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Back The Long Sunset Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Acknowledgments
  4. Prologue
  5. 1.
  6. 2.
  7. 3.
  8. 4.
  9. 5.
  10. 6.
  11. 7.
  12. 8.
  13. 9.
  14. 10.
  15. 11.
  16. 12.
  17. 13.
  18. 14.
  19. 15.
  20. 16.
  21. 17.
  22. 18.
  23. 19.
  24. 20.
  25. 21.
  26. 22.
  27. 23.
  28. 24.
  29. 25.
  30. 26.
  31. 27.
  32. 28.
  33. 29.
  34. 30.
  35. 31.
  36. 32.
  37. 33.
  38. 34.
  39. 35.
  40. 36.
  41. 37.
  42. 38.
  43. 39.
  44. 40.
  45. 41.
  46. 42.
  47. 43.
  48. 44.
  49. Epilogue
  50. About the Author
  51. Copyright

Derek looked over at Hutch. “The only thing I can think of,” he said, “is the note you wrote for him this morning. What was it? ‘Back in three weeks’?”

Finally, the temple’s side door opened, and Arin came out. He stopped, talking with someone inside, and then started across the parking area to the cottage. “Maybe we’re about to find out,” said Beth.

He knocked and came through the door, smiled, and said, “Hello.” Again in English. Then he spoke to Ken, who explained. “We’re invited over to their place for dinner.”

•  •  •

There was a third islander at the meal, a young male, introduced as Murik. He was the son of Kwylla and Arin. There was also a daughter somewhere, although they couldn’t determine where she lived. Kwylla made it clear she was anxious to meet the visitors and would come as soon as she could.

The meal itself, as the others had been, was flat. But everybody pretended to enjoy it. When it ended, the sun had descended into the trees. Conversation, of course, was difficult for both sides, and the humans thanked their hosts, tried to inform Murik how pleased they were to meet him, and finally excused themselves. Arin walked back with them to the cottage. When they arrived, he took Ken aside and tried to explain something to him. The conversation involved some pointing at the temple.

“He doesn’t want us going anywhere this evening,” Ken explained. “He wants us to visit the temple tonight.”

Derek looked at Arin, who responded with a giant smile. “You have any idea why?”

“Something he wants us to see.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know. He tried to explain, but I can’t follow him.”

24.

Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom,

Lead Thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home—

Lead Thou me on!

Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see

The distant scene, —one step enough for me.

—John Henry Newman, “Light in the Darkness,” 1833

Derek and Hutch were back out on the porch when the sun went down. They waited through the twilight, keeping an eye on the temple’s side door. The surf was loud that evening, and the moon was full. There wasn’t much traffic on the road, no more than two or three cars as the sky darkened. When the stars finally appeared, the Eiferman was in the western sky, sinking into the trees. Wally was still there.

Ken came out and smiled when he saw it. “We owe him,” he said. “I wonder how many people would have stuck around this long.”

Someone in the temple began rehearsing with a horn. It lasted a few minutes, then faded out until there was only the rumble of the ocean and an occasional gust of wind in the trees.