8 Chapter 8

Standing there, scanning the lagoon and the ring of reef, I thought I saw something.

It was about an hour before sunset now, and I had to shade my eyes to look west, into the lagoon, and see clearly. Again, I thought there was something, something that wasn’t natural, but man-made.

I looked at the reef, which began just at the end of the promontory upon which I stood. There were few gaps, I now saw, in the line of the reef. And, since the ocean had calmed substantially beyond it, I decided I just might make it, traversing the reef, to find out whether that object was what I hoped it was—or something else useful.

So, with great care I descended to the reef proper, and made my way along it, conscious that a slip could slice open both sneaker and flesh. At times I moved on all fours, during which I took even more care with my hands—and got only a few minor cuts.