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th and hard as glass。 No； not glass。 It was as clear and clean as a drop of dew on a spiderweb。 There wasn't no storm now。 Just Al and the Shining Man； in the middle of a tower of crystal； bright and transparent。
Only instead of being like a window that showed what was happening outside； Al couldn't see the lake or the storm or the shore through the crystal wall。 Instead he saw other things。
He saw a wagon caught in a flooding river； a tree floating down like a battering ram； and a young man leaping out onto the tree； rolling it over； turning it from the wagon。 And then the man tangling in the roots of the tree； getting smashed against a boulder； then rolling and tumbling downstream； all the time struggling to live； to breathe just a while longer； keep breathing； keep breathing
He saw a woman bearing a baby； and a little girl who stood nearby reached out and touched her belly。 She shouted something； and the midwife reached in her hand and took the baby's head； pulled it out。 The mother tore and bled。 The little girl reached under and pulled something off the baby's face； the baby cried。 The man in the river heard that cry； somehow； knew that he had lived long enough； and so he died。
Al didn't know what to make of it。 Until he heard the Prophet whisper in his ear： 〃The first thing you see in here is the day you are born。〃
The baby was Alvin Junior； the man who died was his brother； Vigor。 Who was the girl who took the birth caul off his face？ Al never saw her before in his life。
〃I will show you；〃 said the Prophet。 〃This stays only a little while； and I have things to see for myself； but I will show you。〃 He took Alvin by the hand and together they rose upward through the column of glass。
It didn't feel like flying； not like the soaring of a bird； it was as if there wasn't no up or down。 The Prophet pulled him upward； but Al couldn't figure how the Prophet pulled himself。 Didn't matter。 There were so many things to see。 Wherever he hung in the air； he could look in any direction and see something else through the wall of the tower。 Until he realized that every moment of time； every human life must be visible through this tower wall。 How could you find your way through here？ How could you look for any one particular story in the hundreds； thousands； millions of moments of past time？
The Prophet stopped； hoisted the boy up until he could see what the Prophet was seeing； their cheeks pressed together； their breath mingling； the Prophet's heartbeat loud in Alvin's ear。
〃Look；〃 said the Prophet。
What Alvin saw was a city； shining in sunlight。 Towers of ice； it looked like； or clear glass； because when the sun set behind the city its light didn't so much as dim； and the city cast no shadow on the meadowland around it。 Inside that city there were people； like bright shadows moving here and there； going up and down the towers without stairs or wings。 More important than what he saw； though； was what he felt； looking at that place。 Not peace； no； there was nothing quiet about what he felt。 It was excitement； his heart pumping fast as a horse in full gallop。 The people there； they weren't perfect they were sometimes angry； sometimes sad。 But nobody was hungry； and nobody was ignorant； and nobody had to do something just because somebody else made them do it。 〃Where is that city！〃 whispered Alvin。
〃I don't know；〃 said the Prophet。 〃Every time I e here； I see it in a different shape。 Sometimes these tall thin towers； sometimes big crystal mounds； sometimes just people living on a sea of crystal fire。 I think this city was built many times in the past。 I think it will be built again。〃
〃Are you going to build it？ Is that what Prophetstown is for？〃
Tears came from the Prophet's eyes spilling from his one good eye； oozing out of the slack lid of the other。 〃Red man can't build this place alone；〃 he said。 〃We are part of the land； and this city is more than the land alone。 The land is good and bad； life and death all together； the green silence。〃
Alvin thought of his sense of green music； but he didn't say nothing； cause the Prophet was saying things he wanted to hear； and Al was smart enough to know that sometimes it's better to listen than to talk。
〃But this city；〃 said the Prophet； 〃the crystal city is light without dark； clean without dirty； healthy without sick； strong without weak； plenty without hungry； drink without thirst； life without death。〃
〃The people in that place； they aren't all happy；〃 said Alvin。 〃They don't live forever。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the Prophet。 〃You don't see the same that I see。〃
〃What I see is； they're building it。〃 Al frowned。 〃At one end they're building it； and at the other end； it's falling down。〃
〃Ah；〃 said the Prophet。 〃The city I see will never fall。〃
〃Well what's the difference？ How e we don't see the same thing？〃
〃I don't know； Roach Boy。 I never showed this to anybody。 Now go back down； wait for me below。 I have things to see before time starts again。〃
Just thinking about going down made Alvin start to sink； until he was clear to the bottom； on the shiny clear floor。 Floor？ It could have been the ceiling for all he knowed。 There was light ing up from there just like it was shining through the other walls； and he saw pictures there； too。
He saw a huge cloud of dust spin faster and faster； but instead of spitting out dust it sucked it all in； and suddenly it started glowing； and then it caught fire； and it was the sun； just as plain as could be。 Alvin knew somewhat about the planets； cause Thrower talked about them； so he wasn't surprised to see them glowing points of light that pretty soon got dim。 And after a while instead of dust mixed with darkness； it was all either worlds or empty space； pretty much。 He saw the Earth； so small； but then he came closer and he saw how big it was； spinning so fast； one face of the Earth lit up from sunlight； the other face dark。 He stood in the sky； it seemed； looking down on the lit place； but he could see all that was going on。 First bare rock； spouting volcanoes； then out of the ocean； plants spreading out； growing tall； ferns and trees。 He saw fish leaping in the sea； crawly life on the shore where the tide came in； and then bugs and other small critters； hopping and nibbling on leaves and catching each other and eating each other up。 Them animals kept getting bigger and bigger； so fast Alvin couldn't follow the changes； just the Earth spinning and him watching； huge monstrous creatures like he never heard of； with long snakey necks some of them； and teeth and jaws to tear down trees with a single bite； it looked like。 And then they were gone； and there were elephants and antelopes and tigers and horses； all the life of the earth； getting more and more like what Alvin thought animals ought to look like。 But nowhere in all this did he see a man。 He found apes and hairy things that hit each other with rocks； things that walked on their hind legs but looked about as dumb as frogs。
And then he did see some folks； though he wasn't sure at first cause they were Black and he hadn't seen but one Black man in his life； a slave owned by a peddler from the Crown Colonie