Excerpt from The Culling Dark by Bettyann Craddock, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

There was more water now. Every kilometer it seemed they waded through yet another cold running stream meandering down from mountains, mountains that towered on every side.

Felipé led them on with much energy and then, as midday dawned rosy, he slowed and led them into a canyon where a mighty ancient river had raged. Down it's center a reminder of the once thrashing deeps sloshed its way southward, and all around cliffs of mountains tightened to form a long, unbroken wall of steep, majestic, purple streaked rock. As they made their way ever north the stream became a river, the cliffs climbing higher, and the air chilled. The suns blushed the sky in lavender and orange for the short hours of polar day.

"Are we almost there?" asked Markita.

Felipé patted her cheek, "You are almost a queen."

A little while later, Tozian asked, "Where's all the water coming from?"

Felipé flashed him that exquisite grin, "You will see my friend."

And then they were there. The canyon opened out and the looked upon a sight that hushed the breath from them.

Stretching far and wide and out they stood in the open flesh of Kruseos, a mammoth basin, a canyon greater than any imaginable, a crown whose orange-red walls rivaled and molten gold, the air within stilled, pinked by polar suns, gently misted, rising full and clean to heaven chilled and fresh as the very breath of God. The far, steep sides, streaked in purple, rose from misted soil, erased from roots as if roots of mountains were too harsh to look upon, and everywhere one looked the ease upon the eye soothed and begged to sooth and soar the heart for very sense of overwhelming space.

Julia sighed, took Felipé by the hand and said, "Oz."

Felipé laughed and shook his head. They stood in but one river mouth, for across the vastness could be seen other such openings where water once plunged south. Felipé, tugging on Julia's hand and anxious to lead them on, said, "Come."

They followed the river along its rocky banks on into the great basin for more than two hours, until darkness began to descend once more. In the center of the crown of Kruseos pooled a deep and cold running lake. It was so wide they couldn't see across it for rising mists.

The water whirled down the river away so clear and quickly that Mr. Bellamy, observing it, the way the water's smooth surface remained placid all across the lake, turned to Felipé and said, "It's a spring."

Felipé nodded solemnly, "A mighty spring."

Jonsey looked from cliff to cliff and said, "It must have once filled this place."

"The source of waters for the seas," said Moreno.

They sat down one by one and ate, and drank of the spring.

After a time, Mr. Bellamy said, "Felipé, but how do we live here? Is this the place?"

Felipé grinned his lovely grin, "We are not yet in Oz."

None of them knew exactly why, but they trusted him. Mr. Bellamy said no more. When they were fully rested Felipé stood up and took Julia's hand. They followed him. To the far canyon wall.

To Oz.

Steep stone steps led to Oz. The golden doors to Oz were open. Crystal light flowed from Oz.

Mr. Bellamy, his mouth working wordlessly, turned to Felipé. Finally he said, "Is this where you went?"

Felipé grinned.

Julia leaned on him, "Is it safe? What's in there?"

Felipé threw back his beautiful head and laughed so long and deeply that they all began to laugh with him. He picked up Julia to whirl around with her. Then, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, he said to them all, "Come and see."

And they mounted the steps together.

Copyright Bettyann Craddock 2000. All rights reserved.