Rev's Odyssey by R. R. Kaufman (the reading list .txt) 📕

spread like a virus. They thought that Kosni had sabotaged his brother’s invention. It divided Brix. People wouldn’t talk to each other and arguments broke out. After you were born he dreamed of restoring Genus and living there. So when you were young, we moved to our underwater world and anyone who wanted could live there too.

 

Rev

Well then what happened to Mar’s wife?

 

Cyna

Professor Mars never married. He adopted Stike.

 

Rev was taken aback.

 

Rev

Mom, I just want to get back to our planet. With Kosni and Mars working together we will find a way to defeat Razor and her drokes.

 

Cyna stared at the fire and stoked it with a stick. Rev felt her mother’s remorse and hugged her. She brought out a small blanket from the backpack. Some spare clothes formed a long pillow for them. They snuggled up to each other and fell asleep as the embers from the fire cast flickering shadows on the walls.

 

Chapter 66

 

 

The sun edged its way deeper in the cave as Rev and her mother awoke and sat up.

 

Cyna

I had a dream that all the people of Brix were sitting around a big campfire and …

 

Cyna’s eyes opened wide as Rev turned around to see what she was staring at. A massive bear standing on its hind legs let out short huffing and blowing snorts. It shook the whole cave as it jumped over the dead campfire and sauntered down the hill towards the river.

 

Rev

If that doesn’t get you moving in the morning, nothing will.

 

Cyna

Let’s get our behinds out of here while we still have them.

 

They packed quickly and checked their surroundings. In the distance they could hear voices.

 

Rev

It’s coming from above the cliff.

 

Climbing cautiously up the cliff towards the sound, they slowly peeked over some rocks at the top. Without warning a ball raced towards their hiding spot. They ducked down. The voices became louder as one of them retrieved the ball.

Rev peeked out between the rocks and bushes.

 

Rev

It’s Vice.

 

Cyna

What?

 

Rev took another look. Vice and his friend were kicking a ball back and forth. Rev crawled along to get a better view. Her foot slipped and loosened some gravel that tumbled down the slope. Vice and his friend approached.

Rev and Cyna crouched under a large overhanging slab of rock as Vice and his friend stood above them. Eager to get back to their game they returned to a flat playing area, unfazed by the sound.

Cyna decided to survey the situation. After a few moments she ducked down and whispered to Rev.

 

Cyna

It’s razor’s train, or at least the one she stole.

 

Rev

No way. Did you see Razor?

 

Cyna took another look.

 

Cyna

No sight of Razor. She must still be at her mine. The train is on the other side of the river. There is a small bridge crossing over to where Vice and his friend are playing.

 

Rev

We’ll never get past them.

 

Cyna

Unless we go back down the cliff, cross the river and climb back up. Then we can borrow her train.

 

Rev

Oh mom, I love your devious mind. Let’s hurry.

 

Twenty minutes later they reached the top on the other side of the river.

 

Rev

It’s still here. Where’s Vice and his friend?

 

Cyna

I don’t know. Let’s keep close to those trees by the shore.

 

As they crept closer to the last train car, they noticed the engine was pointed towards Eagle Bluff. Attached to it were four compartment cars. Rev caught a glimpse of Vice in the last car. Sitting at a table with his friend playing some kind of game, they were shouting and laughing at each other.

Sticking close to the trees, Rev and Cyna sneaked past them along the other compartments until they came to the engine compartment.

 

Rev

What’s the plan?

 

Cyna

I had planned to borrow the whole train but with Vice and his friend aboard that changes everything. We’ll have to decouple the engine from the rest of the train.

 

Rev

Do you know how to do that?

 

Cyna

Professor Mars took a serious interest in this train the last time we travelled on it. Just like your father they like to analyze and understand how everything works. Let’s see if I remember what he told me.

 

Cyna crouched down and examined the components that joined the engine room car to the train car behind it.

 

Rev

What’s that noise?

 

They both gaped across the river as they saw Razor speeding fast in a racing buggy about to cross the bridge.

 

Rev

I don’t want to tell you to hurry, mom, but please hurry up.

 

Cyna kept her cool and focused on the job at hand. She pulled a big lever down. As the coupling came loose she pulled the pin on the chain joining the knuckles. Next she yanked off the adjoining electrical and hose leads.

 

Cyna

Let’s go.

 

The words were barely out of her mouth when Razor’s buggy came roaring behind the end of the train and straight at them.

Cyna and Rev jumped aboard the engine room and started to push buttons. The engine came to life. Cyna pulled the main lever towards her just as Razor came hollering up beside them.

Sitting in the passenger seat she crawled up to the top of the buggy and was about to jump aboard the train when the engine kicked in at high speed. Rev and Cyna glanced back to see Razor hanging on to the roof bars screaming and shaking her fist.

 

Rev

I wouldn’t want to be in Vice’s shoes right now.

 

They sat back and enjoyed the ride.

 

Chapter 67

 

 

The snowy mountain of Eagle Bluff stood out at the far end of Tailbone Island. The electric train engine glided smoothly and quietly beside the river as it effortlessly climbed the gentle slope to Eagle Bluff. Rev stuck her head out of a window and inhaled the fresh scents of the forest.

 

Rev

Monique told me that this train used to travel between Crystal Falls and Eagle bluff.

 

Cyna

It should take us to the base of Gianthead Landing, long before the sun goes down. Keep your eyes peeled for anything. Razor has one mission now and that is to kill us. She’ll make that her main priority. She hates losing.

 

They crossed over a bridge that stretched high over the river before entering a mountain tunnel. After exiting the tunnel the rail tracks split into two separate tracks. Cyna stopped the train. They jumped out to inspect the situation.

 

Rev

The tracks leading up to Eagle Bluff are all torn up. What gives?

 

Cyna looked through the telescope in both directions.

 

Cyna

Looks like Razor tore them up and put them down on this new route, which leads down to the harbor. We’ll have to abandon the train but not before we put it out of action.

 

Rev

What nasty piece of work do you have in mind, mother?

 

Cyna

See if you can find any tools.

 

Rev rummaged around and found some tools including a crowbar.

 

Cyna

Good find. Now see this metal floor piece. Let’s try to pry it up.

 

With a fair bit of leverage they pried the metal plate loose and lifted it out of its spot. A meshwork of wires and connecting boxes were jammed in the small space below the floor.

 

Cyna

Grab hold of everything and pull it out.

 

Together, they ripped out all the wires and boxes. After gathering their belongings they left the train’s engine car and followed the vacant rail route towards Gianthead Landing at the base of Eagle Bluff. Crossing a rail bridge they tossed the electrical wires and boxes into the river below.

After an hour, Rev looked through the telescope.

 

Rev

Take a look, mom. That’s Gianthead Landing ahead of us. I see a trail leading to the top. We just have to go through these woods. Professor Mars sent the message to Crystal Falls that he would meet us at the top.

 

Cyna took a look. Satisfied she handed the spyglass back to Rev. She understood why they called it Gianthead Landing. There was no mistaking the features of a nose, mouth and chin silhouetted against the sky. Quietly they walked through the forest towards the high plateau.

Suddenly, Rev’s ears perked up.

 

Rev

Did you hear that?

 

Cyna

It sounded like it was coming from that direction.

 

They walked a minute in the direction that Cyna had pointed out. A lot closer now, they heard a muffled cry for help.

A few more steps and they spotted a boy tied to a tree with his mouth taped shut.

 

Cyna

Be careful. It could be a trap.

 

The boy kept trying to speak and rolled his eyes from side to side. Rev noticed an insignia stitched to his shirt as she started to tear off the mouth tape.

 

Rev

Look on his shirt. It says Eagle Bluff.

 

She removed the tape.

 

Rev

Who are you? What are doing here?

 

Bryce

I’m Bryce. Professor Mars sent me to guide you the rest of the way. Razor’s men caught me and tied me up about twenty minutes ago. We have to move fast but keep a keen eye out for any of them. I’ll show you the way.

 

Cyna untied his hands from behind the tree. They continued towards the towering cliff that stunted everything in its presence. They stopped as they stared down a deep ravine. A long suspension bridge made of rope and wood provided them a means to cross over to Gianthead Landing. On the other side of the bridge they could make out steps on the cliff that led to the plateau at the top.

Cyna went first. She carefully placed her feet on the wooden boards and hung on to the railing’s ropes. It swayed a little back and forth. After a couple of minutes, she smiled and waved to Rev and Bryce as she reached the other side safely.

 

Cyna

Just don’t look down, Rev.

 

Rev

But mom, you know how much I love the scenery.

 

Rev grabbed hold of the ropes and stepped doggedly on each wooden plank. About halfway she smiled and looked up at her mother.

Cyna’s face looked like she had seen the face of death.

Rev turned around quickly, her heart pounding rapidly as she saw Bryce taking a hatchet to the ropes on his side of the bridge.

Without a chance to even shout at Bryce, Rev was knocked off her feet as one side of the suspension bridge twisted and swayed upright.

Rev just barely grabbed hold of the rope as she dangled helplessly over the bottomless ravine.

One false move and she would plummet to her death.

And then the final deathblow shook her violently.

Bryce completed his ultimate hack at the ropes. The bridge swung loose from his side.

Still clinging to the rope and wood plank, Rev and the bridge sailed swiftly towards the big rock cliff in front of her.

In a flash, Rev spotted a large inward cave opening in the cliff.

She had seconds to react.

Instinctively, she secured a foothold on the ladder bridge and crawled down enough to avoid being splattered against the rock face.

She