Five Stars: Five Outstanding Tales from the early days of Stupefying Stories by Aaron Starr, Guy Stewart, Rebecca Roland, David Landrum, Ryan Jones Page B

it said, “The tree was always here, but before Humans, it was only a tree. Once you settled on the island in the delta, Nehnehgrumpis was placed to watch.”
    “Why do you watch us?”
    “We reach for the highest sky but cannot touch it. You pull stinking mud from the marsh and make things to use. We tried to take knowledge from you at first, but you would not share and punished us.” The punt bumped into a natural slip. Fump stepped out on to a broad place that had been scraped flat into a landing. “Come. We need to go up to the platform.”
    Celianne scooped up Uzzal. Her eyes traveled up the trunk and kept going to the box at the top. She said, “How can we get up there?”
    “Can the boy climb?” Fump asked.
    She smiled a bit, nodded. “He’s like a little monkey.”
    “These ‘monkeys’ climb well?”
    “Very.”
    “Then you must wake him and we must climb. It is hard enough for me to climb to the box in the dark. You might not be able to do it.”
    “Do we have to go up tonight?” Celianne asked. It wasn’t that she was afraid of heights—exactly. “What do we climb on?”
    “I must always go up in full light so that I would see the steps.” Fump led the way along a path that had been carved into the roots of the tree, around the massive trunk and to the other side. The trunk was made of layered gray shingles the size of Celianne’s hand. Tiny hairs grew between the shingles, giving the tree its silvery sheen.
    They stopped at a cleft in the trunk. The interior walls glowed faintly green. “It is time to climb.” Celianne knelt down and slid Uzzal to his feet. “Honey, it’s time to wake up.”
    His eyes opened and he blinked at her then smiled. “Amma, I wanna sleep some more.” He stepped forward to lean his head on her shoulder, but she pushed him gently away.
    “We’re at the frogfolk village, Bachchale.”
    He stood back from her, eyes widening as he finally looked around. “Wow!” He looked up at Fump.
    Fump thumped with laughter and said, “Your mother says that you can climb.” He ducked into the crevice.
    Uzzal smiled white teeth big and bright in his dark face. “I can!” He made to follow Fump, but Celianne held him back.
    “Stay with me for now. We don’t know what’s in there.”
    “Where we going?” he asked.
    “Fump’s house is at the top of the tree.”
    Uzzal leaned back until his head touched Celianne’s belly and he said, “Way up there?”
    “Way up there.”
    “Let’s go!” he exclaimed and pulled her into the cleft.
    She had to duck because the ceiling was low, though neither Fump nor Uzzal had to and started up narrow steps that had been carved into the living wood of the tree. They climbed in silence until they stepped out of a cleft on the lowest branch of the village tree. The top of the branch had been scraped flat making two-meter wide path out to the very end a kilometer away.
    “Wow!” Uzzal exclaimed. He dashed to the edge, looked over, then ran across the branch to the other side and looked over again.
    “Be careful!” Celianne cried. Platforms with domes built of woven rushes and flexible sticks sprouting flowers extended from the branch to hang over the marsh below. The round doorways of the domes were hung with leathery skins. The scent of cinnamon from the flowers hung in the late afternoon air.
    Uzzal squatted down at the door as the leather was pushed aside and someone looked out at him. “Hi,” he said. The occupant whistled and clicked. “What did he say?”
    “Its name is Huulor and it wonders what you are doing here.”
    Uzzal smiled and said, “My name is Uzzal. My amma’s here to learn to fly again.”
    Fump spoke to it. Huulor replied and Fump translated, “He wants to know if you can follow him.” The native climbed from its hut. It was only as tall as Uzzal.
    All three turned to Celianne. She nodded. “Be careful. I’ll be back shortly.” She looked at Fump and said, “They won’t go down to the marsh, will