The Last Library

Seeing the Light

That evening, when the sun had dipped below the edge of the Alaskan scrub, and the sky was fading fast from pink to blue, Portland stood outside the Geek's tent.

It was awkward, at first, as people began to appear. They looked out from curiosity. Some stood back a ways, tending fires, but keeping their eyes focused on the tent of their leader. No one wanted to be the first to approach. But soon it was obvious that something out of the ordinary was going on. After all, Portland had come back from the dead. They approached the tent as a group.

Finally, the Geek came out. When he looked at Portland, his eyes smoldered with hate, but for the crowd he hid it well with a show of surprise. "What is this? What are you all doing here? Go home."

"No," said Portland. "You know why they're here."

"I'm afraid I don't."

"This man," he said, addressing the village, "has stolen my most precious possession—a book. It belonged to my father and then to my mother, and now it belongs to me. And now he is hiding it from me and refuses to give it back."

The Geek reddened. "That's a lie." He pointed at Portland. "This man traded the book to me fairly and now he wants to steal it back."

The tribe murmured softly, their interest had been piqued. It was a petty quibble, but nothing was more fascinating than those.

Portland raised his voice. "Listen! The Geek sent my mother away to die. He threatened my life and forced her to leave. He did all this to get her book, and after he couldn't find it, he told me to give it to him in exchange for the information to go after her. He expected me to die too.

"But I didn't die. I found something marvelous out in the wilderness. I found a place where people –yes, not of our tribe—live underground. They know things about Before, more than we do. Things we could never imagine – more than the Geek. More than a hundred Geeks. They have thousands of books. They are only one long day's journey from here." Portland steadied himself for the final part of his address. "Friends. You must leave the Geek. Follow me. We have to go to them."

The Geek practically squirmed, enraged. He pointed emphatically. "No! Listen to me! His mother was lost by chance! He traded me a book in exchange for consulting the spirits! They told me where to find his mother, and he set out to find her of his own volition. That was his choice and I don't care if he survived or not. But now he wants to steal my authority! He wants leadership of the tribe, just like his father! He thought he knew better than me, but the spirits struck him down for his insubordination! So who do you believe? A rebel like him? Or me, your rightful leader?"

He faced the tribe intensely, wild-eyed as if to display his closeness to the spirits. There was silence from the crowd.

"You should put him out of the camp! Let the men put him to death for treason!"

Nobody moved. The hunters stood still. The village's eyes turned on Portland, however, as though they were waiting for some response.

It was his moment. Portland lunged for the Geek's staff. In a single move, he plucked off one of the small lightbulbs dangling from it, breaking the twine. As the Geek recoiled, Portland drew Sophia's flashlight out of his coat.

"I am telling the truth," he said. "Watch!" And he pushed the lightbulb into the flashlight.

Immediately, brilliant light flooded the night. First into Portland's face, then around the area where the people stood. They shrank back as he swept the light over them. It was like a scorching white eye. Portland turned the beam skyward and raised it high. Then he looked to the village in anticipation.

They were still silent. He didn't know what he'd expected. Applause? They were frozen in terror. Even the Geek was starting to look afraid, but Portland suspected his fear was more rational.

He'd won, and more thoroughly than he'd ever imagined. Now there was only one thing left to do: a test.

"All right," said Portland. "Who's going to help me look for the book?"

Momentarily, the people broke free of their stupor, the hunters first. They pushed their way past the Geek and into the tent.

It was only a few minutes before the book was found, stuffed into the bottom of the refrigerator. Portland took it reverently, and ran his hands over the cover. There was noise in the village now, carrying on outside the tent, and inside as people began to loot the Geek's belongings, and take back things that had once been theirs.

Now that he could read, he was impatient to find out what his father's book said. But he restrained himself from opening it. I'll wait until I'm with Mother, he thought. And Sophia. It's only right.