town the guards formed a tight circle around them and buffeted aside anyone who didn’t get out of the way fast enough.
“This is certainly going to make us popular with the locals,” Jeremiah said.
The town folk were gathered in the center of town, around a large platform. Leader took to the stage.
“As I’m sure you’ve all heard, we have been sent two Surfacers and they are working on completing a digger for us,” Leader said. “Soon we will emerge from this earthy darkness and take our place once more on the surface alongside our brothers and sisters.”
“No pressure,” Graham mumbled.
“We must prepare to be welcomed by them with open arms,” Leader said. “They have long been awaiting our return, just as we have been awaiting theirs. Today, we celebrate an end to darkness and fear and welcome the light.”
The big drums kicked off the party. Some of the entertainers were dressed in costumes, others on stilts with masks and long robes. Even with this height advantage they were no taller than Graham and Jeremiah.
“We should head this way,” Jeremiah said. “Away from the crowd.”
“But the party’s kicking off,” Graham said. “And it’s in our honor. We should at least show our faces.”
Jeremiah sidled up close to Graham.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” he said.
“What?” Graham said.
Jeremiah nodded toward an empty stretch of road. Graham sighed and looked back at the party one more time before following the old man. The guards maintained their circle around them at all times.
“All right, so what is it?” Graham said.
“Not here,” Jeremiah said. “Someone in the houses might be listening.”
They headed toward one of the tunnel entrances.
“Now is it safe?” Graham said. “Or shall we seal ourselves in one of these tunnels first?”
Jeremiah checked over his shoulder that the coast was clear.
“I lied earlier about the amulet,” he said.
“Amulet?” Graham said. “What amulet?”
“I told Leader the amulet gives luck to its wearer,” Jeremiah said. “I lied. It doesn’t say that.”
“What does it say?” Graham said.
“‘Believe not he who wears this ornament’,” Jeremiah said.
“What do you mean?” Graham said.
“That’s what it says,” Jeremiah said.
“But why lie?” Graham said.
“I’m not sure it’s wise to tell the person with that warning around his neck the truth, do you?” Jeremiah said.
“But it might not be referring to Leader,” Graham said. “Who knows who it might have belonged to before.”
“But it’s a good way to pass on a message to all those who come in contact with these people,” Jeremiah said. “Don’t you think? To warn them of possible danger.”
“Danger?” Graham said. “From these little people? What kind of danger?”
“I don’t know,” Jeremiah said. “But it stands to reason. And how do we know the leader doesn’t already know its meaning? What if it was a test to see if I’m honest?”
“Are you always this suspicious?” Graham said. “No wonder you don’t have any friends. I’m sure us whispering to each other is allaying their fears if they are watching us. Let’s get back to the party before it’s over.”
Ting!
Jeremiah turned to see one of the guards put his hand to his sword and pull it away from the wall, away from a black glassy rock. Jeremiah frowned at it.
“What kind of rock is this?” he said.
“We call it ‘sticky rock’,” the guard said. “It sticks to metal.”
“May I?” Jeremiah said, reaching for the guard’s sword.
The guard glanced at the other guards before handing it over. Jeremiah held the sword up and moved it closer to the black rock. When it was a few inches away, it pulled the sword toward it.
“Eureka,” Jeremiah said.
“What?” Graham said. “What is it?”
“This rock,” Jeremiah said. “It isn’t just any rock. It’s a magnetite.”
“Which is what, in everyday English?” Graham said.
“A
“This is certainly going to make us popular with the locals,” Jeremiah said.
The town folk were gathered in the center of town, around a large platform. Leader took to the stage.
“As I’m sure you’ve all heard, we have been sent two Surfacers and they are working on completing a digger for us,” Leader said. “Soon we will emerge from this earthy darkness and take our place once more on the surface alongside our brothers and sisters.”
“No pressure,” Graham mumbled.
“We must prepare to be welcomed by them with open arms,” Leader said. “They have long been awaiting our return, just as we have been awaiting theirs. Today, we celebrate an end to darkness and fear and welcome the light.”
The big drums kicked off the party. Some of the entertainers were dressed in costumes, others on stilts with masks and long robes. Even with this height advantage they were no taller than Graham and Jeremiah.
“We should head this way,” Jeremiah said. “Away from the crowd.”
“But the party’s kicking off,” Graham said. “And it’s in our honor. We should at least show our faces.”
Jeremiah sidled up close to Graham.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” he said.
“What?” Graham said.
Jeremiah nodded toward an empty stretch of road. Graham sighed and looked back at the party one more time before following the old man. The guards maintained their circle around them at all times.
“All right, so what is it?” Graham said.
“Not here,” Jeremiah said. “Someone in the houses might be listening.”
They headed toward one of the tunnel entrances.
“Now is it safe?” Graham said. “Or shall we seal ourselves in one of these tunnels first?”
Jeremiah checked over his shoulder that the coast was clear.
“I lied earlier about the amulet,” he said.
“Amulet?” Graham said. “What amulet?”
“I told Leader the amulet gives luck to its wearer,” Jeremiah said. “I lied. It doesn’t say that.”
“What does it say?” Graham said.
“‘Believe not he who wears this ornament’,” Jeremiah said.
“What do you mean?” Graham said.
“That’s what it says,” Jeremiah said.
“But why lie?” Graham said.
“I’m not sure it’s wise to tell the person with that warning around his neck the truth, do you?” Jeremiah said.
“But it might not be referring to Leader,” Graham said. “Who knows who it might have belonged to before.”
“But it’s a good way to pass on a message to all those who come in contact with these people,” Jeremiah said. “Don’t you think? To warn them of possible danger.”
“Danger?” Graham said. “From these little people? What kind of danger?”
“I don’t know,” Jeremiah said. “But it stands to reason. And how do we know the leader doesn’t already know its meaning? What if it was a test to see if I’m honest?”
“Are you always this suspicious?” Graham said. “No wonder you don’t have any friends. I’m sure us whispering to each other is allaying their fears if they are watching us. Let’s get back to the party before it’s over.”
Ting!
Jeremiah turned to see one of the guards put his hand to his sword and pull it away from the wall, away from a black glassy rock. Jeremiah frowned at it.
“What kind of rock is this?” he said.
“We call it ‘sticky rock’,” the guard said. “It sticks to metal.”
“May I?” Jeremiah said, reaching for the guard’s sword.
The guard glanced at the other guards before handing it over. Jeremiah held the sword up and moved it closer to the black rock. When it was a few inches away, it pulled the sword toward it.
“Eureka,” Jeremiah said.
“What?” Graham said. “What is it?”
“This rock,” Jeremiah said. “It isn’t just any rock. It’s a magnetite.”
“Which is what, in everyday English?” Graham said.
“A
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