J. Thomas Walker

The green sky shimmered with the first light of the mini-stars as the two great stars Quall and Qualline were setting over the seascape of the Atoll ocean. Mortonan watched as the great stars set and the sky went from green to purple and then into velvety black. There was never any wind over Atoll ocean and the stars reflected on the mercury waters of the ocean so that it became mirror like in it stillness. At night it was impossible to tell the ocean from the sky. It seemed as though Mortonan and his girlfriend Shallha were adrift in a sea of stars with only the jetty they sat on as anchor. After some time had past clouds began to move in so they stood to walk home and as they turned back to the city they saw its silhouette up on the hill. The great towers were black now and they were too late. "Damn, we've been locked out! We stayed out past star set and the lock down. Now what are we going to do," cursed Shallha. "Well we can't stay out here, the Grendala will come soon and then, well then that will be it... We should go toward the city, maybe they will be afraid to get to near it," Mortonan said to calm Shallha, but he knew that was not true. He had heard stories of the Grendala attacking the city gates, they had no fear of the city.

So they began the trek home in closing darkness as the clouds blocked out the stars for they dare not use Mortonan's arm light for fear of attracting the Grendala. Indeed that was the reason all the lights were out in the city. It was slow going and with each passing moment the fear grew more intense. The light stones of the path slid under their feet making it hard to climb the hill as well as being fairly noisy. Suddenly Mortonan heard something, but so as not to alarm Shallha, he said nothing. Their eyes were becoming accustomed to the dark, in another hour of darkness it would seem like daylight to them even though the stars were now totally hidden. Their people had very unusual eyes which could open wide for night but took a long time to do so. After some time they found that they had made little progress and were less than one-fourth the way to the city. There eyes were now fairly adapted to the darkness and the found that they could easily see the path and surrounding area but not much beyond that. Mortonan was growing tired and his footsteps seemed to become less sure with each one. Shallha on the other hand showed no sign of fatigue.

Mortonan's foot slid out from under him and promptly he hit the ground impaling himself on the myriad of small sharp rocks that made up the path. "Are you ok," Shallha whispered. "No, I've, ahh, hurt my leg and..." she saw him feel his leg then look at his hand, "I'm bleeding," he finished. "You can't go on we'll have to find a place to spend the night here." Grabbing her arm he command, "No, you go on to the city alone. If the guards are on duty maybe they will let you in. I would only slow you down." She looked into his eyes and did not blink, then turned and began searching in the surrounding area. At length she returned, "There is place about twenty legs from here which will work well." Helping him to his feet she led him there. It was a small clearing with rocks on three sides. It would be relatively safe if they could avoid the attention of any of the creatures that lived in this night. The hours passed and it came to the point that they could see as if it were day.

Indeed it seemed as though they would make it now. Hungry and hurt but still alive, but they had not counted on the weather. Inside the crystal dome of the city, the atmospheric conditions were highly controlled so that it never got so cold that you would not be comfortable in a jacket. Out here the temperature was beginning to drop, it was already below the coldest it had ever been in the city. And it was getting colder by the minute. "We have to start a fire," Mortonan mouthed with his chattering teeth. "But then we will attract the Grendala," she stated matter of factly. She knew however that they must have a fire if they were to survive. "How do we make one," she asked after a pause. "Gather dead scrub and sticks as well as some of the light black rocks. Then bring them to me." While she did this he began to work on his arm light. With his trembling fingers he removed the safety cover and threw the cutoff switch. Then he removed the fusion battery and ripped out some wires and other components as well as the key part. A small rod of a silvery metal known in his tongue has tangnor, atomic number 74. Working quickly he assembled a simple device. Then laid it out on the ground, the metal rod away from the rest, connected by two wires. It was then that Shallha returned with the things he had asked for. He showed her how to lay it out. The small brush right on top of the rod then the rocks around them and more brush and sticks. "Cover your eyes and turn away," he instructed her. Then touching two contacts together. The whole area was seared by bright white light as the metal began to glow and heat. Then the wood and rocks burst into flames and the metal dimmed now completely burned out. It had work they now sat in front of a roaring fire.

The fire now brought warmth and light to the night. They were blinded for a few minutes as their eyes readjusted to the much brighter conditions. Now they had no worry of freezing to death and the flames would keep away most creatures but not the Grendala who would see the light for miles around if they were unlucky. "Half the night has most likely passed," commented Mortonan. "Yes, but half the night is still left," she replied. With the new fire it was hard to think everything was not going to be all right. Indeed they so thoroughly forgot about the threat of the Grendala that they began to talk and laugh loudly, having a good time. So when a strange face appeared and looked on from just beyond the edge of the firelight they did not even notice. Only when there was a lull in the conversation did they here the noises of the Grendala moving about in the surrounding area. At this they fell utterly silent. And now from all around came the sounds of whispers. The Grendala were apparently deciding how best to kill them or so they thought. Suddenly a deep silence fell upon the area, then the sound of the Grendala retreating could be heard round them. During all this they had been to terrified to do or say anything, instead they sat unmoving, unblinking still as stone. A long time after the Grendala had departed they finally dared to move, to even breath. By the time they had calmed down they realized they were not out of trouble yet. The first face that had appeared at the edged of the light had not left with his brethren, but instead still stood there. So still as to make them believe he was a tree or simply a stone on which there imaginations were playing. They whispered to each other. "What do you think it wants?" Shallha asked. Mortonan replied, "I don't know. Why didn't it leave with the others?"

The face in the night did not move and neither did they. Both were still as a rabbit hiding from a fox. Each seemed almost as afraid of the other as they were of them, but thought the other was not afraid. The figure stepped toward the light and was now visible from head to toe. His motions were graceful and smooth, then he came to a halt again still as stone. No, he swayed slightly with the wind just as much as the trees which was indeed very slight as the wind was light. He was five hands tall wrapped in a warm fir lined outfit so that his head and hands emerged stark against the dark fir. This was the fearsome Grendala? No more than a boy like Mortonan. Indeed almost exactly like him. "What do you want," Shallha questioned him. Mortonan chimed in, "Yes, what do you want?" At length the figure spoke, "I, well I, nothing... wait, to talk to you. I'm Cumron." Shallha introduced them, "I'm Shallha and this is Mortonan." "I have never seen you before and you are not prepared for this night. You have no warm cloths. Where are you from?" "We are from the city, the city on the hill." His eyes narrowed, "Then you are the ones who exiled us four thousand nights ago!" "Exiled you? You are the Grendala who live in the night how could we exile you? Surely you never lived among us?" "We did some four thousand nights ago live among you, but then you exiled us, those who still believed." "Believed, believed what? What is there that you could believe that you could not convince the others of?" "That is the point, we believed and still believe in the great one, but you said it was illogical and had no place among you. You exiled us first from the light of your city at night, but that was not enough. By day you hunted us, driving us from the land, so that we were forced to hide by day. Through that you exiled us not only from the light of the city but also from the light of day. You and your Grand Reason exiled us!" "How can you blame us for what our ancestors did," Mortonan screamed, anger now rising over fear. "Because, we come to the gates of the city at night and try to talk, but you only scream of our lies and trickery. Then you attack us saying you must in order to defend yourselves," came the swift reply. Shallha the voice of reason now intervened, "Wait, we are told stories of the Grendala and their cunning and trickery before we are even old enough to speak. What do you expect of us? We know no better, but you are right, we have locked you out and even now hold the door shut." "You have nothing to fear from us. We are your brethren, your kinsmen. We should live among you in peace. Your love of reason has clouded your minds to truth. Instead of seeking truth you seek reason." "But, we now know the truth! Mortonan and I shall go to the city in the morning when the two great stars rise. We shall tell all the people of the city and we shall be reconciled with you. Just wait, tomorrow night the gates of the city will be open and we will wait there to greet you with open arms."

With this Cumron left swiftly vanishing into the dark night. Mortonan and Shallha were now left alone in the night to think about what had been said. "So the Grendala are not our enemies," Mortonan asked. "No, in fact they are our own people," Shallha replied. "But what is this Great One he spoke of?" "I'm not sure, but I have heard of something called religion where people believe in some great being, and they do so without a true logical reason instead they accept it on faith." "I don't know, that seems too strange. Could we really be related to them? Maybe it is a trick. Maybe they found us here and after much discussion decided they would trick us into convincing the others."

"No, Cumron was not lying! His words had the ring of truth. He was truly upset over the exiling of the Grendala."

"Well I guess, but still I'm not sure."

"How are we to convince the others if you don't even believe?"

"I don't know," Mortonan said, and they both fell into an uneasy silence. They contemplated the events of the night and the others response to them. After awhile they fell asleep now safe in the knowledge that the Grendala would not hurt them, at least for tonight.

The two great stars were beginning to lighten the sky when Shallha awoke. Turning to Mortonan she shook him gently and he awoke after sometime, not very rested but better for the sleep. Slowly they made their way toward the city gates which would be opening soon, Mortonan leaning heavily on Shallha because of his injured foot. The surroundings were now familiar and easily navigated unlike the alien world of last night. As they approached, they could see the city silhouetted against the gray sky. At length they came to the city gates, still unopened. There was no sign of any guards so they waited, having a seat on a large rock outside. When the gates finally did open, the first thing they saw there was Shallha and Mortonan, sitting comfortably. The guards were amazed, not in living memory had anyone ever survived a night outside the city. Immediately they were taken to see the Emperor, and while they waited outside his office, Mortonan's leg was bandaged. By the time the Emperor was ready to see them Mortonan was practically asleep, and Shallha had to nudge him to wake him. They were led through three grand doors then instead of going through the fourth, they were led through a small door that was hidden in the wall. Among the ornate molding was a small creatures head which was used as a handle. Upon pulling on it the door became apparent but one would ever know it existed unless one had seen it used. From here they were led down a small passageway which was plain stark white.

Finally they entered the room where the Emperor sat. It was small with only a pebbled glass window to light it from outdoors. He was behind a large wood desk in a soft, black, swivel chair. This was obviously his private office which reflected both his status and sense of understated beauty. "Welcome, please have a seat," the Emperor intoned in a smooth deep voice. "Thank you," Shallha replied, having a seat.

"So, you spent the night outside my city, yet you are still here today."

"Yes."

"Did you see the Grendala? If so how is it that you are here?"

"We did indeed see the Grendala. They did not, however threaten us. In fact, they were very nice to us."

"Blasphemy! What have they promised you in order to get you to speak these lies to me," the Emperor was furious.

"Nothing, the Grendala promised us nothing. They are not our not our enemies. I tell you the truth!"

"The Truth! Ah, my five year old daughter could make up a better lie than that," the Emperor screamed back at Shallha. Seeing that the Emperor also doubted the truth of what Cumron had told them he now chimed in, "It is the truth that we were outside and the Grendala did not hurt us. Indeed they told us of how we have wronged them and that they are not our enemies, but I to do not trust the Grendala. It may be only a ploy to trick us. Why win only a small victory when, with a little more daring, the whole war can be one?"

"Mortonan, you are, I believe, right. I will accept that the Grendala told you these things and did not hurt you and were nice to you. However, they are still lies."

"No! It is the truth, it is our own stubbornness that blinds us to the truth. In fact the Grendala are our own people who once lived among us and it was our logic and unwillingness to accept those who are different that has done this."

The Emperor was unfazed by this outburst and continued on, "Mortonan, you may leave in a minute, but when you do you will go about telling everyone the truth, that you did see the Grendala and that they lied and tried to trick you but you saw through their lies. Now Shallha, the Grendala were lying to you, and you must be convinced of this. If you go about telling the people of what you heard and say it is the truth it could cause confusion and unrest among those citizens who are less enlightened. For that reason I cannot allow you to leave unless you publicly denounce the lies the Grendala has spoken to you."

"Never! I speak only the truth. I shall not turn my back on it simply because it would cause unrest. The truth is the truth at any cost."

"Very well... You shall stay in a holding cell in the basement of my mansion. There we shall see if we cannot change your mind. Mortonan, Shallha was confused and traumatized by this experience, now go tell the others what has happened. You are dismissed." Mortonan stood and said, "Thank you Emperor, I shall do as you suggest." Shallha only stared at him in silence.

Once he had left the room and the sound of the outer door could be heard the Emperor continued, "As I was saying, you are mistaken as to what the truth really is in this situation. It is easy to be confused if you do not already have a good idea what is the truth." Shallha cut him off, "You cannot hide the truth! It is free and can not be hidden for long!"

"Oh, but I can my dear. There are many truths with which to replace the real truth," with a flourish of the hand his guards were there and they took Shallha away, away from the light of truth.

A Night to Remember