The hole in the sky was directly overhead now, and the moaning had
risen in pitch. Across the little clearing, Malok began backing quietly
away, carefully not looking upwards. Nobody but Dave seemed to notice
his absence. There was a louder moan.

One of the men in the clearing began to rise upwards slowly. His body
was rigid as it lifted a foot, ten feet, then a hundred above the
ground. Now it picked up speed, and rushed upwards. Another began to
rise, and another. In seconds, more than half of those who had waited
were screaming upwards toward the hole in the sky. They disappeared in
the distance.

Those who had merely stood by and those who had worshipped waited a few
seconds more, but no more rose. The men sighed and began moving out of
the clearing. Dave arose to follow, but Bork gestured for him to wait.

"Sometimes--" he said.

They were alone now. Still Bork waited, staring upwards. Then Dave saw
something in the sky. A speck appeared and came hurtling down. In
seconds, it was the body of one of the men who had risen. Dave felt his
stomach tighten and braced himself. There was no slowing as the body
fell. It landed in the center of the clearing, without losing speed, but
with less noise than he had expected.

When they reached the shattered body, there could be no question of its
being dead.

Bork's face was solemn. "If you're thinking of joining, you'd better