For a brief moment, they were weightless.

Then reality punched them in the face.

Kim flipped through the air, arms flailing like a man who just realized parachutes exist for a reason.

Chege, ever the optimist, spread his arms like an eagle. "If you angle yourself correctly, you can—"

SPLASH.

He disappeared into the raging river below.

Amina hit the water next, her scream cut off by the icy shock.

Kim, meanwhile, was too busy calculating his life choices as he plummeted straight towards a floating goat.

The goat looked up.

Kim looked down.

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"Oh no."

THUD.

Kim landed directly on the goat's back, causing it to let out a sound that was either a scream or a demonic curse.

"AHHHHHH!" Kim panicked, clutching the soaking-wet animal like it was a life raft.

Amina surfaced, coughing. "KIM, WHY ARE YOU RIDING A GOAT?"

Kim gasped. "I DON’T KNOW, BUT IT’S WORKING!"

The goat, however, had other plans. With a mighty twist, it launched Kim off its back and straight into the arms of Major Otis, who had somehow managed to grab a floating log.

"You're safe, son," Otis grunted. "Unfortunately, I'm letting go now."

And he did.

Kim plunged back under.

---

After a painful, waterlogged struggle, they finally crawled onto the riverbank, drenched, exhausted, and completely done with life.

Chege flopped onto the mud, wheezing. "That… was exhilarating!"

Kim lay flat on his back, staring at the sky. "That… was traumatizing."

Amina wrung out her shirt. "At least we lost the Jokers."

Major Otis stretched his arms. "Not exactly."

Everyone froze.

Slowly, they turned.

On the opposite riverbank, the remaining Jokers stood watching them.

Their leader, still covered in bridge debris, pointed a machete at Kim.

"This isn’t over."

Kim sighed. "It never is."

Amina got to her feet. "Alright, time to move before they find a way across."

Kim groaned. "Can’t we just take a break?"

Chege grinned. "I hear Nyandarua massage spas are great this time of year."

Otis yanked him up. "Move, comedian."

---

As they disappeared into the forest, Kim couldn’t shake the elder’s warning.

There are others in this race.

The Jokers weren’t just random chaos. They were here for something.

The question was—what?

And more importantly, who else was coming?

End of Chapter.

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