Catharsis, Legend of the Lemurians Read Online Free PDF Page B

quiet
murmurs, then sobs, followed by silence. Next, he heard what seemed
like an argument between Ulan and his wife. This was odd. Normally,
the peaceful Uglies didn’t argue, on the contrary, they always
tried to understand another’s point of view. Ulan’s wife seemed to
be saying something, while Ulan objected. The woman’s voice
disagreed again, and Ulan countered with yet another argument.
Although Morf couldn’t hear the words, the couple’s voices were
becoming more and more agitated. Then, the voices stopped and
sobbing began anew.
    Morf felt very uncomfortable—after all, he
was intruding on someone’s intensely private moment. He quietly got
up, deciding to wait outside. A few minutes later, when Ulan
emerged out of the bedroom together with his wife, Morf decided
that it was safe to go back inside.
    Ulan was holding his wife’s hand, a smile of
total incredulity and bliss on his face. His wife’s face was tear
stained, but she was smiling, too.
    “Teona decided to stay with me,” Ulan said
quietly.
    “But what about your little daughter?”
exclaimed Morf.
    A shadow passed through Teona’s face, as a
tear started making its track down her cheek. “She will leave with
the others. Mu will lead all of you to safety. But my decision is
to stay by my husband. Maybe we can still save our planet. And
maybe you, our children, will still be able to come back when it’s
safe again.”
    “We must try…,” echoed Ulan, his eyes
dry.
    Soon, the village Heads started appearing at
the door. When everyone was back, Ulan said, holding his wife’s
hand, “Teona and I decided that our daughter should go with Mu, but
we both will stay to try and save the planet. What say you,
esteemed village Heads?”
    “Village No. 1 unanimously agreed that all
adults would stay and all the young would leave.”
    “Village No. 2 unanimously agreed that
adults would stay and the young would leave.”
    “Same for Village No. 3.”
    “Village No. 4 decided the same.”
    “Village No. 5’s decision,” said Enana, the
Head of Morf’s native village, “is that all adults will stay, and
all the young will go!”
    As Morf listened to this, a new thought hit
him: his parents were staying! He had a desperate urge to jump to
his feet and run as fast as he could to see them immediately…
    “Very well,” said Ulan gravely, getting up
to his feet. “I thank you for your service, esteemed Heads! I shall
deliver the citizens’ decision to the Council. Morf and I shall be
making our way back without delay.”
    As the village Heads solemnly filed out of
Ulan’s hut, Morf surreptitiously wiped a treacherous tear, which
was about to make its way down his cheek. He couldn’t go to his
parents now. He had to stick with Ulan—that was the Elders’ wish.
Besides, he was extremely interested to know what the decision of
the remaining four sectors would be. He got up to his feet and
followed Ulan. There would be time to hug his parents after the
Council meeting.
    The red dawn was upon them as they
approached Alton’s hut. The other seven Elders were already
there.
    “Sector No. 1,” announced first Elder, “has
unanimously decided that all adults should stay and help save our
planet Catharsis, as well as alleviate the pain of the Catharsians,
while all of our children should leave to safety.”
    “Sector No. 2 decided the same.”
    “Sector No. 3 made the same decision.”
    “Sector No. 4—same.”
    “Sector No. 5,” echoed Ulan, “fully agrees
with this decision.”
    “Sector No. 6 also agrees.”
    “Sector No. 7 decided that adults would stay
and the young would leave the planet.”
    “Sector No. 8 agrees with the rest.”
    Complete silence followed the eight
announcements. After that, the Elders and Morf followed Alton to
the Temple of Mu, where in the center of the Great Hall was the
sacred Lemurian Mother Crystal. The Elders, together with the young
Runner, sat around the crystal, holding hands, swaying and