Booktree.ng_Forgotten-Witness

magnificent, awe-inspiring bit of nature that was at once
fearsome and beautiful.
Sparsely populated, Molokai was home to the highest sea
cliffs in the world and every inch of them was covered with
the most brilliant green. Those cliffs rose from a sapphire sea
and into a cobalt sky so bright it hurt the eyes to look at it. By
the time they tied up the No Problem and got the car, Stephen
was back in true form and giving her the two-dollar tour as
they drove. That eastern part of the island where they were
headed was cut off on three sides by the Pacific and bordered
by the Kalaupapa National Historical Park. Deep in a canyon
at the foot of the mountains was the leper colony founded by
Father Damien. Leprosy was gone; the buildings where lepers
were nursed and museum that documented their suffering were
the island’s only tourist draw.
“Have you ever seen the place?” he asked. Josie shook her
head. “Well, then we’ll come back another day. You must take
a mule down miles of switchbacks to get there. They took
quarantine of those poor buggers quite seriously. I’d have to
send you alone though. I don’t care for those mules. Riding a
mule is like being in a boat on a choppy sea. Upsets the
tummy. Malia likes it. I’ll send her with you.”
That, Stephen said, was for another day when they had no
chore to do. The place he was taking her was reached by car
on a narrow road through some of the most beautiful terrain
she had ever seen. The Molokai uplands were cool and he took
great care on the roads that sometimes skirted the edge of the
cliffs. Finally, Stephen stopped at a turnout.
“Here we are,” he announced.
“I don’t see anything.”
“It’s not far. Deliveries are made from a different entrance.
There’s a wider road and all. We’d have to drive too far
around. Besides, this affords us a lovely walk.”
They both swung out.
“Might be best to take it slow,” he suggested.