Killing Karra

Killing Karra

     “Karra is almost up to the top of Killer Mountain. At the rate she’s going she should reach it in about two hours.” Davan had his head lowered slightly as he spoke. A small box, on a chain around his neck, right under his chin lite up with different with each word he spoke.

     Behind Davan just above him stood a huge Wall Monitor that showed Karra climbing up the almost completely sheer side of a Snow Mountain. It’s hard to see her as she puts one hand on a pointed stick she just jammed into the light blue snow. After making sure the stick could hold her she continued up by placing a foot into a grove in the snow. Davan moved slightly to the side to show what Karra just did.

     “Stevoni hasn’t taken her eyes off her daughter Karra since she started her climb up The Killer Mountain,” said Davan. “I have tried several times to talk to her about Karra, but she keeps saying she isn’t ready to talk about her – yet. Apparently, she is now ready to talk.”

     Standing next to Davan stood Stevoni. She didn’t stop staring at the Wall Monitor. “What do you want to know?” Stevoni asked.

     “Thousands have tried climbing to the top of Killer Mountain, but only a few have been successful,” said Davan. “I think what everyone wants to know is how you could let your thirteen-year-old child risk death.”

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     A SkyShip hovered just behind Karra as she continued her climb up Killer Maountain. She was so close to it she could have reached behind her – and touched it. The SkyShip backed off a little bit more, but it still stayed level with Karra.

     Karra looked up before she too another crawl up the side of that mountain. She could see the top of it in the near distance. Not too far now. I can almost see my destination. Karra also glanced over to her right too. The Snow Mountains over there look so inviting too. Maybe I should have started this out among them. Then worked my way up to this one.

     “You do know I can hear everything you are saying – don’t you?” Karra commented on after placing another foot in a deep grove. It’s so deep her foot almost completely disappeared. She also cocked her head to her right sharply too. Karra kept her head like that whenever she spoke to her mother – and Davan.

     “No, I didn’t know that.” Karra could hear the sound of her mother’s voice very clearly. She closed her eyes and stopped for a second. Knowing her mother Karra knew what she was doing right now. You are giving Davan a dirty look – aren’t you. “Is there something wrong Little One?” Karra heard her mother ask.

     “I’m okay mother. Just taking a quick brake before going on,” answered Karra. Then she said, “Don’t call me Little One anymore. I’ve asked you to stop calling me that a million times. I definitely don’t want everyone on Lacanda to hear it.”

     “Sorry, Little… I mean Karra,” said Stevoni.

     “You almost said it again – didn’t you?” Karra asked.

     Karra continued her climbing. That time with her left hand, and a stick, then her left foot in another grove. Now it was her right hand and foot. She continued going from side to side until she was only a few sticks and foot groves away from her destination.

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     Stevoni smiled – as she looked down at Davan who still sat on the floor adjusting his jaw. Only a few seconds ago he was laying on the floor. “Why did you do that?” Davan asked.

     “Because you didn’t tell me my daughter could hear us, and because you let everyone listening hear me call her Little One.”

     Stevoni reached down to help Davan up, but he just batted her hand away.

     “You did it again mother.” Karra could be heard all over the Control Room of that SkyShip.

     “Sorry,” apologized Stevoni. “I keep forgetting everyone listening to this event can hear, and see, what’s going on.”

     “It’s okay,” said Karra. “As long as you don’t do it again. Think before you speak. That’s what you tell me to do with my Snow Boarding.”

     “Stop talking to me, us, and concentrate on your climb,” said Stevoni. “You are only one hand away from the first part of this victory.”

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     Karra place her hand on the top of Killer Mountain. For a second it slipped. When it did she lost her balance a little – and almost fell over backwards. At the last second she dug her fingers into the snow. Next came her right foot in its final grove. Then her left hand and foot.

     Straightening out both her hands, and bracing her feet against the side of Killer Mountain, Karra used her feet to push herself away from the mountain – and flip over to land back up on top of that mountain. She just laid there not moving.

     “What happened? Are you okay Karra?” Stevoni asked.

     The SkyShip leveled even with the top of the mountain. “She did it. Karra made it to the top of Killer Mountain.” Karra could hear Davan – and her mother, but she couldn’t respond. If anyone could see beneath her head gear they would see her with her eyes closed – and a big smile on her face.

     “Answer me Karra,” said Stevoni. “Tell me you are okay.”

     “Maybe I spoke too soon,” said Davan. “Karra might not have survived the climb after all.”

     Karra didn’t say a word. She just slowing got up. First she rolled over on her side. Then using her left hand, she pulled herself into a sitting position – landing on her backside hard. After getting into a seated stance Karra rested for a minute before straightening out both legs and using her hands to push herself up into a standing position. Karra moved her Single Board to her back.

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     Triumph echoed all over the Control Room. Not only were there shouts of victory, but applause too. Almost everyone there was on their feet re-acting. Stevoni, and Davan, still stared at Karra. “She looks like an image. Looking up at the sky like that with the Sun on her face. In the background several smaller Snow Mountains can be seen.”

     “I don’t do this very often, but I have to admit I was wrong. Karra did survive her climb,” said Davan.

     “Karra are you okay?” Stevoni asked. “You haven’t moved since you got up.”

     Davan looked at Stevoni. Then back at Karra. Silently to Stevoni so only she could hear him Davan said, “I hope I am wrong, but she couldn’t have frozen to Killer Mountain. It has happened before. Usually it’s on their way up the mountain, but it can happen when they first get to the top of it too.”

     Stevoni jerked toward Davan with anger in her eyes. “Don’t say that. My daughter isn’t dead.”

     “I didn’t say she was dead,” said Davan. “Most frozen doesn’t mean death.”

     “I’m not dead.” Karra’s voice could only be heard by Stevoni and Davan. Everyone else there didn’t seem to notice Karra had spoken. Both did a quick scan to verify that. “I just can’t stop staring at the view up here. It’s beautiful.”

     “What are you going to do now?” Stevoni asked.

     “It’s getting too late for you to come back down,” said Davan. “Especially the way you plan on doing it.”

     “I didn’t realize it was getting so late.” Karra began looking around where she was. “There’s a MiniHouse up here.”

     “That was placed up there, via an SkyShip, about a hundred years ago when climbing Killer Mountain was very popular. There wasn’t a day that didn’t go by when at least five to ten people were trying to climb the top,” said Davan. “Most of them didn’t make it, but a lot of them did. That’s why they decided to put the MinHouse up there. They have been keeping it stocked every month since then.”

     “The ones that did didn’t want to just turn around and climb back down or like you they got up there too late in the day,” continued Stevoni. “Almost every one of them had supplies with them to stay there for several days if needed, but that made the climb last longer and be more dangerous.”

     Karra started walking toward that MiniHouse as soon as she saw it there. “How come you know so much about Killer Mountain, Mother?”

     “I did a lot of Background on Killer Mountain before I agreed to let you do this,” answered Stevoni. “True, I know I can’t stop you from doing this even if I wanted to, but I wanted to know everything I could to help you reach your victory.”

     “I’m about to reach the MiniHouse,” said Karra. “I’ll stay there tonight and come back down tomorrow.”

     “That sounds like the right thing to do. I mean about the sleeping,” said Stevoni. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

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     As soon as the new day began Karra was out there ready to start her journey back down Killer Mountain – the fast way. Karra walked over to the edge of that snow mountain. It looked like she was going to walk right over the edge, but she stopped just before doing that.

     Karra glanced over the top. She almost fell off it when her mother made contact with her. “Karra wake up.”

     “I have been up for hours.” Karra after she landed on her backside when she stopped herself from falling. “I’m checking out the fastest, best, way to get off this mountain.”

     “Safest way too I hope,” responded Stevoni. “It’s not too late to stop this Karra.”

     “You know the answer to that mother,” said Karra. “I made a deal to do this, and I’m not going back on it.”

     “I know you did,” said Stevoni. “You are the most popular kid on Lacanda. I’m not surprised you were asked to do this, but it doesn’t mean you have to do it.”

     “I’m going to do it, and the I’m ready to do it now.” Karra removed the Single Board from her back. “I am ready to go as soon as you are.”

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     Stevoni sighed. “You have already done something no one your age has ever done before – you survived Killer Mountain. It’s going to be a long time, if ever, that anyone your age or younger will be do better. Even if they do eventually they can never take away you were the first to do it.”

     Before Karra could respond to her mother Davan told the world they were ready for Karra to come back down from Killer Mountain. Stevoni never took her eyes off the Wall Monitor, but now Davan had joined her. They watched as Karra took her Single board off her back. Then she put it on her feet. Finally, she went to the edge of the snow mountain.

     Karra bent her knees to almost a sitting position on her Single Board. Then she sprang forward. Sending herself over the edge. From that angle it looked like Karra just jumped off the mountain. “Move this ship. I don’t want to miss a second of this.”

     The SkyShip skidded around the mountain to get a better view of Karra – as she started her descent down Killer Mountain. They saw every twitch and turn she made as Karra made on her way down. Karra did slip and almost fall several times, but she caught herself each time before she did.

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     Taking a sip from a steaming hot cup of liquid Karra coughed after sipping too quickly. She sat back in a Long Chair. Seated next to her was her mother Stevoni. They were looking up at a small Wall Monitor – at the ad that read If Karra can take on, and survive, Killer Mountain you can take on the Snow Mountain near you.

The Word Count, for the title and story, is 1999.