From Chapter One: The Silent Path
Then everything changed.
The light beneath the Great Path disappeared.
The hum stopped.
The Companion Current became completely still.
A cart froze halfway across a junction.
The hoops beside the water fell flat.
The market awnings stopped moving, although the breeze continued above them.
Even the birds became silent.
SugCon stood with one foot raised above the Path.
He could hear Benny breathing.
He could hear the soft creak of the basket handles.
He could hear a single sunberry rolling from one side of its basket to the other.
But beneath them there was nothing.
No hum.
No answer.
No Path.
The silence lasted only one breath.
Then the golden light returned.
It moved beneath the stones in a sudden rush, racing towards the Bridge of Connection so quickly that every Path lantern flashed at once.
The Companion Current struck its banks.
The market awnings snapped.
The waiting cart rolled forward with such force that its driver had to pull it back.
The young residents shouted as their hoops jumped into the air.
Benny caught a tipping basket before it could become a hat again.
The Path began humming.
But its song was no longer steady.
Hum.
Hummm.
Hum.
SugCon slowly lowered his foot.
“Did you feel that?” Benny asked.
SugCon nodded.