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The Prophet kept walking； farther out onto the water； his bloody footprints marking the smooth path through the storm。
Al looked back at the tornadoes。 They were close now； almost overhead。 Al could feel them twisting inside him； as if he were part of the clouds； and these were the great raging emotions of his own soul。
Out on the water； the Prophet raised his hands and pointed at one of the twisters。 Almost immediately； the other three twisters rose up； sucked back up into the clouds and disappeared。 But the other came nearer； until it was directly over the Prophet； maybe a hundred feet up。 It was near enough that around the edges of the Prophet's glassy smooth path； the water was leaping up； as if it wanted to dive upward into the clouds； the water started to circle； too； twisting around and around with the wind under the twister。
〃e！〃 shouted the Prophet。
Alvin couldn't hear him； but he saw his eyes even from that far away saw his lips move； and knew what the Prophet wanted。 Alvin didn't hesitate。 He stepped out onto the water。
By now； of course； Measure was caught up with him； and when Al started walking onto the warm； smooth glass of the Prophet's path； Measure shouted at him； grabbed at him。 Before he could touch the boy； though； the Reds had him； pulled him back； he screamed at Alvin to e back； don't go； don't go onto the water Alvin heard him； and Alvin was as scared as he could be。 But the Shining Man was waiting for him under the mouth of the tornado； standing on the water。 Inside himself Al felt such a longing； like Moses when he saw the burning bush I have to stop and see this thing； said Moses； and that's what Alvin was saying； I have to go and see what this is。 Because this wasn't the kind of thing that happened in the natural universe； and that was the truth。 There wasn't no beseeching or hex or witchery he ever heard of that could call a tornado and turn a stormy lake into glass。 Whatever this Red man was doing； it was the most important thing Al ever saw or ever was likely to see in his life。
And the Prophet loved him。 That was one thing Al didn't have no doubt of。 The Shining Man had stood once at the foot of his bed and taught him。 Al remembered that the Shining Man cut himself then； too。 Whatever the Prophet was doing； he used his own blood and pain to do it with。 There was a real majesty to that。 Under the circumstances； Al can't be much blamed for feeling kind of worshipful as he walked out onto the water。
Behind him； the path loosened up； dissolved； disappeared。 He felt the waves licking at his heels。 It scared him； but as long as he walked forward there wasn't no harm done to him。 And finally he stood with the Prophet； who reached out and took Alvin's hands in his。 〃Stand with me；〃 shouted the Prophet。 〃Stand here in the eye of the land； and see！〃
Then the tornado sank quickly downward； the water leaped up； rising like a wall around them。 They were in the very center of the tornado； getting sucked upward
Until the Prophet reached out one bloody hand and touched the waterspout； and it； too； went smooth and hard as glass。 No； not glass。 It was as clear and clean as a drop of dew on a spiderweb。 There wasn't no storm now。 Just Al and the Shining Man； in the middle of a tower of crystal； bright and transparent。
Only instead of being like a window that showed what was happening outside； Al couldn't see the lake or the storm or the shore through the crystal wall。 Instead he saw other things。
He saw a wagon caught in a flooding river； a tree floating down like a battering ram； and a young man leaping out onto the tree； rolling it over； turning it from the wagon。 And then the man tangling in the roots of the tree； getting smashed against a boulder； then rolling and tumbling downstream； all the time struggling to live； to breathe just a while longer； keep breathing； keep breathing
He saw a woman bearing a baby； and a little girl who stood nearby reached out and touched her belly。 She shouted something； and the midwife reached in her hand and took the baby's head； pulled it out。 The mother tore and bled。 The little girl reached under and pulled something off the baby's face； the baby cried。 The man in the river heard that cry； somehow； knew that he had lived long enough； and so he died。
Al didn't know what to make of it。 Until he heard the Prophet whisper in his ear： 〃The first thing you see in here is the day you are born。〃
The baby was Alvin Junior； the man who died was his brother； Vigor。 Who was the girl who took the birth caul off his face？ Al never saw her before in his life。
〃I will show you；〃 said the Prophet。 〃This stays only a little while； and I have things to see for myself； but I will show you。〃 He took Alvin by the hand and together they rose upward through the column of glass。
It didn't feel like flying； not like the soaring of a bird； it was as if there wasn't no up or down。 The Prophet pulled him upward； but Al couldn't figure how the Prophet pulled himself。 Didn't matter。 There were so many things to see。 Wherever he hung in the air； he could look in any direction and see something else through the wall of the tower。 Until he realized that every moment of time； every human life must be visible through this tower wall。 How could you find your way through here？ How could you look for any one particular story in the hundreds； thousands； millions of moments of past time？
The Prophet stopped； hoisted the boy up until he could see what the Prophet was seeing； their cheeks pressed together； their breath mingling； the Prophet's heartbeat loud in Alvin's ear。
〃Look；〃 said the Prophet。
What Alvin saw was a city； shining in sunlight。 Towers of ice； it looked like； or clear glass； because when the sun set behind the city its light didn't so much as dim； and the city cast no shadow on the meadowland around it。 Inside that city there were people； like bright shadows moving here and there； going up and down the towers without stairs or wings。 More important than what he saw； though； was what he felt； looking at that place。 Not peace； no； there was nothing quiet about what he felt。 It was excitement； his heart pumping fast as a horse in full gallop。 The people there； they weren't perfect they were sometimes angry； sometimes sad。 But nobody was hungry； and nobody was ignorant； and nobody had to do something just because somebody else made them do it。 〃Where is that city！〃 whispered Alvin。
〃I don't know；〃 said the Prophet。 〃Every time I e here； I see it in a different shape。 Sometimes these tall thin towers； sometimes big crystal mounds； sometimes just people living on a sea of crystal fire。 I think this city was built many times in the past。 I think it will be built again。〃
〃Are you going to build it？ Is that what Prophetstown is for？〃
Tears came from the Prophet's eyes spilling from his one good eye； oozing out of the slack lid of the other。 〃Red man can't build this place alone；〃 he said。 〃We are part of the land； and this city is more than the land alone。 The land is good and bad； life and death all together； the green silence。〃
Alvin thought of his sense of green music； but he didn't say nothing； cause the Prophet was saying things he wanted to hear； and Al was smart enough to know that sometimes it's better to listen than to talk。
〃But this city；〃 said the Prophet； 〃the crystal city is light without dark； clean without dirty； healthy without sick； strong without weak； plenty without hungry； drink without thirst； life without death。〃
〃The people in that place； they aren't all happy；〃 said Alvin。 〃They don't live forever。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the Prophet。 〃You don't see the same that I see。〃
〃What I see is； they're building it。〃 Al frowned。 〃At one end they're building it； and at the other end； it's falling down。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the Prophet。 〃The city I see will never fall。〃
〃Well what's the difference？ How e we don't see the same thing？〃
〃I don't know； Roach Boy。 I never showed this to anybody。 Now go back down； wait for me below。 I have things to see before time starts again。〃
Just thinking about going down made Alvin start to sink； until he was clear to the bottom； on the shiny clear floor。 Floor？ It could have been the ceiling for all he knowed。 There was light ing up from there just like it was shining through the other walls； and he saw pictures there； too。
He saw a huge cloud of dust spin faster and faster； but instead of spitting out dust it sucked it all in； and suddenly it started glowing； and then it caught fire； and it was the sun； just as plain as could be。 Alvin knew somewhat about the planets； cause Thrower talked about them； so he wasn't surprised to see them glowing points of light that pretty soon got dim。 And after a while instead of dust mixed with darkness； it was all either worlds or empty space； pretty much。 He saw the Earth； so small； but then he came closer and he saw how big it was； spinning so fast； one face of the Earth lit up from sunlight； the other face dark。 He stood in the sky； it seemed； looking down on the lit place； but he could see all that was going on。 First bare rock； spouting volcanoes； then out of the ocean； plants spreading out； growing tall； ferns and trees。 He saw fish leaping in the sea； crawly life on the shore where the tide came in； and then bugs and other small critters； hopping and nibbling on leaves and catching each other and eating each other up。 Them animals kept getting bigger and bigger； so fast Alvin couldn't follow the changes； just the Earth spinning and him watching； huge monstrous creatures like he never heard of； with long snakey necks some of them； and teeth and jaws to tear down trees with a single bite； it looked like。 And then they were gone； and there were elephants and antelopes and tigers and horses； all the life of the earth； getting more and more like what Alvin thought animals ought to look like。 But nowhere in all this did he see a man。 He found apes and hairy things that hit each other with rocks； things that walked on their hind legs but looked about as dumb as frogs。
And then he did see some folks； though he wasn't sure at first cause they were Black and he hadn't seen but one Black man in his life； a slave owned by a peddler from the Crown Colonies； who happened to e through Vigor Church maybe two years back。 But they looked like human people； all right； Black or not； and they were pulling fruit down out of trees and berries off of bushes； feeding each other； a passel of pickaninnies following in their tracks。 Two of the young ones got to fighting； and the big one killed the little one。 The papa came back then； and kicked the one who did the killing； made him go away。 Then he picked up the dead one and brought him back to the mama； both of them crying； and they laid that dead child down and covered him up with rocks。 Then they gathered up their family and walked on； and after just a few steps they were eating again； and the tears stopped； and they went on； just went on。 These are folks； that's sure； thought Alvin。 This is just the way human people are。
The Earth kept turning； and by the time it e round again there was all kinds of folks； dark ones in the hot countries； light ones in the cold countries； with all shades in between。 Except when America came under the light of the sun。 In America folks was pretty much all the same kind； all Red； whether they lived north or south； hot or cold； wet or dry。 And the land was at peace； pared to the other part of the world。 It was strange for him to see； because when the big part of the land came by； with all its different races and nations； why； it changed with every sweep of the Earth； whole countries moved from one place to another； everything always shuffling around； and wars every minute everywhere。 The smaller land； America； it had some too； but it was all slower； gentler。 The people lived in a different rhythm。 The land had its own heartbeat； its own life。
From time to time more people would e from the old world fishermen； mostly。 Off course； led astray by storms； running from enemies。 They'd e； and for a time they'd live their old…world life in America； trying to build fast； and breed fast； and kill as much as they could。 Like a sickness。