BooksBarbecue
Back Whirlwind
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

Kidah does a sleight-of-hand trick to relax him, pulling a grub out of his ear. Then he makes the boy lie flat on the ground and waves his hand. The boy slowly levitates as the onlookers gasp. Kidah reaches out and touches the boy’s right leg with his hand. There’s a flash of blinding light, as if someone’s snapped a picture.

The boy falls to the ground. His parents rush to him, but he waves them away. He gets to his feet, and looks down as if sensing something odd. He takes a few small, experimental steps. A cry of pure joy breaks from his lips. He begins running in a circle, still emitting the happy scream. Then he starts hopping on his right leg, like a drunken rabbit, and all his playmates hop along with him, shrieking with shared ebullience.

The kids hop away in a deliriously happy kangaroo conga line, and the elders thank Kidah with words and many embraces. I watch the boy’s mother walk up, trembling with the emotion of what she’s just witnessed, and thank the old wizard with just her eyes. Kidah bows back to her and then mimes that it’s time for sleep.

They lead him to a hammock, and one by one the tribesmen go to sleep around him. I tell Eko that I’m not tired and she should turn in. She heads for the hut, and I walk down to the river and sit on a large stone.

There’s a full moon out, and through the crack of trees above the river I can see its rough surface clearly. I wonder if P.J. is staring up at the same pale craters from some rain forest hiding spot, and if we’ll find her as we march on the colonel and his minions.

It seems incredible that this little old man thinks he has a chance to bring down the mighty Colonel Aranha and his well-armed and deeply entrenched forces. A few hours ago I wouldn’t have given the wrinkled wizard a snowball’s chance in the Amazon. But when that boy started walking and then running, I felt something bounding up inside me as well.

Perhaps it was hope that this could all somehow turn out okay.

High above me the moon seems to wink, as if advising me to keep faith.

“Easy for you to say,” I mutter back out loud. And then I realize that I’m not alone.

The Mysterious Kidah has stolen out of the hut and has joined me at the water’s edge.

80

80

Were you talking to yourself?“Kidah asks me.

“No, I was speaking to the moon.”

“I see,” he says, looking baffled. “Well, I don’t want to intrude on that conversation. But if you and the moon are finished, I’d love a little company.”