JUNIOR
I am the only one who knows the way to the end now! Are you coming with Lwazi and me or not?!
Proclaimed Junior, trying to keep his voice steady. He had a rough idea of the route they had to take, but he wasn't fully confident he could navigate without a map.
IRINA
You are crazy!
LWAZI
You bloody well are!
Chimed in Lwazi, who was just as shocked as Irina.
LWAZI
What possessed you to do that?! You'll get all of us killed!
IRINA
Thanks to you, we are ALL going to fail!
Junior let them vent their anger and frustration.
Burning the map was, admittedly, a reckless and dangerous decision, but he had succeeded on turning the tables.
JUNIOR
You can always follow the trail back like everybody else, but we should all go forth together.
IRINA
I am not going anywhere with you!
JUNIOR
If you won't come with us...
LWAZI
US?! What makes you think I'll come with you when you don't even have a map?
JUNIOR
But you're going to fail if...
LWAZI
It sure beats dying!
JUNIOR
We won't die, I know exactly where we're going.
IRINA
Like hell you know!
JUNIOR
I do know!
IRINA
I don't trust you, American! You are going to leave me in the desert to die!
For a moment Junior was disconcerted. It was definitely what Miss Roberts would have wanted.
JUNIOR
Well, last time I checked, you were the one jumping on me to get the map!
IRINA
You tried to stop me before first checkpoint!
JUNIOR
We would have shared our food and water with you, but you didn't!
IRINA
You would not have shared!
JUNIOR
Yes, I would have!
IRINA
Because you are stupid!
JUNIOR
I am NOT stupid!
IRINA
YOU BURNED THE MAP!!
Shouted Irina at the top of his lungs.
IRINA
That was stupid thing to do!
LWAZI
I have to agree with her... That was the definition of stupid.
JUNIOR
Hmph. That was the only way to get us through this stage.
IRINA
What are you talking about?!
JUNIOR
R-328 and X-466 have been lying. They want us to fight among us, they want to see if we fall apart.
With that trick, Junior had persuaded Lwazi to work with him, so he hoped that it would work on Irina as well.
JUNIOR
The only way to pass the test is to do it together!
He tried to sound as convincing as he could, but Irina shook her head.
IRINA
You don't fool me, Space!
She pushed him aside.
JUNIOR
Where are you going?
IRINA
I don't need a map. I'll get to the end on my own!
JUNIOR
Now THAT'S stupid!
Irina stopped walking.
IRINA
You are calling me stupid? Be careful little boy, I can make sure you don't leave this desert alive...
Junior knew that persuading Irina would have been hard, but he felt he had tried everything he could. He was agonising over what to say, struggling to find the words, when inspiration came to him. How could he have forgotten?
JUNIOR
NAE!
IRINA
What?!
LWAZI
What!?
They asked in unison.
JUNIOR
Konos told me that, in his language, Nae means fate, but it's more than that; it is... it is...
Stammered Junior, struggling to remember.
JUNIOR
It is both something that guides us and something we can control. We can take charge, make choices and affect our destiny. It all depends on what we choose to do.
Intrigued by that insight, Irina and Lwazi didn't reply, so Junior continued.
JUNIOR
We can either choose to go our own separate ways and risk being disqualified or dying...
He paused, but swiftly went on.
JUNIOR
Or we can choose to work together, so that we can ALL have a shot at it.
For the first time, Irina looked surprised, perplexed. Junior chose to force her hand.
JUNIOR
This is the choice we have. And I have made mine.
Junior started walking, and it was only after a while that he looked back and, to his immense relief, saw Irina and Lwazi trailing behind him. He smiled broadly, but soon regretted it. He hoped he wasn't leading them to their deaths.
