Categories > Original > Fantasy > Tradewinds 10 - "Reflection"
XIV
As he went in deeper, Max began to notice how much the foliage started to press in along the trail. And those exotic animal noises were now all around him, yet continued to stay out in the dense jungle beyond. In the midst of surroundings that vaguely resembled his former home, he found that he felt almost naked without Bandit by his side, accentuating his homesickness.
Curious as he was about places, and eager as he was to stretch his legs, he still hoped the island was as deserted as it appeared. Or at least, if not, that Justin wouldn’t get himself in trouble with whoever was here. He knew his friend’s mercenary style was a product of both his personality and his past, but he hoped some of Shades’ common sense would rub off on him. And Justin would quit rubbing Shades the wrong way all the time.
Farther up the trail, the path led to a small wooden bridge crossing a shallow stream. He stopped for a while near the middle of the bridge and looked up, seeing a few shafts of light piercing the narrow crack in the canopy overhead. Just wishing Bandit was here to enjoy it with him.
Wondered if Bandit wouldn’t want to take a dip in this stream. For a moment, he recalled how he had bumped into that devilfish years ago, and although he could see no immediate danger, he still decided against dipping his feet. No point in tempting fate.
So far as he could tell, there was nothing either man nor beast need be afraid of around here, still he felt it was best to stay alert. And hope his companions did likewise. The thought crossed his mind to double back a couple times, yet a peculiar intuition told him that it was best for those two to resolve their differences themselves. Just as he had for the last couple days aboard Abu-Sharrah’s ship, he dug back through his memory as he stood there, sure that he and Lance and Cleo, even Carlton, had had their share of disputes years ago, yet he could never recall any of them being that angry with each other back then.
He wondered if it was because they were only children, or simply because they had been friends for as long as any of them could remember. Just knew each other too well to stay mad at one another for long. Or was it merely the crazy circumstances under which he and his friends first met each other, combined with one mess after another?
More than anything, though, he quietly hoped it wasn’t one of those things he once heard Uncle Angus mumble about once, how some folks just weren’t meant to get along.
The more he turned it over in his head, the more it bothered him, just how little he could do about it. To stamp out the urge to go back and check on things there was no point in checking on, he resolved to walk all the way to far side of the island if he had to. Though he felt it would be taking advantage of their benefactor, he couldn’t help wanting to stretch out their stay on this island as long as possible. Or at least until Justin and Shades were on speaking terms with each other again. Given the tension onboard, he figured everyone would appreciate it in the end.
That turned his thoughts to Abu-Sharrah for a moment, and he hoped the old man wasn’t too bored back at the ship.
As he went in deeper, Max began to notice how much the foliage started to press in along the trail. And those exotic animal noises were now all around him, yet continued to stay out in the dense jungle beyond. In the midst of surroundings that vaguely resembled his former home, he found that he felt almost naked without Bandit by his side, accentuating his homesickness.
Curious as he was about places, and eager as he was to stretch his legs, he still hoped the island was as deserted as it appeared. Or at least, if not, that Justin wouldn’t get himself in trouble with whoever was here. He knew his friend’s mercenary style was a product of both his personality and his past, but he hoped some of Shades’ common sense would rub off on him. And Justin would quit rubbing Shades the wrong way all the time.
Farther up the trail, the path led to a small wooden bridge crossing a shallow stream. He stopped for a while near the middle of the bridge and looked up, seeing a few shafts of light piercing the narrow crack in the canopy overhead. Just wishing Bandit was here to enjoy it with him.
Wondered if Bandit wouldn’t want to take a dip in this stream. For a moment, he recalled how he had bumped into that devilfish years ago, and although he could see no immediate danger, he still decided against dipping his feet. No point in tempting fate.
So far as he could tell, there was nothing either man nor beast need be afraid of around here, still he felt it was best to stay alert. And hope his companions did likewise. The thought crossed his mind to double back a couple times, yet a peculiar intuition told him that it was best for those two to resolve their differences themselves. Just as he had for the last couple days aboard Abu-Sharrah’s ship, he dug back through his memory as he stood there, sure that he and Lance and Cleo, even Carlton, had had their share of disputes years ago, yet he could never recall any of them being that angry with each other back then.
He wondered if it was because they were only children, or simply because they had been friends for as long as any of them could remember. Just knew each other too well to stay mad at one another for long. Or was it merely the crazy circumstances under which he and his friends first met each other, combined with one mess after another?
More than anything, though, he quietly hoped it wasn’t one of those things he once heard Uncle Angus mumble about once, how some folks just weren’t meant to get along.
The more he turned it over in his head, the more it bothered him, just how little he could do about it. To stamp out the urge to go back and check on things there was no point in checking on, he resolved to walk all the way to far side of the island if he had to. Though he felt it would be taking advantage of their benefactor, he couldn’t help wanting to stretch out their stay on this island as long as possible. Or at least until Justin and Shades were on speaking terms with each other again. Given the tension onboard, he figured everyone would appreciate it in the end.
That turned his thoughts to Abu-Sharrah for a moment, and he hoped the old man wasn’t too bored back at the ship.
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