Chapter 34; pg. 204-205
DAZED AND CONFUSED by fantastic tidal-gravitational forces and stomach-turning vertigo, the Stargirls struggled for breath as they plummeted in a graveyard spiral. They fell and fell and fell until they lost all sensation of falling, and a peculiar state of stupefaction beset them.
They were unable to discern if they were traveling beyond the speed of light, frozen in space-time, or stretched beyond the laws of physics. They had the sense they were moving and not moving at the same time, feeling weightless as they crossed the boundary of an event horizon. The sudden sweeping view within the black hole mesmerized them; it was astounding and disorienting. Everything appeared distorted as they accelerated towards its singularity—it was unavoidable.
Their eyes, like fun house mirrors, bent light as they entered the strange world of quantum gravity. They entered a nightmarish spiraling tunnel that ripped a hole in the fabric of the universe. Space-time broke apart as an unknown dimension opened to some cursed destination.
Suddenly, they erupted from the gravitational field and tumbled on a sand swept surface, into still, mystifying blackness. Ali felt for injuries and groped in the darkness then hollered, “Is everyone OK? Where in the Hades are we?” but before anyone could answer.
Massive bonfires erupted, surrounding them. The raging fires exposed a hostile barren landscape, choking with sulfur dioxide. Out of the acrid smoke, tormented inhuman cries pierced the thin air, sending shivers up Jill’s spine. Grotesque dreamlike forms bounded across the dark terrain, casting fearsome silhouettes on the desolate ground that shook from their vast numbers.
Jill’s eyes widened; she felt spellbound by the horrifying sight. She swallowed hard and yelled, “Cover your backs,” as the horde of death and cold-blooded screams came closer.
Ali cried, “In God’s name, what is it?”
“We’ll soon find out,” Jill muttered. They formed a circle with their backs to each other to face the terror bearing down on them. Out of the smoky haze, a fierce army of yellow, gleaming eyes and fiery bodies appeared, as beastly cries turned to ghastly growls.
An enormous beast crashed through the bloodthirsty horde and stood on hind legs, violently shaking its flaming head, roaring to the heavens. It stopped and fixed its hellish gaze on them. It inhaled their blood scent and roared again, breaking into a swinging stride to attack, sending the swarm into a frenzied charge.
Jill shouted, “Take out the leader.”
“With what? Our bare hands, spit, or throw sand in its blazing eyes,” Mad angrily asked
When a startling voice like an angel’s rose high above the mayhem and proclaimed, “Sometimes spiritual healing means death—but not today—at least, not ours.” A towering-tsunami then encircled them.
They watched, fascinated, while a black orca fin sliced through the devastating wall, causing the soaring blue lapis sea to quake and crash down, washing the gruesome beasts and hellfire away— For a fleeting moment, the Stargirls stood exultant, amazed at Sade’s hidden Star power—then the incredible scene and terrifying reality they had survived transformed. The gauntlet’s inescapable theme of death repeated—against their will.
Their horrifying ordeal was far from over, as pitch-blackness engulfed them again, but with a demoralizing twist. The inkiness slowly turned ghostly light, as luminous stars filled the blackness. The Stargirls had no time to ponder their good fortune when a hailstorm of deadly meteorites crashed down around them. (end of post)