On The Beach

A distant bell tolled. On an ancient beach Dan Moon watched a line of flickering lights appear and disappear as they wound through sand dunes, heading toward him. It was three o'clock in the morning on MidSummer's Day. Holding his own lantern high, Dan stood in the middle of a circle of rugs on the sand, watching the lights move closer. Dan's bare feet were cold, and despite his heavy black cloak, he shivered in the predawn chill. Dan saw the first of the lights--------a flicking candle encased in a glass lantern------emerge from the dunes. It was carried by a dark cloaked figure who was quickly followed by others. They walked slowly across the sand, heading toward what they called the MidSummer Circle. Silently, one by one they sat down on the rugs, making a circle around Dan. The Dark cloaked group were not only ones making their way toward the beach. In the shadow of the dunes the square figure of the woman moved hurriedly along a path she had marked out earlier that day. The woman, Mitza Draddenmora Draa, was late. She had intended to be in her hiding place before everyone began to arrive, but she had been delayed by having to help Dan Moon pull out a pile of motheathen rugs from under her bed in the spare room. And, what was worse, she had to smile while she was doing it because Mitza had to be a good house guest, and more important, be above suspicion. Consequently she was not in a good mood. She didn't like being late, she didn't like sand, she didn't like walking and she certainly didn't like what she called "darned kids." Still, it would all be worth it--------she hoped. Covered in the sand after losing her footing down a dune, Mitza found her hiding place behind a small hillock of sand. It was near enough to hear what was being said and yet far enough away to make a quick exit without being seen. She settled down among the spiky dune grass and tried not to think about sand snakes. Dan Moon, whip thin, tall and dark, fiddled with the lapis lazuli stone that Hung from a string around his neck. He Had performed the MidSummer Circle more times than he liked to remember, but that night Dan was nervous-------because for the first time his only child, Alice TodHunter Moon, twelve years old (and so now considered to have come of age) was old enough to hear it. Alice, who insisted on being known as Tod, was sitting at Dan's feet, regarding him with excitement as she twisted her long, thin plait------the traditional PathFinder elflock-----that Hung down from her mass of short dark hair. Just in time, she remembered not to chew the end of it. Dan watched the last latecomer take his place. He did a head count and saw that all those from the village, aged twelve to fifteen, were indeed present. He checked his timepiece. It was important to Dan that he timed his talk to the very second. His father had never bothered, but Dan loved the sense of wonder that timing it just right always produced, It still gave even him goose bumps. He looked around the circle at the solemn audience, sitting cross legged, muffled in their black cloaks. The younger ones had their hoods up against the chilly offshore breeze, but the older ones----too cool to cover----were toughing it out, and their faces and hair showed the typical PathFinder sheen that only became apparent dark. Dan held his lantern high and saw the completed Circle of flickering points of flame. Silence had descended and with it an air of expectation. This was going to be good night, Dan thought. The atmosphere was right. He was pleased for Tod's sake------everyone remembered their first Circle. Dan glanced at his timepiece once more, took a deep breath and, speaking slowly but loudly enough for all to hear-------including Mitza Draddenmora Draa----Dan Moon began. "Good morning, PathFinders. Welcome to our new people." Dan smiled down at Tod and two other twelve years olds, who were sitting in the space reserves for first timers. Tod smiled shyly back. It was strange seeing her father in a new role-----no longer a fisherman but someone who everyone was, literally, looking up to. Dan continued. "Every year we meet in the early hours of MidSummer Morning to hear our history and to understand the secrets that made us PathFinders who we are, and why we are little different from others. These secrets are kept among us, and when we leave the Circle we do not speak of them to anyone else. Does everyone here understand?" Dan did a 360 degree turn, looking at each person and getting a solemn "I understand" in return. Dan turned his gaze to the three sitting at his feet. "To begin, I will ask our first timers to promise to keep our secrets from all who are not PathFinders, and more important, from all PathFinders who have yet to come of age and join our MidSummer Circle.

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