Sam and Ann looked at each other tensely. Ann knew her question had not been answered and compelled to get an answer she asked again, “What do you sacrifice, Alondra?”
The serious look on Alondra’s face suddenly melted into her big, broad grin once again. “Chickens, mon. We sacrifice chickens! Enough for the whole village. Ha, hahaha, ha,ha.” Her humor was infectious. Involuntarily Sam and Ann felt a wave of relief go through them individually. What were they thinking? Chickens, of course. It could have been goats or sheep. So what! Instead it’s chickens. The couple started to laugh.
“What so funny about chickens?” Alondra asked puzzled by their laughter.
Ann paused to catch a breath. “Nothing Alondra. It’s just, well, it’s just we… Oh, nevermind. Chickens are the perfect sacrifice. We sacrifice them all of the time where we live, poor things.”
“Oh. Then Xndr never send Xndr Fury your way ever?”
“Not so far,” replied Sam trying very hard to keep from laughing again.
“You must have great respect in his eyes. I see that.” Alondra paused. “Come tonight to Feast.”
“We really were planning to leave today,” Sam said, looking at Ann for confirmation. Oddly, there wasn’t any.
“You say you leave tomorrow. Soon today Xndr’s Feast begin. Come to Feast. Go tomorrow. We help you bring things to boat. Tomorrow.” Alondra flashed her broad grin.
“This might be interesting, Ann,” noted Sam, thinking of his digital camera in its waterproof sack in the hut. “Why not leave tomorrow.”
Ann glanced at Alondra and then at Sam. “Well…” Sam gave her that pleading look of his. “Well, okay. Today only. Then we leave tomorrow.”
Sam nodded. “Tomorrow it shall be, without fail. We’ll be happy to go to Xndr’s Feast, Alondra.”
Surprisingly, Alondra’s grin broadened even more, as if that could have been possible. “Good! We make place for you. We come when sun at its highest and bring you to Xndr’s Feast. Wear special island clothes. Please Xndr. Rest till then. I go now. Rest till then.” Alondra quickly disappeared into the vegetation along a path leading inwards that Sam and Ann didn’t know existed until that moment.
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