He lived within the Lacandon Jungle. He maintained a traditional Maya diet. And he avoided so-called modern pleasures like movies, television, and the Internet.He wasn't perfect. After all, he owned a home and a car as well as several other possessions. But he'd deliberately bought the most modest items he could find. His home was little more than a dilapidated shack. His car was just a beat-up, rust-covered engine.Gritting his teeth, he continued to walk backward through the jungle. His hands gripped Crowley's legs while Reed held what remained of the man's torso. Fortunately, Chaac had favored them with a lighter rain, which made for easy walking.He passed under a giant tree. The long curling branches gave him temporary refuge from the continuous storm.The tree was known as a Ceiba pentandra. According to ancient Maya mythology, a sacred ceiba stood at the center of the earth, connecting Xibalba and the sky with the terrestrial world. Hence, its modern nickname of World Tree. The fact that a ceiba grew in the physical manifestation of Xibalba was not lost on Tum.Unfortunately, Tum's people had lost their connection to the ceiba over the years.
