Clearing the Way

Edain stood by the lake, enjoying the songs of some birds that had newly arrived while mulling over his task. Lights! Where was he going to get lights? How could he do better than a sunset, with its beautiful colours? Then an inspiration came to him. He could not, but did not need to do so. The reflecting surface of the lake would provide an animated canvas where the Powers could watch the show in the evening sky. And would not the birds and frogs of the lake provide a symphony far greater than that of artificial instruments? He did not have any better ideas, but he felt a burden lift from his heart. That had to be the answer! He looked up toward the sun. "Thanks, my friend. Now stay up in the sky. My companions have already left down Geomi's Road, and I must get back to Eden with the news before you set."

Now one of his companions had not already left. George had climbed to the top of the levy on the Ruby Bank. He remembered the part about a Coach having to cross the river. The peak of the dam was broad enough at eight paces. The ends of the dam and levy around the lake terminated near the pavilions. George had three problems. The dam was uneven in spots. He needed to build a couple of ramps so that the carriage could get on top of the dam. And most importantly, time was getting short. With four other creatures and a giant though, he should be able to make it.

"Adar! Geomi! Draco! Edain! Help!" There was no response. George looked at his task. There was no choice. He filled a cask with mud, and started building a ramp to the top of the damp that would be fit for a coach.

George had tamped the last bit of stone into the ramp on the Sapphire Bank. He would test again the path over the dam again with a cask. "Please. Please," he said to himself, hoping that the cask would not stick on a rock. The cask rolled easily up the Sapphire ramp, smoothly over the dam, and dropped gently down the Ruby ramp. George was proud of a job well-done, but precious time had been lost. There was no way that he could make it to Eden before sundown. If he only had a horse. He looked at the cask, and a pile of hair that the giant had left behind. "It is a good way to get myself killed, but I cannot think of anything better."

George used the giant's hair as a rope to fasten his legs and chest to the inside of the cask. His hands held a couple of rocks and poked outside the cask, ready to push against the ground. He had found a spot on a hill overlooking Geomi's road. The idea was to push the cask down the road, and build up enough speed so that the cask would roll into Eden. Of course, it would stop at times, veering off the road and into the forest, or possibly launch itself into the lake, but these were risks that he had to take. Clinging to a faint hope, George pushed hard against the ground. The cask rotated, and picked up speed, rolling over the grass and clover. The cask hit the smooth highway at an angle. The highway providing less resistance to rolling than the grass, the cask straightened out and followed the highway. If George had not passed out from dizziness, he would have been pleased at the progress that he had made.

1. George arrives before sunset.
2. George arrives after sunset.

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