed. Philby tumbled through space and water, holding his breath and then sucking for air. His lungs burned. He couldn’t tell what was up or down. Then, amid the swirl of black, a hand appeared. A human hand. Glowing, as if it had been plugged into the wall. Behind that hand another shape formed. That shape was an arm, Finn’s arm.

Finn was inside the log car leaning over. The two boys locked hands, and Finn dragged Philby up and into the log. The log threw out a tremendous splash as it reached the bottom of the chute.

By the time Philby had righted himself, now sitting up, the log had snaked through the chute and entered yet another scene. This was the last scene, the most exotic of the attraction.

Finn and Philby scrambled for their glasses.

“How did you do that?” Philby asked.