Resonate by Erin Wilkerson | Book Blitz

River fell, grabbing a firm hold of the rovers bumper while hanging off the side of a hole in the moons surface. A deafening scream followed from the girl.

He caught her outstretched hand. The remote rover and core sample smashed into pieces below. She dangled in a frenzied panic. The rover shifted from their weight. “Don’t let go of me!” she screamed.

“I’ve got you!” he shouted back.

That calmed her a little, but she still whimpered. The rover stopped, hung halfway off the side of the cliff.

He studied it. It wasn’t going to hold much longer.

“Tamar! River? What happened?” Ringo cried out through the commlink.

“Stay back! It’s a cave-in!” River scoured the cliff for a spot he could jump for. If he just didn’t have the princess clinging to his arm, he could get out of here easy.

Big John, Ringo, and Ginger showed up at the edge of the rocky cliff. The three stood motionless.

“Hold onto her River!” Ringo’s frantic voice howled, with his hands on his helmet. Ginger began to radio the control room, explaining what happened.

“I’m trying.” River gripped Tamar’s hand tighter. “Are you going to do something?”

“Let me think!” Ringo screeched back, his hands tense at the sides of his helmet.

River’s eyes narrowed. “This thing’s not going to hold much longer.”

“Ringo, the trekkers!” Big John’s voice boomed. The two disappeared from the edge.

“It’s going to take them both to hold that beast.” Ringo explained through their steady huffs. River didn’t remember the trekkers being close, but at least they were doing something other than standing there.

He examined the pit below, studying the surface. Then, he spotted it.

“Okay listen to me,” he said to the girl, gazing down at her petrified face. “There’s a small patch of soft moon dust off to the right over there. I’m going to toss you onto it.”

“Over there? You can’t throw me that far,” she screamed.

“No, River. Don’t let go of her. We’re almost there,” Ringo shouted.

“Shut it, Ringo!” He softened his eyes, hoping she would understand. “Don’t listen to him, you’ll be fine.”

“River, stop! It’s too deep! We’ve got the trekkers,” Ringo shouted through Tamar’s constant screams and pleas. She murmured a weak, terrified wail, begging him not to do this to her.

Why was she acting like this? Did she think he was a monster? “You want to live, don’t you?” River yelled.

She nodded, gripping his hand so tight it went numb through his glove.

“Then listen to me!” The rover inched forward, its weight crumbling the rock side, and he no longer cared for her permission.

He swung his arm back, focusing on the point of impact, then tossed her toward the dust pile. She flew, screaming the whole way.

Her bottom landed safely, just as he said she would. But time had run out for him. The rover dove off the cliff, leaving him no other choice but to ride down with it.