The Lotus Caves by John Christopher

Author:John Christopher
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Aladdin

9

The Worshiper

MARTY WAS AWAKENED BY A HAND that shook his shoulder. He mumbled: “What’s the matter, Steve?” and then, coming awake, saw that Thurgood was the shaker. It was light again. Steve was standing just beyond Thurgood, who now said: “The Plant wants to see you.”

“How did it send the message,” Marty asked, “—by flying-leaf mail?”

Thurgood did not bother to reply. He started down toward the lake and the boys, after an exchange of shrugs, followed him.

It floated just touching the grassy bank that formed the shore of the lake. It was about six feet square, and seemed to consist of overlapping flat green pads. They stood and looked at it. Thurgood said: “Climb aboard.”

His voice was not exactly impatient but not quite so unconcerned and lackadaisical as usual. Marty said: “Is it a raft? It won’t bear us, surely.”

“It will bear you,” Thurgood said.

He put his own foot out and depressed the near edge, which was raised several inches above the surface of the water. It dipped a little, but not much. Steve stepped out on it and his weight scarcely seemed to depress it at all. Marty followed.

He said: “I wonder what gives it buoyancy?” He bent down and probed between the surface leaves. “I think this lower part has pods, like seaweed.”

“We’re moving,” Steve said. “But how?”

Marty looked and saw the shore receding from them. Thurgood stood watching them. Marty called: “Aren’t you coming?”

Thurgood shook his head without answering. The gap between plant-raft and shore was widening fairly rapidly. Old fears came back. A raft that moved of its own volition, taking them somewhere but they did not know where . . . there was a feeling of helplessness, of being in the power of something utterly strange.

Steve said: “A current, do you think?” He knelt and put a hand in the water. “It seems absolutely still.”

They tried to work out the mechanism of the raft’s motion but got nowhere. It was at least comforting to talk in objective terms, as a means of forgetting the strangeness of the journey. The lawn and the orchard fell farther behind, and it was possible to see that the cave and the lake did bend, that each extended to the right. Marty said suddenly: “We don’t have to do any of this. Just because Thurgood told us.”

“It’s a bit late now to think about refusing.”

“We could dive off,” Marty argued, “and swim back. The water’s not cold and Thurgood swims in the lake, or used to.”

Steve said doubtfully: “I suppose we could. But do you think it’s wise to antagonize the Plant, whatever it is?”

It was a point which was valid but which Marty did not enjoy contemplating. They were in its grasp, subject to whatever incalculable whims it might have. There might be some way of fighting it, of killing it even and finding a way out, but until they knew more about its nature and its capabilities, defiance would be both rash and foolish.

Steve said: “The light’s different over there.

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