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Author's Note:
I want to thank all my faithful readers! Here is the much awaited transition into the new version of the story. Enjoy!!
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Episode Twenty: The Journey Begins

During the night Piku had the same dream over and over. "Let me do what I need to do!" yelled Biggles. He pushed Piku aside and reached for a bundle of herbs lying on the research table and mashed them into a bowl full of water from the waterfall pool (as well as some other things Piku couldn't make out). Piku called for a couple of the men to help him stop the stranger. Biggles grabbed the concoction and ran away. When Piku awoke in the morning, he was tired from running in his sleep all night. He quickly finished packing and left for the Gong of Wonder.

Now Piku was special. From the time he turned old enough to work, it was clear that Piku did everything a little differently - a little faster than everyone else. Piku walked faster, talked faster, worked faster, danced faster, slept faster, and even dreamed faster than everyone else. Eventually Piku was nicknamed The Village Runner. He liked that.

The elders asked the Guiding Hand to guide Dodo's way and bring his team home safely. Then the Highest Elder rang the gong and they waited for a sign. The gong granted food in the food bin that was twice the amount of what the four had packed for their mission. Everyone felt that this was a good sign. The Highest Elder, Tarik, went into the statue, opened the door and handed Samar the key. Piku, who was holding a lit torch, carefully stepped inside first. The others followed. A gust of wind blew the door shut.

After they had gone inside Shuka gently pulled Elder Tarik aside to speak to him quietly. "Tarik, I recognized the coconut grove in the gong's vision last night. It was Paco's Island." Shuka looked at Dodo's drawings in her hand. She remembered her father, who climbed over the North Mountain to be with her mother. She thought about her grandfather, Hong, whom she now knew was still alive. She did not like the idea of waiting. "Dodo was right. We need to build a floating hut or a boat or a raft, or something to get my grandfather, and Lakia, home safely!"

Tarik had a gentle but firm manner about him. His tall thin frame stood over hers, and he shook his head quietly. "Shuka, building a boat isn't enough. We can't send our villagers out at sea with the sea monster lurking about. We need to stop the sea monster first."

"I agree." Shuka already had a plan in mind. "That's why I want you to stay here and get together with the builders to determine if any of these plans will get a small group of our villagers to Paco's Island and back." Shuka handed Tarik Dodo's plans for the floating hut, the boat plans from the gong wall, and her own plans for a simple raft. Then very carefully, the lively story-teller looked Tarik right in the eyes and declared, "I'm taking the Waterfallers back to the Southern Shore to get the Black Pearl of the Queen's Golden Scepter, and the Magical Fruit of Longevity."

"No!" cried the Highest Elder in shock. "It's too dangerous! They can't go back! And if they find out the truth, it will change everything."

"I will be careful." Shuka replied with a smile. "The Waterfallers are the only ones who the Mountain People will trust. They can easily harvest the Fruit of Longevity, and shouldn't have a problem getting the Black Pearl for the Queen's Scepter."

"That is true." Tarik agreed. "But then who is going to find the Queen?"


Dodo's team began searching the inner room, studying its rich detail. There were paintings all over the walls. There was a small table at one end, over which hung the mirror. On the floor were vials and bowls, as well as old little wooden boxes. "Let's start down the passage." Dodo told them.

"I overheard Shuka tell my parents last night that some of the passageway is a steep uphill climb." Jem said. "It breaks off into many other paths further along, so you have to know where you're going."

"Then one of us needs to keep track of markings along the way so we can return." Dodo decided. Piku volunteered.

The stone passageway was roughly cut from the mountain beside their village. It was quite large for being a hidden passage. When they had gone as far as the village's waterfall they were already walking uphill. At the top of the climb, found a wooden flap on the side of the wall next to the waterfall. When everyone had passed it, Jem turned the wooden handle and lifted up the flap. Sparkling water started pouring into the passageway...

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