The small canoe drifted gently across the crystal clear water. Colourful fish dodged playfully around the splashing oars. Meli laughed as she grabbed at a fish just below the surface. Mock sadness in her eyes, she looked up at Talo, but a wide grin split her face, and she burst out laughing again.
'Maybe next time, little sister,' he quipped, aiming a splash at her with the oars.
She ducked the flying water, and said mockingly, 'Maybe next time, big brother!' Talo couldn't help but laugh at her antics as he paddled back towards the sandy shore.

Talo sprinted down the beach to his mother, Meli a half-step behind him.
'You are late, little ones,' their mother scolded, 'Raf is leaving us.' Talo looked out to sea, where their god crept slowly toward the horizon. His shining yellow face watched over them during the day, but when night came, he left the stars to light the sky. Talo joined with the rest of his people in offering a prayer of thanks to Raf for the day that had been, and watched as the chief lit the fire for the feast that would be held that night. The hunting had been especially good the past few days, and tonight's feast would be held in Raf's honour as thanks.

Orange light flickered over the sand as the hunters danced around the fire. They sang of the joy of the hunt, and thanked Raf for his bounty. Meli sang too, as she chewed on a large hunk of meat. Talo thought to scold her, but this was a feast after all, so he began to sing too. Their mother beamed with pride, at both her children and her husband, who danced with the hunting party. She looked across to the idol of Raf, on its stone pillar. Raf must be pleased with her, for she was certainly blessed.

'Raf wouldn't speak with you,' Meli argued.
'And why not?' asked Talo, jumping down from the rock on which he sat.
'You're just a boy,' she replied, 'You don't even hunt or fish yet.'
'That doesn't matter, Raf loves us all.'
'Oh? Then how would you reach him?' she scoffed. 'Can you fly, big brother?'
He grinned as an idea struck. 'I shall climb the bluff!'
'You cannot Talo, it is forbidden,' she said, taken aback.
'Why, Meli? Why is it forbidden? They tell us not to climb, but they do not say why.'
'It's too dangerous Talo, you know that.'
'I can make it. I know I can.'

Despite Meli's protests, Talo had made up his mind. Early in the morning he bade his Mother farewell, and paddled out to the reef. He did not tell her where he was really going, as she would worry unduly. Once out of sight of the village, he turned the canoe, and made his way toward the base of the bluff. He lifted the small canoe onto the rocks, and set about climbing. It was hard going at first, but he soon found a narrow ledge that wound its way up the cliff face. Once or twice he looked down to the rolling surf far below, but soon thought the better of it. In the shade of the cliff, he could not see Raf, but was sure that he must be close by now.

Hands reached over the grassy edge, and found a hold on a small rock. Talo tested its strength, before hauling his body up over the edge. He sank to the grass in disappointment, as Raf was still high in the sky above him. He would never reach him from here. Talo looked about, and found that a small path wound its way down the other side of the bluff. He decided he would climb down this way, then circle around to pick up the canoe. As he turned to leave, he noticed something through the trees. Through an overgrown section of branches, something sparkled.

Talo pulled away the last of the branches, and stepped back to look at his discovery. A large shiny object, easily the length of a canoe, with a protrusion coming out either side, sat nestled amongst the trees. He could see an opening near the back end, and climbed over to it. He almost fell over at what he saw. A skeleton sat in a chair, strapped into this odd device. Even more disturbing, though, was the idol of Raf that the skeleton wore on its head. Talo stepped back into the clearing, and noticed faded letters on the side of the shiny object: R.A.F.

As he paddled back to the beach, Talo was in shock. Raf was no more a god than he was. Raf was human. He was struck by an odd mixture of fear and excitement. What would the others think of his discovery? Would they believe him? He pulled the canoe into shore, and set off along the beach at a run. His people were gathered on the shore. He looked out to sea, and realised that Raf was nearing the horizon. As he looked back to where his Mother stood with Meli, he realised something. His people needed their traditions. They were a way of life. As he approached his mother, she smiled.
'You are late, little one.'
'I know Mother, I know,' he said as he looked out to sea, and offered a prayer of thanks to Raf.