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The Calling

Page 37

by Ken Altabef


  “Then go to the cliffs and listen. And then if you pass beyond the divide perhaps you’ll see your mother again. She waits for you on the other side. Maybe you can still find her.”

  “She murdered my sisters!”

  “Your sisters were spared from the death of starvation. The cruel death that you suffered. She killed them because she loved them.”

  The little girl shook her head. “No.”

  “Don’t doubt my words,” said Alaana. “There are stones at that place that still remember the splash of your mother’s tears.”

  “She left me there alone, she killed me.”

  “That was long ago. They’re all on the other side now. Your brother is there, though you may not recognize him at first. He died a very old man. Perhaps you would like to meet his children.”

  “Children?”

  “Yes,” said Alaana, “I believe they will call you Aunt Anee.”

  The little girl sobbed again. And then she was gone.

  Alaana had never felt so invigorated and at peace.

  The ground cracked open at her feet. The withered ice fell away, as broken as the spell that had bound Civiliaq below. Alaana breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the ghost of the shaman claw his way out of the hole.

  “Remarkable,” said the spirit of the dead shaman. “This I did not ever expect.”

  Civiliaq gazed with amazement at his hands, which had been restored from the clawed husks that had served him during his imprisonment. He clasped them together, testing their strength.

  “I thank you,” he said to Alaana. “It’s good to see my little bird has truly taken wing. I owe you a considerable debt.”

  “Then pay me back now,” said Alaana. “Promise you won’t seek revenge against Old Manatook or the others.”

  “Revenge?” said Civiliaq. He appeared to be taking a deep breath, though surely ghosts had no need of air. “Already forgotten.”

  A frown crossed his handsome features, and he grunted softly. “I am pulled away. I must go, and so should you.”

  His booted feet lifted from the ground and as he gazed up at the ceiling of the cavern he smiled. “I go where the dead shamans go. Perhaps we shall meet again one day, Alaana. Perhaps.”

  “Wait!” cried Alaana. “You saw something. When you looked at my inua that time on Dog-Ear Ridge. You know something!”

  Having passed halfway to the ceiling Civiliaq halted his assent. His face strained with the effort.

  “I must take my place in the sky. We’ll meet again. I am certain of it.”

  Alaana spoke quickly, the words pouring out in a torrent. “You know something about my spirit guardian. You said my power comes from beneath the Underworld. Why won’t you tell me the answer?”

  A gentle smile from Civiliaq. He shook his head. No.

  “You can’t tell me, or you won’t?”

  “It’s not time. One day you’ll know.”

  “Wait!” shouted Alaana.

  “You had best get back,” said Civiliaq at last. “Your people need you.”

  THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES IN:

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  ALSO AVAILABLE from Cat’s Cradle Press:

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  Praise for “Il Teatro Oscuro”:

  “A heartbreaking work of fantasy that addresses the call of the lost, golden past in the human heart.”

  -- Lois Tilton for LOCUS online

  Praise for “The Woman Who Married the Snow”:

  “This is a rich, atmospheric tale of the interaction of spirits amongst both living and dead. I appreciated the writer’s impeccable voice.”

  -- Colleen Chen for TANGENT online

  “A well-told tale with great details about Inuit culture.”

  -- Sam Tomaino for SFRevu

  Praise for “The Lost Elephants of Kenyisha”:

  “This well executed story deserves a 'thumbs up,' for its well-crafted writing.”

  --KJ Hannah Greenberg, TANGENT online

  “The herd of ghost elephants is a neat idea and a great premise for a story.” --Lois Tilton, LOCUS online

  “This was another well-told story that I enjoyed immensely.”

  --Sam Tomaino, SF REVU

  COMING 9/25/16:

  The Kingdom or the Girl?

  Bloodthirsty demons attack him.

  Strange spirits protect him.

  A seer foretells his shocking destiny.

  In a primitive land filled with magic, witches and giants, a young musician named David is summoned by the king to chase away the nightmares that torment him, but the palace isn’t as safe as it seems. Demons haunt the king and two powerful foes—the Witch of Endor and a giant named Goliath—lead an army that threatens to enslave the country.

  Princess Michal is drawn to David, but a romance with the poor musician is strictly forbidden. Only by defying her father’s wishes and risking her freedom, can they be together.

  To save the kingdom, David will need more than music; he’ll need to defeat Goliath in a battle of champions. Only a fool would face the giant, but when David falls in love with the rebellious princess, his heart tugs him toward the impossible. As he steps into battle, he faces an unthinkable choice—either save the kingdom or be with the girl of his dreams. He can’t do both.

  GLOSSARY OF ANATATOOK WORDS

  aayuraq break in the sea ice

  agiuqtuq revengeful spirit

  aklaq brown or Grizzly bear

  allaruk the vision trance

  amaut pouch for holding a baby

  angatkok shaman

  angatkuit more than one shaman

  angakua shaman’s spirit light

  anorak woman’s coat

  giviak food made from pickled auks

  ieufuluuraq squirrel-men

  iglu snow house

  ikliq sleeping area of tent or iglu

  ilimarpoq the soul flight

  inua spirit or soul

  inuseq astral projection of the body

  itgitlit dogs with human heads and hands

  kabloonas white-skinned foreigner

  kaiptaq seal hunt button

  kamiks light boots

  karigi ceremonial house

  kiipooyaq Inuit bolo weapon

  kuukukiaq a snipe

  lumentin corrupted soul of sinful hunter

  mamut wooly mammoth

  nanook white or polar bear

  natiq eating and living area of tent or iglu

  “Nivliqtiriarit!” “Cry out with joy!”

  Nunatsiaq Our Beautiful Land

  qaqmaq snow house with tent cover as roof

  qilayuk head-raising to determine truth

  Qityabnaqtuq the golden starfish

  Sedna guardian spirit of sea life

  sieeaktuqruk a prophetic dream

  sikuliqiruq the sea ice breaks up

  Sila fickle wind spirit

  tarraks dark angry spirit

  tatiriaq fox-skin bag

  Tekkeitsertok guardian spirit of the caribou

  Tornarssuk guardian spirit of the polar bears

  Tulukkugaq great raven spirit

  tungat evil spirit

  tunraq helper spirit

  Tunrit primordial race of arctic men

  turgats powerful guardian spirits

  ulu woman’s crescent knife

  umiak whaling boat

  ungarpaluk little harpoon

  unguliktook fierce southern wind

  “Vaaaa” “All right.”

 

 

 

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