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Book: The Sons Of God - Page 9

When they reached the end the line of lights, another wider path of lights went a different direction. Onam turned onto the wider path and stopped. He savored the excitement again, as he did every time he looked down the long smooth stretch of bird path, and realized that once more he was going to rise from the earth and fly. He took one more quick look at the flight-knowledge table, then moved all the control surfaces once more, and let the bird move forward. During the short roll the thunder became so intense he could feel the noise vibrating his body, and he was pressed against the back of his seat. He passed the marker lights faster and faster until he reached flying speed, then pulled back on the control staff. When he rose from the earth he got the same feeling he felt the very first time he flew. It was something he needed more and more as he grew older, that feeling of awe and wonder that came over him every time the earth fell away.
He climbed to one thousand five hundred cubits with Habtamu on his left. As they flew the stars disappeared one by one, and just after the sun rose they tilted their wings into a slow turn, watching the new people in Maya's old village run and hide under any protection they could find.
"They're afraid, Onam."
"I knew they would be. They have no idea what's making the thunder they"re hearing. Maybe if we give them a good scare they'll be easier to handle when we come back to move them."
"What are you going to do?"
"I want to go out about five days walk and come back over the village just above the trees, then fly straight up to about ten thousand cubits. The noise will shake the ground, and make them afraid not to do anything we tell them to do."
In the village the sound of sustained thunder in a cloudless sky was getting weaker and weaker. When it was finally quiet again the people slowly came out of hiding and stood wondering at the terrible noise they had heard. Some of the people had returned to their work, and others were beginning to gather and talk in whispers. Suddenly they sensed, then heard a high pitched whine. It quickly turned into a screaming roar that shook the ground and vibrated their bodies with the sustained eruption. This time it happened so quickly that their instinct made them look before they ran to hide.
As Onam rose straight up, he looked back to see the terrified people. Some were still looking, but most were running to hide again. He saw a small girl staring up at the firebirds. She appeared to be frozen in fright. Guilt cut at Onam like a small knife, but he pushed it away, thinking she would be better off as soon as she was in his new city.
Onam stopped climbing at ten thousand cubits and pulled back on the power lever, then reached up to touch his head shield counselor button. "Habtamu, have you seen other villages within five days walk of home?"
"What size village are you looking for?"
"The same size that we just flew over, or larger.
"The only one I know about is much larger and it's about seven days" walk." Habtamu led the way west.
The sun was at Onam's back, the sky was clear and he could see forever. This was his favorite time to fly, when the air was as smooth as crystal. He watched the earth pass slowly below, but saw no sign of humans. About fifteen moments into their westward flight, they flew over the edge of a large city. It was many times the size of the village they had just left.
It was so big Onam wondered how he had missed it when he was hunting before. "I'm going to let down to fifteen hundred cubits and hold in a left turn. Watch for me." Onam was soon getting a closer look at a large city that followed the earth over its uneven surface to disappear in the smoke and haze of thousands of cooking fires. He could see people standing in the streets looking up and pointing at the thundering birds. Around the edges of the city were people working in the fields tending crops. Others were leading oxen with loaded carts toward the city. Further out shepherds shaded their eyes against the sun trying to see what was making the noise, but not one person ran to hide.
"Habtamu, where are you?"
"I have you below and to my right."
"I'm coming up. I've seen enough." He came up close to Habtamu's wing, and flew beside him.
"Onam have you noticed that the people aren't hiding from us like they did in Maya's old village?"
"Your right, they're not. You know if they have no fear they'll be harder to move and control. Maybe we should see what it takes to scare them before we leave."
"Are you going to fly in low and go straight up?"
"It worked on the people in the village."
Onam flew in a westward direction losing crest with Habtamu following slightly behind. At five days walk outside the city they started their turn, still descending, until they were about two hundred fifty cubits above the ground. As they came over the edge of the city the people on the ground first heard the high-pitch whine, then a powerful splitting sound that in the blink of an eye turned to a thunderous roar shaking the earth. At the center of the great city Onam and Habtamu climbed to go almost straight up into the morning sun as the sound of thunder vibrated the bodies of the people on the ground.
They went back to level flight at ten thousand cubits, then turned to fly a big circle gradually coming down to five hundred cubits, and flew back across the city to see what effect the noise had. Every human in the city had hidden from the terrible noise except for one man they didn't see. He was standing in the center of the common shouting, "Why do you hide from the noise? It is only noise, and he is only a man!" Then shaking his fist in the direction of the noisy birds, he muttered to himself, "And he will return."

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"All right Habtamu. We know where they are and what it takes to move them. Let's go home and talk to Lijalem."
"Onam, we've got a problem."
"I see it. Let's take a closer look before we decide what to do. Maybe it's not as bad as it looks, or it could be further away than it appears."
In front of them on this beautiful clear day was a massive storm with clouds towering high above them.
"I"ve never seen storm clouds that big appear so quickly. Habtamu, did you notice them while we were circling the city?"
"No"
"Maybe Lijalem can tell us how big the storm is." Onam touched his head shield counselor button. "Lijalem this is Onam. Do you have us on sky scan?" The voice he had heard and relied on so many times didn't answer. He tried again, "Lijalem do you hear me?" But the only thing Onam heard was the dull roar of the wind passing outside his firebird.
"Onam let's try flying under the clouds. Maybe they're not too low."
Onam cut back on his power and began his descent with Habtamu following. At five hundred cubits above the ground they started trying to find their way through large puffs of soft white clouds. Onam looked down to see sand and small bushes blowing across the earth far below. After a few moments, they found an endless wall of grey clouds blocking their direction of flight that reached from the ground up as high as they could see. Onam started turning away.
"We can't get under that. Let's turn back and try something else."
"Onam, let's take a look at the top of the clouds and see how high they are."
They started their climb in front of the coming storm staying in a continuous left turn climbing upward. At four thousand cubits the clouds were still high above them in great mountains of white, but they found they could fly through the valleys between the higher clouds. Onam wished he was flying his old, slow, pedal bird that could land in a meadow. He would already be safely on the ground. And like the raven, he would be hiding his head under a wing, waiting for the storm to go by.
When they passed over the edge of the storm, the winds became violent. The two powerful birds were thrown around like leaves before a storm. Onam and Habtamu worked hard to keep the firebirds upright, turning slightly now and then, to fly between the mountains of cloud that still rose high above them. They watched for any opening below that would give them a look at the ground, and something they recognized, to give them direction.
Suddenly a familiar voice broke into Onam's thoughts. "Onam, this is Lijalem."
"Go ahead!"
"Onam, we have powerful winds, and so much rain coming down we can see only a short distance. The wind has broken our counselor radiator, and our sky scan isn't working. We're using a temporary radiator now, but we have no idea when we can use the sky scan again. How much fire liquid do you have left?"
"About one hundred moments. Which direction did this storm come from?"
"It rose from the south."
"That means the night bird path in Egypt is also under the clouds. I meant to smooth some substitute bird paths, but good intentions won't help us now."
"Onam, you only have two choices. You can stay up there and hope for an opening in the clouds, or run before the storm looking for a clear area, and try to land without killing yourselves."
Onam thought about this new information. "Since this storm moved in so fast, maybe it will pass through quickly. We'll try to find a hole. Can you see any farther now?"
"No, but one of the storage workers just came back from the sky scan radiator. He says it's lying on its side. If the wind dies down a little, we might be able to stand it up again, and give you directions. But right now you're probably wandering farther from home. I need to counsel you in a trick I learned before we had sky scan. While I'm talking, tip your right wing down. Do it now so you can tell me the effect. ...Did you notice any difference in the loudness of my voice?"
"No difference Lijalem."
"All right. Now tip your left wing down while I continue to talk. Is there any difference this time?"
"No. What are we trying to do?"
"Just listen and do as I tell you. You don't have much time. Make a turn to the left."
..."Done."
"Now tip your left wing down again while I continue to talk. ...Did you notice a difference in my voice?"
"Yes. I missed part of what you said, but you"re louder now."
"Good! What you just did was veil the radiator on the bottom of the bird from my voice with your left wing. That means that home is somewhere on your left. Turn in that direction again to come back toward me. Fly in this new direction for a while and do the same thing again to keep yourself in the area. I'm going up to the radiator site to wait for the wind to slow down."
Lijalem took four storage workers and two sky scan watchers, and started up the hill, holding on to rocks and bushes to keep from falling on the slick, muddy trail. They were wet to the skin as soon as they started. Their hands were so cold they couldn't feel the bark on the trees they had to climb over, but they climbed frantically. They were sure to lose two friends if they failed to stand the sky scan radiator up quickly. As they made the miserable climb they stopped for a moment to catch their breath, and realized the wind was finally slowing. The rain still came just as hard, but it was falling on their heads, now, instead of blowing in their faces.

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When they got to the sky scan radiator Lijalem wasted no time. "All right, everyone help! Let's see if we can stand this thing back in place. Push! Come on we've almost got it." As the big radiator dropped into place he shouted against the wind, "Now let's turn it to point the same direction it was before. Good! Everybody find stones to pile on the base so it doesn't blow over again. I'm going back to see if I can find Onam and Habtamu."
Lijalem ran, and slid, and sometimes fell down the trail to the bird storage. Because he had fallen hard on his left side, he was limping, and both hands were injured, but he never slowed. He entered the sky scan room muddy, bleeding, and dripping wet, and saw two small lights on the sky scan bubble.
As he crossed the room he heard his watcher say, "I"m sorry, I don't know how high the bottoms of the clouds are." Then he turned, and in great relief said, "Lijalem's back! Maybe he can guide you down to the bird path." As the watcher was talking, he was moving aside to let Lijalem sit in his place. "Lijalem, they're nearly out of fire liquid, fifteen moments north, at eight thousand cubits."
Lijalem pushed the counselor button. "Onam, keep your direction and start coming down now. Call out your crest every five hundred cubits. The clouds are just above the hill tops, about five hundred cubits above the bird path."
Onam looked through the wind armor at the firebird beside him. He could barely see his friend through the falling rain. He wondered what Habtamu was thinking, but he knew there wasn't time to ask. So his thoughts turned back to Lijalem. "We only have one chance to do this, so we're going to land together. We may not have enough fire liquid to get to the bird path, but I know there's not enough for a second try if we miss it. ...Eight thousand."
"Turn a little to your right. Who's coming in first?"
Little beads of perspiration were starting to run down Onam's temples, "I'm leading, seven thousand five hundred, and entering the clouds... Seven thousand."
"You"re thirteen moments out with good direction. Habtamu, slow for a moment so you won't run into Onam. I need some distance between you."
Onam looked to his left to see Habtamu drop behind and out of his sight. "...Six thousand five, ...six thousand, ...five thousand five, ...five, ...four five"
"Eight moments out, turn a little right, Habtamu you look good. Keep your distance."
Onam pushed his eye shield up to wipe the perspiration from his eyes with his gloved hand. "...Four, ... three five, ...three, ... two five, ...two, ...one five."
"Your direction is good. You"re almost down. Habtamu, you"re coming down too soon. Keep your crest."
Onam continued his count. "...One thousand, ...five hundred. I can see the bird path! Just two more moments, Habtamu. The cloud bottoms are at five hundred."
Onam quickly glanced at everything again, then thought about each action in turn. The wheels are down, slowing surface is down, in the center of the bird path, correcting the measure of descent, everything looked good. He stopped holding his breath, and breathed a big sigh of relief when his wheels touched the bird path. With his next breath he asked, "Where are you Habtamu?"...
............................
Just as Onam decided Habtamu was too busy to answer, Lijalem spoke. When he heard Lijalem say, "Onam." he felt sick at his stomach. He could tell by Lijalem's voice something bad had happened.
Lijalem called his name again. "Onam,... he didn't reach the bird path."
"He's all right. We were together. He was right behind me."
"Onam, he didn't get to the bird path, and he's off the sky scan."

Onam's bird ran out of fire liquid half way down the bird path. He rolled to a stop and sat in his powerless bird too stunned to move or think. "He didn't reach the bird path." Lijalem's voice ran through his head over and over. His bird shook in the wind. Rain beat down on the wind armor and moisture collected inside. His seat grew cold, but he didn't move. He didn't have the energy to move, and he didn't care. They had worked so hard to get down, and Habtamu was almost home. Just a few more moments of power. He was so close. Onam took a deep breath, and from deep inside came a sound that grew to an angry scream as it reached his throat. "AAAAGH!"

Onam was deep in grief when he heard the hollow noise of someone hooking a pull rod to his front wheel. He felt the bird moving as it was pulled slowly inside the dark storage.
Lights came on, and Lijalem climbed up on the wing, unfastened the wind armor from the outside, and reached in. He gently shook Onam's shoulder. "There's a warm fire in the common room, Onam. Let's go inside. You"re freezing."
"Are you sure, Lijalem?"
"He's gone, Onam."
"Did you send men out to look for him?"
"No. If he could have, he would have said he was having trouble. He disappeared off the sky scan too quickly. He crashed Onam. He's gone."

Page 9 God Sons Book

Next morning under a clear blue sky, Lijalem, Onam, Yetbarek, and four of the storage workers climbed into the big rotor bird and flew toward where Habtamu had last been seen on sky scan. His bird was hard to find because it had caused very little damage to the surface of the earth. It had disappeared going straight down and nothing showed above ground but small pieces of the tail. A few fist-sized lumps of loose earth had been thrown far from where the firebird had entered the earth. The whole group stood in the warm sun in silence, just looking. No one spoke until Lijalem took a deep breath, and said, "Well, Habtamu ..." But silence came again because Lijalem was overcome by the loss and couldn't speak. After a time, Lijalem spoke again. "We came a long way together. He was a good man."
Onam hadn't slept all night. He stood slightly to one side looking down at the earth feeling very sad and tired. When he realized he had tears in his eyes, he stole a glance at the others. He wasn't the only one fighting tears. None of them wanted to believe what they were seeing, either.
The small group of men stood for a few more moments. Then one by one they turned back to the rotor bird, leaving Onam and Lijalem. Finally they too, turned away and joined the others for the journey back.
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The rainy season passed, the new grass grew tall, and the sky was clear every day, but Onam still had no energy. He just lay around sleeping most of the time. Lijalem and Yetbarek tried to talk to him. They tried joking and teasing, but nothing worked. They finally gave up and left him alone.
Maya left him alone for two new moons. Then one day when everyone else had given up, she came to his mat, and held his hand until he was awake. She began to pull gently until he sat up. She rose, and continued to pull at him until he stood with a puzzled look. She led him out through the storage past the birds into the open field by the bird path. She walked slowly with him at her side for a long time before she spoke. "Onam do you feel the sunlight on your back? Do you feel the breeze in your hair and smell the fresh air? Do you?"
Onam kept walking, and acted as though he hadn't heard her. She pulled back on his arm to stop him, then turned to face him. When she had his attention, she took both of his hands in hers, and raised her voice. "Onam you"re alive. Stop what you"re doing to yourself and come back to the living. Come back to me, and Lijalem and Yetbarek. We miss you." She looked deep into his eyes and in a quiet voice begged, "Please?"
Maya held him there looking into his eyes while the shadows under the trees crept across the earth. She wasn't going to let him go until he came out of the spell he was under. She kept talking until after a time his eyes began to show understanding of what his wife was asking of him. His angry appearance slowly softened into resignation, and he began a long, slow recovery from the deep sorrow he had let himself sink into.
He heaved a deep sigh and said, "Come with me, Maya."
"Where are we going?"
"For a long walk."
They walked on the bird path in silence until Maya realized where he was leading her. "Why are you going back?"
"I have to tell Habtamu good-bye."
As they approached the crashed firebird, Maya stopped to let Onam walk on, so he could be alone with his thoughts. He continued to the buried bird and ran his hand along the tail, then stood for several moments with his head down. Then he finally turned back toward Maya, and took her hand. "Let's go. We have many things to do."
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Next morning Lijalem found Onam in the eating hall early. "Onam, I'd like you to come with me to the building site. We"ve accomplished so much while you were away. I'm sure you'll be surprised. One hundred dwelling areas have been cleared and smoothed. Seventy have walls standing, and we have eleven finished with families living in them. I'd like you to see them."
"All right, Lijalem. I'll be ready as soon as I finish here. Are we going in the rotor bird?"
"Yetbarek's flying us out in the small rotor bird. Why?"
"I haven't flown in a while. I need to work on my skills."
"All right. I"m sure Yetbarek will be glad to see you flying again."
"Lijalem, Maya said while I was away some of the people made a golden idol to worship in my place. Did you know of this?"
"Jorham told me about it. We destroyed it, and forbade the people to worship anything until you returned."

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The controls of the rotorbird felt different than Onam remembered, so he rose slowly from the earth taking time to get familiar with them again. He flew in place for a few moments before tipping the tail up. As he began to move forward, Onam swung the tail around and began to rise through the crisp morning air in the direction of Lijalem's new city. In just moments, Onam began to see rows of dwellings in all stages of construction. Just as before, everyone was busy cutting, stacking, laying, and setting, but Onam noticed a difference. There was no laughter or happiness in the people as they worked. When they bowed to the ground, it was in fear, not respect.
"Lijalem I want to talk to Jorham."
When Lijalem sent one of the workers to find Jorham, the others became very quiet. Only the sounds of their mallets and saws could be heard. They kept working, but all talking stopped. When Jorham appeared, even the work stopped. "You asked for me, Lord?"
"I am told some of the people made an idol to worship while I was gone."
Jorham fell to his knees and touched his face to the ground. "Yes, Lord."
"Do you know who these people are?"
"Yes, Lord."
"Call my most loyal followers together. Tell them to take sword in hand and go from one end of this camp to the other killing the people that bowed to the idol. And Jorham,..."
"Yes, Lord."
"It doesn't matter to me if it was your relative, your neighbor, or your friend, put them to death!"
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Lijalem turned the bend in the trail and stopped to rest in the shade of a tree. He had been two nights and days sitting alone on the hill by the sky scan dish. He was finally at peace with his angry feelings toward Onam. Almost five hundred of his workers had died because of Onam's jealous rage. Then once again he had to remind himself that it was Onam that brought the people here, and that more were coming. He had to keep remembering too, that he had given Onam the power to act like a god because that power had brought them all many pleasures. The problem Lijalem kept coming back to in the end, was his own lack of imagination, and his inability to lead people. Still it was needless killing in Lijalem's eyes. He had to talk to Onam.
Lijalem reached the bird storage to find Yetbarek and a helper working on the wing lights of one of the birds. "Do you know where Onam is?"
Yetbarek stopped his work to answer, "He's in the common room," then watched Lijalem until he passed through the storage door and out of sight still wondering where the old man had been.
When Onam saw Lijalem, he didn't wonder in silence. He said aloud, "Where have you been?"
"Finding peace with myself after your senseless killing. I don't think it was necessary to kill five hundred people just to make a point."
"Lijalem do you think they"ll worship an idol next time I turn my back?"
"No."
"The people that are left, are they angry?"
"The rest of the people act happy. They"ve seen the plan for their city, so they know what it's going to be like. They know they'll labor for years to build a temple, but they're happy because they're building their homes first. They like having the seventh day off. They like having more than one wife. They're never hungry anymore. We"ve given them several reasons to be happy."
"You"ll have more people in a few days, so you"ll get your temple. Oh, Lijalem, I never did tell you what Habtamu and I found. The village Maya came from has been taken over by as many people as were there before, at least another seven thousand. About ten days walk east, Habtamu knew of a city of maybe fifteen thousand people. Counting instruction and marching time, I believe I can have both groups here before the moon is full again. Do you want them that soon or do you want to wait?"
"Wait? Why wait? When you brought this group, they were like wet clay in my hands. You had them so scared they would do anything I asked. Now instead of being afraid, they're happy and easy to work with."
"All right, but you've supervised this group personally. You can't supervise four times that many by yourself."
"Onam it won't be a problem. Most men jump at the chance to be an overseer. I have several men, not to mention Jorham, that work as overseers now. All I have to do is bring up a man in each group and move my most experienced overseers out to the groups you"re bringing in. The wood, stone, and other building materials have already been located. We'll just break the new men up in groups, and they can go right to work."
"All right. I'll start moving people tomorrow. I'm going to take Maya with me."
"Is she moving forward with her flying lessons?"
"I didn't think she could pedal fast enough, or long enough, to learn to fly in my old bird. I started her in it so she would get discouraged and give up."

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"And did she give up? I saw her with Yetbarek a few days ago."
"She flies alone for the first time after mid-day. She"d like you to be there."
Lijalem laughed. "I've got to see Jorham before I leave, but I wouldn't miss it. See you after mid-day?"
"All right."
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When Onam entered his sleeping room, Maya was putting on her flying garments. "Onam I'm nervous. Were you nervous when you first flew alone?"
"No, but I"d been flying with my father since before I can remember. He let me land and take off many, many, times when I went with him. So I was just happy that I was on my own."
"Yetbarek says I won't have any trouble at all, but I'm still nervous."
"Think of this as just one of the many steps your going to take to learn all you need to know about flying."
"Steps, what steps?"
"I know you want to fly firebirds. Do you want to learn to fly the rotor bird too?"
"Well, yes."
"All right. We have taught you to fly a small light bird. You still have to learn how to fly across the earth and return. Then you have to learn to come to earth in darkness with only lights at the edges of the bird path to guide you. You also have to be able to fly in a storm. You want to fly the firebird and rotor bird. You"re just started if you want to learn to fly everything."
"Oh..." Maya thought for a few moments about all the things she would have to learn. Then she took a deep breath and wondered what she had gotten into. When she first told Onam she wanted to fly, she had no idea the skills or the danger involved. It had looked so easy, and danger had never entered her mind until Habtamu was killed. Now she felt trapped by her own lack of knowledge. If she continued flying, she might die. If she didn't, she would be just one of many wives. She should have asked more questions before she told Onam she wanted to fly by herself, but it was too late for that now. She breathed deeply again. Anyway, she thought, death would be better than what she had before. She shuddered at the thought of spending the rest of her life at the cooking fires. Maya followed Onam, pulling on her head shield as they passed through the bird storage. Onam stopped at the door to stand with Lijalem while Maya walked on out to the bird by herself. As she walked she said to herself, "I will fly even if it does kill me!"
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Yetbarek was waiting patiently by the bird. One by one, all of the storage workers and lightning power people came out to watch Maya fly alone for the first time. Yetbarek stood at the end of the left wing and watched as Maya untied the bird's wings and tail to loose it from the stone weights. Next she looked closely at the wind creator and pedal connections, then slowly circled the bird moving all the control surfaces with her hand, and looking closely at each moving piece. When she was satisfied that everything was as it should be, she climbed in the seat, and Yetbarek climbed in behind her. They both pedaled, the wind creator turned, the bird began to move, and a small windstorm carried a puff of dust away from the tail.
"Onam, I think there's too much wind across the bird path for her first time alone."
"I know, Lijalem, but Yetbarek says she's ready."
The two men stood and felt the moving air from the bird wash over them as it turned and rolled with the wind toward the end of the bird path. When it turned again to point its nose into the wind it looked so small that Onam could barely see the wind creator turning.
Lijalem stood silent watching the small bird, then said, "Onam I haven't had a chance to talk to you. Has Yetbarek told you what he found while you were away?"
"No."
"He found a city called Chamos. It is much farther away than the two you found. He went back in the rotor bird at sundown, then walked into a shepherd's camp at night begging for food and directions. He took wine to loosen their tongues and heard stories of much gold and women that walk the streets at night."
"We could use the gold, but I don't want that kind of people in our city."
"We already have. Jorham found a young female he didn't recognize roaming our camp at night. He questioned her until she told him she was from Chamos. She admitted traveling from village to village selling her body."
"Where is she now?"
"Jorham sent her away. He told her if she returned she would die."
"Good, but if there was one there will be more."
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Maya pushed the control staff forward, pulled it back and moved it from side to side as she watched the control surfaces one more time. Her palms were wet, and she felt a drop of perspiration trickle down the back of her neck. Then, with Yetbarek's help on the pedals, the bird gained speed quickly and in a few moments it was rising from the earth.
Onam stood on the ground feeling rather insignificant. It took him a while to realize why. This was Maya's day. All eyes were on her. He was insignificant.

Book Sons God - Page 9

The moments passed quickly until Maya turned to look down at the long bird path. She touched the earth with a heavy bump, and rolled back to stop and let her counsel out. As she pedaled alone toward the end of the bird path she picked up an old piece of garment, and wiped her face and hands. They were wet with perspiration. Although she kept pedaling, she was losing her resolve. Her stomach was in knots, and her hand was shaking on the staff. Habtamu's crash site kept returning to her memory, and she started to talk to herself. "What am I doing? All I wanted was to ride along. I shouldn't have said I wanted to learn to fly." She felt as though an accidental string of events had brought her to this time and place, and now she was powerless to stop. She wiped the back of her neck and face again as she turned the bird to look down the middle of the bird path. She paused for a few moments to rest, then said aloud, "Well Maya, you"ve come too far to stop now. Pedal!"
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Onam had begun to pace slowly back and forth. Maya had been stopped at the end of the bird path for some time. He was wondering if she had lost her nerve when Yetbarek walked toward him. To get his mind off Maya Onam said, "Lijalem said you found another city. How bad is it?"
"I flew over it several times. The people drink and celebrate all night, then lie in the streets during the day. When they die in the street there is no one to bury them. It's bad and we"ve already had one come here."
Onam's answer was decisive. "We can't have that kind of people here." Then when Onam saw movement at the end of the bird path he caught Yetbarek's shoulder. "Here she comes. She has risen from the earth."
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Maya was surprised at how quickly her speed increased when she pedaled by herself. It only took her moments to realize the control staff moved much easier, and the bird felt much lighter. Soon she was in the air all alone. As she circled and came to earth three times, each time seemed easier.
Everyone on the earth stood silent, almost afraid to breathe, and watched as she rose and returned to the earth. When she touched earth the third time, a shout went up from all the people watching.
As she approached her hold-down stones, the bird was surrounded by all of her admiring friends. They pulled her out of the bird and carried her above their heads shouting and laughing back through the bird storage into the common room and placed her at the head of a long table. There was meat, bread, fruit, and plenty of wine. After everyone was seated, Lijalem stood at the other end of the table and waited for the room to quiet down. One by one the people noticed him standing and stopped talking. When the room was finally quiet, he looked straight at Maya and said, "We never thought you could do it. But now that you have, don't tell any of the other women. Yetbarek would be counseling women to fly the rest of his life." The room erupted in laughter. Lijalem waited for quiet again, then raised his wine cup and continued, "Let's raise our cups to the first woman to fly!" The noise and laughter started again, and Lijalem came to her end of the table to take her hand. He looked very serious. "I'm glad you triumphed. We needed another flier. Congratulations."
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Everyone slept late the next day except Onam and Maya. They were flying again that night. Maya felt more at ease now, and talked as they flew. "It's so beautiful up here at night Onam. The stars are so clear, but it's strange. At night you don't feel like you"re moving."
"That's because you can't see the ground. Maya did you realize we didn't think you would ever fly the pedal bird?"
" "Why?"
"We didn't think you would ever be strong enough because you are so small.".
"But I"m not as light as I was. Are you looking forward to being a father?"
"Yes, it will be fun having my own son. How long have you known?"
"About one moon."
"I hope it's a boy."
"Did you know all the women in the compound are with child?"
"Yetbarek's wife too?"
"Yes."
While they talked, Onam was watching the darkness below. Suddenly he pointed down. "Those are the fires of your old village."
Onam flew in a circle around the village three times, then stopped turning to fly east to the larger city.
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After making their thunder for the fourth night, Onam and Maya turned back to find the bird path and their mat.
Maya climbed down to walk slowly away from the firebird, then turned and said, "Sleeping in the day and flying at night would get old."

Edited: mousetrails on 9th Jun, 2008 - 6:42am

Book Sons God The Bible Revealed - Page 9

Onam was still standing on the wing. "I'm tired, too. Let's take a day away to catch up on our rest. Go on in and prepare our mat. I'll be in as soon as I tie the bird down."
As Onam walked through the sky scan room he thought about Yetbarek and told the watcher, "I'm going to sleep late tomorrow. Tell Yetbarek we'll start moving people the next day."
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"Maya, how long has the sun been up?"
"I believe it's past mid day."
Onam rose from the mat, "I didn't know I was so tired. How long have you been awake?"
"Not long. What do you want to do after we eat?"
"Let's walk to the new village to see what Lijalem is doing. We can fly back with him in the rotor bird."
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The exercise felt good, but Onam was glad there was a breeze. "These head shields and flight raiments we wear are hot this time of year."
"We could use lighter materials to make raiments and head shields. Why don't I see what I can find. The wives at the compound could do the stitching, and we would all be cooler."
"Just remember you can't let any skin show. If they get the idea we"re just humans like they are, control will be a lot harder."
"I know." Suddenly Maya stopped walking and called to Onam. "Stop a minute. Did you see that maiden back there tending sheep, I want another look at her."
Onam turned back to ask, "Why? What's wrong?"
"I"m not sure. She bowed her face to the ground as soon as she saw us, so I didn't get a good look." As they watched, the sheep moved away from the maiden so that she had to rise and follow. " I knew it. Don't you see what's wrong?"
"No."
"She doesn't have any children with her and she doesn't appear to be with child! Let's find Jorham and ask why."
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Jorham stared at the ground. "No, my Lord. I wasn't aware that even one of your people would defy you."
"Jorham I want you to walk back along the path and bring that maiden to me. Take a boy to watch her sheep, and three men in case she resists. We'll be with Lijalem."
"Yes, Lord."
Lijalem was busy, as usual. "Look how much we have done since you were here last."
"It's going up much faster than any of us thought. Lijalem, how's the watercourse channel coming?"
"That's a big task, but the workers should have fresh running water here before winter."
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When Jorham returned he bowed low. "My Lord, the maiden you asked for."
When Onam turned to look at the maiden she had her face to the ground. "Rise and stand before me, woman."
Jorham gently took her hand and motioned for her to stand. "Where are your children?"
The maiden bowed her head and looked at the ground but did not answer. "You are obviously not carrying a child. Why?"
"May I speak my Lord?"
"Yes, Jorham."
"This womans husband was seeing a harlot, so you killed him. I told Asaph to take care of his brothers wife. I told him he should perform his duty as brother-in-law, and raise descendants for his brother. Asaph didn't want children that would not be his own, so whenever he had relations with this woman, he wasted himself on the ground, in order not to raise children for his brother.
"Bring Asaph to me now! Tell all the men that there is a female that needs a husband. Have them come to the high place on the sixth day. You will have this woman there with the understanding that she will be given a husband so that she can carry a child. And Jorham, pick a wise woman to look after this matter so this doesn't happen again. We must increase our numbers. I do not want women old enough to carry a child wasting their bodies. Every eligible female will be with child."
******************************************************************** "Asaph is here Lord."
Onam turned to look at the man, then said, "Everyone move back to let Asaph stand alone."
As the crowd fell back to leave the man standing, he realized his god must know about his evil deeds and fell with his face to the ground crying, "Mercy. Mercy Lord!"
Onam had no intention of showing mercy when he said, "Rise and stand before me, Asaph."
Asaph slowly stood, still begging for mercy, until Onam stretched his hand toward him. The crowd fell back even further when a halo of pale blue light surrounded Asaph. Then as they watched an intense blue line cracked like lightning between Onams hand and the halo, and the man before him fell dead. As Onam turned back to his conversation with Lijalem he said, "Get him out of here." The people stood as though struck dumb for a few moments. Not one word was spoken, not even a murmur.