Kipp

Miles

He did his best to shut the door softly and flopped down on his back. The bed was inviting, soft, and warm, so Miles stared up at the ceiling. Littered with old drawings and various maps of different and faraway places, he felt himself begin to calm down as his eyes traced the familiar lines across the pages tacked above him. He had a feeling it was futile trying to get Indigo on Mrs. Till's good side and he had to be honest with himself that Indigo Parker was a troublemaker. He couldn't deny it with the way she behaved, stubborn and unmoving like the rocks beneath the waves. He had known her presence, always ready to go since he could remember, and he thought it odd that one day she could simply vanish across the waves and never return. After all, her family was pretty much brought up beside the churning whitecaps and the occasional tossing and turning. He did his best to shake the unruly and despairing thoughts about his friend from his mind as he began to drift off into the comfort of dreams. Miles was content here and this was his home.

The morning sun winked through the window and splayed on the floor beside the young boy's bed the next morning, and the gulls' cries began to fill the air as he slowly woke up. The process was slow and agonizing for him as he pushed the nest of fluff away from his eyes. The comb that sat dutifully on his bedside table did little to tame the wild shock on his head, instead, he resorted to swiping water from the sink to pat it down. Miles made his way to the bathroom and then back to the dining room where Mrs. Till watched him again as he stumbled into his seat. The smell of frying bacon perked his senses, and a moment later his stomach rumbled. The woman tutted softly as she made her way back to him holding a plate. It was loaded with fresh fruit from the market and fluffy eggs that he devoured almost instantly. He was content with dipping the bacon into the syrup she provided for him, crunching away. He presumed she had already eaten before he had woken up, always being an early riser. When he was finished and his senses were back to normal, the dishes cleared and dried, only then did he make his way back to his room. He pulled a pair of soft pants from the closet by his door and paired it with a shirt and his boots. Glancing in the mirror as he left, he ran a hand through his hair one last time.

Indigo was awaiting him by the docks when he arrived fifteen minutes later. "Good morning, Miles!" she chirped happily. He returned the sentiment and the two crossed dutifully over to where Kaia was standing with a thick rope in her hand. "Ta-da! This here is the Moorsome, one of the best sailing ships we have here in Newham." It was relatively small, with two sails and an area to sit. "This is the best. Really Kaia?" Indigo asked with her hands on her hips. Kaia looked at her in disbelief and impatience before turning to Miles. "Can you believe this?" she asked. Miles almost wanted to laugh. The funny thing was he could believe it, Indigo's standards would touch the sky if that were possible. Indigo had narrowed her eyes before stepping past Miles and running her eyes over the vessel. He noticed how she scrutinized the sails with their patterns, and how they raked over every tiny imperfection from a chip on the mast to the slight rust on the metals. Indigo Parker would be the end of him, and he would go happily.