“The children crossing the water in their mother’s arms became amphibian, scaring their mothers, who let go, and the children drowned.”

“But that’s not how Zuni heaven was first created. The sacred lake, it already existed. They only fell into it, which is why they did not die but became ko’ko.” He picked up the mudhead from the chair beside her. “As he was leading them on their search for the Middle Place, the speaker of the religion, Kā-wi-mō-saw, put in charge by the twin war gods told his two children to find a place to build a village. They ascended a peak and the girl was tired. She told her brother to go on and continue searching without her while she slept under the shade of the juniper. When he returned he watched her sleeping, her dress lifting above her thighs in the evening breeze, and he thus had relations with her. She awoke and realized what he had done and began screaming, distorting her face so that it became swollen and distended and puffy, turning her into a monster. Immediately she was pregnant and gave birth to dozens of hideous beasts for children. These are the mudheads you see, their bumpy helmet-­shaped heads, doughnut-swollen lips, and protruding eyes. And their mother died, her Spirit releasing from the misshapen body and hurtling herself at her brother for thrusting himself on her and causing her such a fate. At that moment, their father Kā-wi-mō-saw climbed to the top of the ridge and realized what had happened and was most grieved. He yelled out for his daughter not to kill his son. And she could not. She went away, screaming and weeping. The brother in his shame descended the mountain and dragged his feet across the plains below where a river flowed and a lake appeared. In the depths were houses and a center, a great kiva with windows to view the dance within. Both brother and sister were transformed into ko’ko and their children with them. Thus, through sin and shame was Zuni heaven created. But even this darkness and evil were transformed into something good, saving the rest of Mother’s people from a restless death and allowing them instead to live in peace after death. No matter what wrong one has committed in life, it is not too wrong to be forgiven and made right. But from that darkness, evil was released and gave rise to the demon ko’ko, like the Suuke. For though there is no punishment in death, there is always a price to pay for breaking taboo, as the brother broke taboo.” He glanced at Chance, who stood straighter, shrugging back his shoulders, as if bracing himself. “Not one of us can escape the price.”

Chance said, “I thought the Suuke was trying to root out anyone not of our people.” He cleared his throat, his shoulders slumping now. “I couldn’t let that happen.”