each time making it more comical. When the sun set behind the mountains, they camped in a small clearing, ate a light supper, and, as they got ready to sleep, talked about Han’s world.
“What’s your world called anyway?” Dean asked when he realized he didn’t know the name of where he was.
“It’s known as Kish, the shining planet,” Han said.
Dean laid back and looked up at the stars. “This is so bizarre. I still can’t believe I’m on a whole different planet. I’ve never been to a different state and now . . .” His voice trailed off as the moon poked out from behind a cloud. “You have a moon here?”
“Of course. You don’t have one?” Han rolled up on his elbow.
“No. We have a moon. We landed on it.”
Han jumped up. “You’ve been on the moon?” His hands went to the side of his face.
“Yeah.” Dean shrugged. “Not me personally, but guys walked up there.”
“What? They walked to the moon! How? Is it because Heaven is so close you can just walk to the moon?”
Dean laughed. “No. They took a spaceship.”
Han’s mouth plopped open. “They have ships that can sail in space?” He squeaked while his whole body vibrated.
Dean waved his hands. “You know what. Maybe I shouldn’t talk about this stuff. Maybe it will screw up the progress of your planet or something.”
Han frantically shook his head. “Please tell me more. It’s unbelievable.”
“But you’re getting freaked out.”
“I’ll be good. It’s just so . . . awesome.” Han sat back down on his sleeping mat but he was still shaking with excitement.
“Well, it’s kind of weird for me too.” Dean folded his hands behind his head.
“I’ll stick to easy questions,” Han whispered. “Are the stars much different here than on your world?” Han looked up.
Dean shrugged. “I . . . I don’t know. I never really looked.” He exhaled and watched them for a few minutes.
“I guess you can start now.” Han grinned. “Then when you go home, you can see the difference.”
“Yeah. Hey, you’re an Elvana so you’re related to Elves, right?”
“Very far back. That’s what Elvana means: little Elves.”
“Is it true Elves live to be a thousand years old or something like that?”
“Elves? Live to be a thousand years old? Did Panadur tell you that?”
“No. I heard it someplace.”
Han’s lips pressed together. “Oh, no. Elves live at least twice that long. And Elvana live, on the average that is, four or five thousand years.” Han nodded. As Dean’s eyes widened and he looked at Han in a newfound amazement, Han burst out laughing. “And if you believe that, have I got a castle to sell you!” Han laughed.
“I know that saying,” Dean snapped.
“I’m sorry, Dean, but I just couldn’t let that opportunity slip by.”
“I don’t know these things, so cut me some slack. Okay?”
“Cut you what?” Han asked.
“Never mind. But stop laughing at me, or those Krulgs will come back. And this time I’ll trip you.”
“All right. I’m sorry. Good night, Dean.” Han rolled over in his sleeping mat.
“Good night, Han.” Dean lay back on his mats. “Buy a castle. Oh, man.”
“Dean, can I ask you a favor?” Han asked.
Dean twisted over. “Sure. What?”
“Would you please stop referring to me as man? I’m an Elvana.” He giggled.
“Go to sleep, will you?” Dean threw an acorn Han’s way.
The two of them fell asleep beneath the stars, with Han quietly laughing to himself.
They traveled through the mountains for days. Han hunted small game with his little bow, which proved to be deadly accurate. Dean watched or tried to flush the game out. In daylight they made a fire, but at night they feared to because the creatures could be about. The morning’s skies were a brilliant red, but the days were overcast and gray. The nights were mostly starless, and the moon could rarely be seen through the clouds.
As they neared the second week in the mountains, the pass they
“What’s your world called anyway?” Dean asked when he realized he didn’t know the name of where he was.
“It’s known as Kish, the shining planet,” Han said.
Dean laid back and looked up at the stars. “This is so bizarre. I still can’t believe I’m on a whole different planet. I’ve never been to a different state and now . . .” His voice trailed off as the moon poked out from behind a cloud. “You have a moon here?”
“Of course. You don’t have one?” Han rolled up on his elbow.
“No. We have a moon. We landed on it.”
Han jumped up. “You’ve been on the moon?” His hands went to the side of his face.
“Yeah.” Dean shrugged. “Not me personally, but guys walked up there.”
“What? They walked to the moon! How? Is it because Heaven is so close you can just walk to the moon?”
Dean laughed. “No. They took a spaceship.”
Han’s mouth plopped open. “They have ships that can sail in space?” He squeaked while his whole body vibrated.
Dean waved his hands. “You know what. Maybe I shouldn’t talk about this stuff. Maybe it will screw up the progress of your planet or something.”
Han frantically shook his head. “Please tell me more. It’s unbelievable.”
“But you’re getting freaked out.”
“I’ll be good. It’s just so . . . awesome.” Han sat back down on his sleeping mat but he was still shaking with excitement.
“Well, it’s kind of weird for me too.” Dean folded his hands behind his head.
“I’ll stick to easy questions,” Han whispered. “Are the stars much different here than on your world?” Han looked up.
Dean shrugged. “I . . . I don’t know. I never really looked.” He exhaled and watched them for a few minutes.
“I guess you can start now.” Han grinned. “Then when you go home, you can see the difference.”
“Yeah. Hey, you’re an Elvana so you’re related to Elves, right?”
“Very far back. That’s what Elvana means: little Elves.”
“Is it true Elves live to be a thousand years old or something like that?”
“Elves? Live to be a thousand years old? Did Panadur tell you that?”
“No. I heard it someplace.”
Han’s lips pressed together. “Oh, no. Elves live at least twice that long. And Elvana live, on the average that is, four or five thousand years.” Han nodded. As Dean’s eyes widened and he looked at Han in a newfound amazement, Han burst out laughing. “And if you believe that, have I got a castle to sell you!” Han laughed.
“I know that saying,” Dean snapped.
“I’m sorry, Dean, but I just couldn’t let that opportunity slip by.”
“I don’t know these things, so cut me some slack. Okay?”
“Cut you what?” Han asked.
“Never mind. But stop laughing at me, or those Krulgs will come back. And this time I’ll trip you.”
“All right. I’m sorry. Good night, Dean.” Han rolled over in his sleeping mat.
“Good night, Han.” Dean lay back on his mats. “Buy a castle. Oh, man.”
“Dean, can I ask you a favor?” Han asked.
Dean twisted over. “Sure. What?”
“Would you please stop referring to me as man? I’m an Elvana.” He giggled.
“Go to sleep, will you?” Dean threw an acorn Han’s way.
The two of them fell asleep beneath the stars, with Han quietly laughing to himself.
They traveled through the mountains for days. Han hunted small game with his little bow, which proved to be deadly accurate. Dean watched or tried to flush the game out. In daylight they made a fire, but at night they feared to because the creatures could be about. The morning’s skies were a brilliant red, but the days were overcast and gray. The nights were mostly starless, and the moon could rarely be seen through the clouds.
As they neared the second week in the mountains, the pass they
Similar Books
