Spanners - The Fountain of Youth by Jonathan Maas Page B

path just is, and only Master Chergon knows its way. And when Master Chergon goes to Heaven in the end times, it’s up to us to hang on to his coattails, or stay behind and burn.”
    Brother Bocephalus coughed once more into his handkerchief. Kalar noticed that drops of blood had stained the cloth.
    “We are all Chergon’s children,” said Bocephalus. “And it’s our decision to follow him to Heaven or not. So do as Chergon says, for when our souls ascend to paradise, he’ll not come back for those left behind; that’s not God’s way. It’s not fair, it’s not soft, and it’s not warm. The truth just is. ”
    /***/
    Kalar was doing her chores later that day when she noticed that one of the native Bolivians was coughing. Kalar put down her bucket and went over to the woman and noticed the same pustules that had started to grow on the other village elders. The boils didn’t look nearly as bad on the woman’s dark skin, and the woman wasn’t coughing as badly as Bocephalus had been. Kalar didn’t speak Aymara well, so she spoke to the woman in Spanish.
    “ What is this sickness from ?” asked Kalar.
    The Aymara woman thought a minute and then laughed.
    “ You people think everything bad comes from God ,” said the woman. “ But this plague isn’t bad, and it doesn’t come from God .”
    “ Where does it come from, then?” asked Kalar.
    “From the Devil, ” said the Aymara woman, “and this plague is good. It’s a blessing.”
    “ Our people don’t believe in the Devil,” said Kalar. “But if we did, the Devil wouldn’t bring blessings.”
    “ The Devil was created by God to cleanse the earth of sin,” said the woman. “And he’ll clean this place thoroughly.”
    “ The Devil is coming here?”
    The Aymara woman laughed.
    “I’m sorry if I’m speaking in riddles,” she said. “But yes, the Devil has sent this plague here, and he’ll manifest himself in two forms that will arrive shortly.”
    “ Two forms?”
    “ Two men who appear to be demons, and though they may frighten you, they will cleanse this place and rescue you.”
    Kalar was trying to understand this woman. Was she delirious because of her boils? Was she simply speaking nonsense? No, thought Kalar. This woman is too lucid, too direct to be speaking nonsense.
    “ Please tell me,” said Kalar. “What’s going to happen?”
    “ The Devil will come in the form of two men,” said the woman. “They will destroy this island and rescue you.”
    “ Rescue me? Why?”
    “ Because it’s not your destiny to stay here,” said the woman. “It’s not your destiny to marry, produce children and then die an old woman.”
    “ What’s my destiny?” asked Kalar.
    “ Your destiny is to burn brightly,” said the Aymara woman, “and you can’t burn here.”
    “ What do you mean?”
    “ The Devil will save you because you are La Paloma del Fuego ,” said the Aymara woman. “And La Paloma del Fuego must burn to fulfill her destiny.”
    Paloma del Fuego, thought Kalar, the “Dove of Fire.”
    /***/
    Kalar had been led by the elders to a large room to spend the night. The suite was quite luxurious; it was filled with soft pillows, an oversized bed and blankets with frilled edges. Despite the strange day, Kalar fell asleep in the silken bed quite easily.
    She awoke at midnight to sharp knocks at the window; Porella was outside and she was no longer crying. Kalar looked out the window and noticed that her sister Porella was with Dano.
    “We’re leaving,” said Porella with a smile.
    “Where?” asked Kalar.
    “It doesn’t matter where,” said Porella. “We just have to leave.”
    “But you can’t get into Heaven without Master Chergon,” said Kalar.
    “I’ve got all the Heaven I need right here,” said Porella, pointing to Dano.
    “I don’t understand—”
    “You don’t understand because you’ve never been in love,” said Porella. “And you won’t find it here, especially not with Chergon. Now come with