10 In which Hera suffocates

Some time ago

"Catch," Hero cried, but I brought my hands out in front of me too slowly. The bottle but my chest and soaked me.

"What did you do to me!" I cried as I felt myself become lighter. The world began to stretch out, till it was all tall and distorted.

Hero covered his mouth to hide his laughter.

"Try jumping!" He sputtered.

I did a small hop, only instead of flying up one block I was launched into the air. I saw the forest stretch out in front of me in a sea of green. Then I was falling and falling.

My feet hit the ground with grace. I glared at Hero.

"I'm gonna get you," I said smiling evilly, he only smiled back, not even moving. I broke out into a run, only I shot right past him, skidding along until I sped into a river.

My entire body was soaked.

He ran up to the river bank, "Are you okay Hera?"

I stood in the water and stared at him, his face changed to concern, he took a cautious step toward me. Then I lunged and grabbed his leg, pulling him kicking and screaming into the river with me.

"No fair!" He said, water dripped down his face. He took an armful of water and pushed it into my face. I sputtered as it went into my mouth. I throw a handful back.

We splashed back and forth till we were dripping. But just when I thought he was done, he took one more handful and it covered my whole body.

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I was suffocating under a pile of blocks. I couldn't get free.

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Hero and I climbed out of the water onto the shore. He sat down on the grass and kicked his feet out leaning against a tree.

"So what'd you think of my newest creation?" He said business like.

"You mean the potion?" I said. He nodded closing his eyes.

"Made it myself," he said proudly, "super jump and super speed I call it 'Hero's solution to boredom'"

"It certainly was interesting," I settled down beside him, "but how did you do it?"

"I programmed it," he said. "It's easy, here I'll show you."

He took my hands in his, facing each other we were barely an inch apart now.

"Close your eyes," he whispered, I felt the pressure of a secret. "Now reach out and feel the code of the game."

I reached out and found strings of numbers. They felt so cold and alien to me, I felt them rush by the air all around me.

"Found them?" he asked.

I nodded slightly, awed by it.

"Now make them do what you want," he said.

I tried to focus on a potion. One that would make the user super strong and breath underwater.

"Almost there!" Hero said excitedly. But his voice broke my concentration. Whatever I'd done disappeared before I got a chance to see it.

I sighed putting my face in my hands, "I don't think I can do it."

"You'll get it," he said, he took hands off my face, his eyes were glittering, "you just need more practice."

"I don't know Hero," I said softly, "I don't feel special. Not like you."

He smiled sweetly, but when he spoke he was completely serious, "I know you'll do great things Hera."

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I pushed against the blocks with all my might, but something held them against me. Something unnatural. My strength kept fading I lay still. I felt deep into my inventory, and there it still was, Hero's potion. I closed my eyes I knew I was going to die now. If only Hero was here now.

Hero had been wrong, I'd done so little, and failed so much.

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