Worlds Away Read Online Free PDF Page B

our men and steal our women? My village is near Copán. It
was once a great and beautiful city, but our numbers grow smaller every season.
We need help, as you do.”
    He said, “My very presence here is a danger to the future of
this world, much greater than the conflict with your neighboring tribes. Having
knowledge of me, your entire world is at risk.”
    I didn’t understand what he was talking about, and it seemed
he grew sadder.
    “I have no weapons to give you,” he said. “But I can give
you a gift, Subo Ak.”
    “What gift?”
    “I will teach you the Song of the Stars. Perhaps you will
pass it on to your children and grandchildren.”
    “A song?” I asked.
    “There is great power to be had in the song.”
    I was doubtful, but at the very least, I would have
something to bring back to my village. A new song would not bring me as much
honor as the skin of a Q’eqchi’ warrior, but perhaps the song would gain me a
level of respect with the elders. It was always good to be in their graces.
    I nodded. “I will accept that bargain.”
    “Press the shape marked with the circle and line,” Ekahua
said.
    I did so, and jumped back when a plate on the back of the
boat opened. I stepped over to the opening and looked in. The inside of the
boat resembled a mass of roots wrapped around a solid block of dark polished
stone.
    “There are a twelve cords on the top of the—” He said
another word I did not understand. I pointed to the top of the block, and when
Ekahua nodded, I touched one of the root-like cords.
    “It will be difficult, but you must pull them all out, and
then put them back in different spots. You will need to work quickly. The ship
will—” When I glanced at him, he said, “The ship will become like fire and
burn. Within moments, it will turn to light and disappear.”
    Shocked, I pulled my fingers away from the cords. Suddenly,
I became uncertain. The task sounded dangerous, and I did not want to be hurt
or killed for a song.
    “No harm will come to you, Subo Ak, if you are fast, and so
long as the canopy keeps the cords shadowed from the sun. Once you have finished,
return to me here where you will be safe.”
    I considered the device once more. There must be great power
inside those roots if they could destroy such a wondrous boat so quickly.
    Taking a deep breath, I plucked the first root out of the
block. I felt an odd sensation in my hand, as if a small insect were crawling
across my palm. A quick look showed me that my hand was empty. I peered into
the hole left by the root and saw a small glowing object, no bigger than a
grain of sand, resting in the gap.
    Mindful that I had to work quickly, I yanked the remainder
of the roots out.
    “Hurry,” Ekahua said, and feeling the urgency in his words,
I replaced the roots into the openings in a random order.
    “Good, now run back here.”
    Just as I started to turn, I noticed that one of the glowing
grains of sand was resting in a nook partway down the polished block of stone.
It must have fallen out when I pulled the roots.
    I snatched the pebble up between my finger and thumb, and
raced back to Ekahua as quickly as I could.
    He was watching the boat, not me, and did not see when I
slid the grain of sand inside one of the loose beads on my belt.
    I turned to see what was becoming of the boat. At first,
there was no change in the vessel.
    A high-pitched sound came from it, soft at first, then
louder. The swirls on the surface of the boat became frantic, and the vessel
began to vibrate. The canopy snapped closed with a loud bark, and the plate on
the back dropped back into place.
    The ship began to shine bright like the sun.
    “Shield your eyes,” Ekahua said, and I put my hand over my
face, looking at the vessel between the cracks of my fingers.
    The sound became louder, and just when I thought I couldn’t
handle it any longer, the boat burst into thousands of flecks of light. Each of
those flecks burnt out within moments.
    When I took my