LITTLE HUMMINGBIRD ━━ ( GILBERT BLYTHE )

FOUR ; home

Never in her life had Sydney Salem seen water so blue and a sky so clear. She had never felt a breeze so inviting and comforting or smelt so many wonderful scents.

The salty smell of the sea was a thousand times better in Trinidad than it was on the ship.

Syd felt like she could spend eternity here without a care in the world. Everything was better in Trinidad than it was in Charlotte Town. This was the reason she left. To see places like this. She left everything behind, for this.

And it was all worth it.

As stared up at the bright, entrancing sky, suddenly feeling all her worries wash away. Everything was calm. Calm and perfect.

It was until Syd felt her flat cap being smacked over her eyes.

"Boy, stop skylarkin'." Bash laughed as Syd's face turned bright red and quickly fixed her hair and hat. Gilbert walked up behind Syd and looked over her head, his mouth slightly agape at the view.

"Wow, this place is amazing." Gilbert said with the same astonishment as Syd.

"Just the beginning my friend." Bash said with a smile as he looked at his two amazed friends.

"Bash, you look exceedingly underwhelmed." Sydney looked at the tall man, his face wearing the smallest smile. "How can you not be jumping with elation at the sight of your home!"

"What do you want me to do, pretty boy? Dance?" His smile turned into an amused grin as he watched Syd sway back and forth on her heels.

"It's been two years." Gilbert reminded.

"Yes, I'm very happy to be home. But you? You'll cry when you have to leave." Syd could tell something was bugging Bash, he seemed happier to see his friends happy than to see his home once again. "Trinidad will get into your soul. Now we have to get these barrels where they're going."

Bash picked up a barrel swiftly and with ease. Gilbert and Syd attempted to pick up their own barrels with as much grace as Bash but quickly started stumbling over and falling back. Bash laughed at their attempts.

"Oh! Sea leg and seashore ain't friend, you know." Bash helped Syd stand up straight again and adjusted her grip on the barrel.

"I just need to... find my balance." Gilbert said although it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself.

"You need more than that with your mawga self. You catch a stiff breeze, you're gone." Bash and Syd laughed as they watched Gilbert continue to struggle to keep himself standing.

"I'm not that skinny." Gilbert laughed awkwardly as he tried to hide his blushing face. "And what about Syd! He's the smallest 14-year-old boy I've ever seen. I could blow on him and he'd fall right over."

Sydney's eyes widened as she cleared her throat, silently begging for someone to change the subject.

On cue, Bash spoke. "I'll find you some good Trinidadian bush medicine." Syd and Gilbert immediately perked up. Bash scarcely talked about his family, but when he did, it was often about his mother's famous bush medicine. He made it sound like a delicious delight, making both of their mouths water at the thought of it.

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About half an hour later, the three friends were done with their jobs and decided to stroll along Trinidad, exploring on their way to Ms. Lacroix, Bash's mother.

"When I was a boy, I would come down here every day." Bash spoke. Syd listened to the energizing music and watched as the merchants around them cooked mouthwatering food and expertly chopped up fruits that Syd had never seen nor known existed.