Theodore & The 7 Layers of Space, Book 1: Brick & Bird

Chapter 29: Chase

While trying hard is a good way to get things moving, we often need to let go in order to truly go forward.

The runner forgets her feet in motion and soars through mile after mile. The artist loses sight of where the brush and hand connect, and a masterwork emerges before their eyes. Moment and motion become one.

This fleeting space is precious, best held on to by paying as little attention to it as possible. But there is no easier way to lose this elusive focus than to think about it, its own fragile trap. Like a thunderous bag of broken clocks thrown to the ground, we remember where we are, and this rare focus is lost, as precious as it is slippery.

***

Theodore stood lost in one of those moments, at one with train and track, willing a bug train forward in some strange unknown harmony. The giant glowing bug he was somehow controlling - a slithering and rambling mixture between a praying mantis and a caterpillar - rocketed through ancient tunnels that had lain undisturbed for ages in a green and glorious blur and then burst into a wide open cavern. The insect train track wound through an abyss like a long-lost roller coaster, cutting erratic intertwining swaths through an endless and bottomless cave.

The ensuing swarm of dust and writhing appendages created a chaotic spectacle rivaling perhaps even the legendary Trash Symphonies of The Outer Rim of Splurge. The giant beast zoomed at un-trackable speeds, and if any sentient creature could have zoomed their own perspective outward in order to see it, they'd simply have said, "Wow. That's very cool." They would have also remarked at the wonder of the other giant creature that appeared to be launching after the first at an equally unnerving speed. While our fearless crew was blissfully ignorant of this interesting wrinkle, an enormous eight-legged and many-eyed spider pursued the insect train with unnerving dexterity and wide loping strides. Countless smaller versions of it writhed along its back, hanging on for the ride.

"WARNING, SECONDARY VEHICLE APPROACHING AT AN UNSAFE VELOCITY. IMPACT IN FORTY-NINE SECONDS."

"Secondary vehicle? What?" Theodore felt his old friend, panic, rising up in his chest.

The announcement was enough to derail Theodore's slippery focus, and therefore the train, and the bug came to a sudden stop, sending all of its occupants tumbling forward with a collective "Woahhhh."

"Sorry! Sorry! I don't know what I'm doing!" He tried to regain his composure, "Um, computer, show us what you mean?" he half-asked and half-commanded. The main screen promptly responded, showing a grainy infra-red image of a huge spider hurtling towards them, covered in a mass of smaller spiders, all momentum and writhing madness. "These guys do not give up!" He raced back over to the console but froze again in front of the buttons. He moaned and mashed at them.

"Just get it going again!" Isobel yelled.

He tried to clear his mind and pushed at some buttons more carefully, and the bug train jerked back into motion, sending them all skidding backwards. The Buddy Bot fell on his bottom with a clank.

"Ok, we're going, but I have no idea how to do this..."

"SECONDARY VEHICLE IS MAINTAINING ITS TRAJECTORY, AND INCREASING VELOCITY. WARNING WARNING." Red lights descended from the ceiling and started flashing and whooping.

"Is that really necessary?" Theodore asked. And then the train shook as they were slammed from behind.

"YES, EMERGENCY SIRENS ARE NECESSARY IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY," the computer responded. The train zoomed forward, the view screen now showed a dizzying split of what was coming in front of them and the rogue spider behind them in pursuit.