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Would you so peer at the fangs of a snake？ And now it sits opened behind those frail wooden walls。 And tell me； what did you find inside？〃
〃Nothing。 We found nothing at all。〃
〃Liar！〃 Boniface hissed； his expression fierce。 He looked around at the knot of people behind him； and when he returned his gaze to the white man he had regained his control。 He said in a voice just above a whisper； 〃I know what you found there； Moore。 Do you hear me？ I know！ And you thought yourself dreaming； or mad； or cursed with the sight of something you could never begin to understand。 Do not return to that place。 Leave the boat alone； I warn you！〃
〃What did I see； Boniface？ You tell me。〃
The man paused for a few seconds； and when he spoke the voice came from the corridors of his soul。 〃You glimpsed Hades； Moore。 You saw the place of eternal torture and damnation。 And yet you are a fool to think it was a nightmare； to think you are safe because the things you fail to understand cannot reach you。 But I tell you they can！〃 Boniface abruptly turned from Moore； sweeping his gaze across the faces around him。 He stepped into the crowd and it parted for him； backing away。
〃Listen！〃 he said； his voice ringing through the silence that had fallen in the Square。 〃Hear me well； all of you！ Some of you heed my word； some of you despise my teachings； but now I beg all of you to listen！〃 He looked from face to face； his own hard gaze unyielding。 〃There is a great and terrible danger on Coquina； and I urge all who can to pack belongings and get away from this place now； quickly！〃 There was a startled murmur across the Square。
Boniface held up a hand。 〃Wait！ Hear me out！ If you cannot do as I ask； then do these things！ Board your windows； keep your shutters and doors locked！ If you have guns； keep them close at hand！〃 The crowd's uneasiness increased and several people moved about nervously； but none dared turn his back or drop his eyes。 〃Stay off the streets at night；〃 Boniface continued。 〃Watch your wives and children； and do not allow them to stray off the paths into the jungle。。。〃
There was a chorus of angered； fearful responses from some of the men。 Several of them stepped forward； as if to challenge Boniface。 A woman fell to her knees and began to mutter wildly； her hands clasped before her。
〃LISTEN TO ME； YOU FOOLS！〃 Boniface shouted； the veins standing out in his neck。 Immediately all noise ceased； the men stood where they were； glowering。 The reverend continued softly； 〃If you value your lives； you will not go down into the boatyard。。。〃
This last warning held them breathless。 The breeze swept over them and on inland； at the rear of the crowd a metal pot was knocked over。 An elderly man came past Moore and picked up a bucket； he glanced at the white man； his eyes pools of fear； and then vanished。 In another moment the rest of the islanders had begun to gather up their goods in silence。 The musicians carried their steel drums off； women grasped for their children's hands and pulled them along； ignoring their crying。 The Square began to empty rapidly。
〃Are you crazy？〃 Moore asked Boniface； stepping beside him。 〃This is exactly what the constable didn't want！ You've started a goddamned panic！〃
〃I've told them the truth；〃 Boniface said。 〃Kip lies to himself。 I'll have no blood on my hands！〃
Moore held back the urge to grab the frail old man and shake him until he cracked open； spilling out his bilious secrets into the sand。 〃Tell me what it means；〃 he said after a while。
〃It may save their lives。 It may save yours as well。〃
〃But why won't you just explain？〃 Moore was infuriated。 The islanders had been overpowered by Boniface's voodoo。 There was nothing Kip could do。
Moore； knowing that now the islanders had been overpowered by Boniface's voodoo； watched the few people still left carrying away their goods。 One of the farmers began to drag his unwilling hogs along； his wife and children switching at their flanks with sticks。 Another bent to gather up armloads of sugarcane and throw them into a wheelbarrow。
〃Remember；〃 Boniface said； holding Moore's eyes。 〃Stay away from that boat。〃
〃What in God's name is this all about？〃 Moore asked again； but the reverend had turned away without a word； retracing the path by which he'd e； moving through the rapidly emptying Square toward Front Street's sand ribbon。 〃WHAT IS IT？〃 Moore shouted； but the man didn't stop。 He watched Boniface disappear among the clapboard houses。
Moore saw now who held the power； he had seen Mayor Reynard's face among the crowd； and a dozen others he knew。 None of them had moved； none had spoken； they'd been frozen under Boniface's gaze。 And the man's words had swept the Square； begging； manding； pleading。 None of his believers could dare to disobey。
In another few moments Moore was alone in the Square except for a couple of thin dogs searching for scraps。 And above their low； growling challenges Moore thought he heard something； very distant and difficult to define。 It was a distant buzzing sound； like a fly circling his head； slowly the noise became the whirring of a cricket； then the close droning of a bee。 Moore lifted his face into the sun； shielding his eyes with a hand； and searched the sky。 He found it； and the large winged shadow passed close over the village roofs； sending whorls of sand dancing past him。
Steven Kip drove a narrow； rutted goat…track of a road through the greenish…black jungles； the studded tires bounced and crashed over stones and the remnants of uprooted trees。 Kip braked the jeep when he came to a crossroads to get his bearings as to which way to drive。 He had been at this point on Coquina only twice before； and one of those times he had bee hopelessly lost for hours on a road that wound around and around before dropping off into the sea。 He lifted his arm and wiped sweat from his forehead。 The air was thick and wet here； and the dampness had worked its way beneath his clothes； clinging to his skin in beads。 Light streamed through the thick overhang of trees and vines like golden； liquid columns； but in places the darkness was like the bottom of the ocean。 Birds screeched and fluttered in the maze of limbs； their forms giving a brief glimpse of red or blue or yellow as they sought safety at higher altitudes。
Kip chose the right…hand pathway and turned onto it； driving through a large circular puddle of standing rainwater that sucked at the tires。 Strands of mist clung close to the earth； wrapping themselves around the dark trunks of trees and slithering into the high grasses。 Kip had driven for perhaps ten more minutes； wondering if he'd made a mistake again； when he saw a tree lying directly across the road。 He stopped the jeep just in front of it； the tree had been living when felled。 He could see the marks on the shattered trunk where the axes had been used。 This was the right road after all。
Kip climbed out of the jeep； stepped over the tree； and began to walk。 In the absence of engine noise the cries of the birds seemed louder； some piercing and arrogant； others sadly sweet。 A little farther on Kip saw a face drawn in ashes on a tree trunk； the eyes were wi