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Show WORTHING FARM/23 then right again to the southeast corner, and then right again until he stopped in front of the speaking stone. The rain had washed it clean. Elijah recognized the word that Big Peter had put on the front of his inn. Worthing. He could not read the rest of the sign, and the words would have made little sense to anyone else in the world, for the language had changed since the time of the writer. The stone said: "Son of Jason, Keeper of Worthing, If you open this stone you will summon the stars. Unless you are ready to teach the stars, Keep this stone closed in Worthing." Elijah sat on the stone and looked out over the field. He remembered how the clouds had come when he called, how the rain had fallen when he ordered it, how it had killed when he demanded it. But it was impossible, for if that was true, then Elijah could command the sky, and if that was true, then Elijah had murdered Worthing Farm. Three broken stalks near him caught his eye. He looked at the stalks and told them to be green. They didn't hear- He spoke out loud. "Live," he said, but they didn't hear him. Then he imagined them green and thriving, wished them green, demanded that they live and as he watched, green streaked up the stalks and they straightened and stood tall and lived. Elijah reached down and touched one,of them. It was real. It bent gently under his pressure. His power- was real. His gift, even as his Grannam had said, his gift was a great thing, his gift was a terrible thing. Elijah stood and stepped on the three plants he had caused |
