The Pool of Dark Sayings

Grow some Abs, then talk to me :D

Seconds later, I awoke on the shore of the Island of Dark Sayings. Water drenched my silk clothing. I felt like a beached jellyfish. My soft curly hair obscured my vision. I wiped them away and looked up from the sand. Stars scattered a dusty sky. The full moon was brilliant. It illuminated the shore in a spotlight of cold blue. I looked around, puzzled by how I got here.

"Davi!" Kaaleb came prodding toward me. "Did you fall off your privilege?"

He giggled.

"I swear to God I'll hang your wardrobe so far up a mango tree that.."

Wait.

My pores raised. 

I jumped to my feet, wiping my eyes from any sense of obscurity. It was Kaaleb! Even at night, he was easy to recognize. Dark skin. Salted flippy hair. Tribal bandanna. Bare back, as always. My eyes glossed.

"Um, yuh watching meh like a shocked Manicou." Kaaleb said.

I rushed in. Hugged him, laughing.

"Davi," he shoved me, "Your so clingy."

He was right.

"I don't care," I said. My eyes watered, but I respected his boundaries. Was I dreaming before?

Kaaleb stumbled, coughed, then fell.

I froze. In the moonlight, I could see the lesions of the disease peppering his body. Pain gripped my heart. He was once the strongest person in our household. The armour bearer of King Espindola De Braga.

I wanted to be like him. Muscle-bound, fast, a brave fighter. Now, Kaaleb was in the biggest fight of his life. I swore to God I would help him. Mostly because....

Kaaleb snapped his finger.

"Hello? You're daydreaming again."

I recovered my focus.

"I'm sorry. Did you say something?"

"I said to be careful, you might get infected."

My mouth made a duck face.

"Do I look like I care?" I marched forward, grabbing his arm.

"We have to get you to that cave."

He shook off my grip.

"I can walk on my own."

I sighed, rubbing my temple with my index finger.

Keep quiet, keep quiet, keep quiet. 

"Sure," I said out loud. 

Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it. Don't say it.

"You need to accept help Kaaleb" I said it. Sigh. 

Kaaleb paused. 

"You know I can still beat you to that cave right?"

I was shook.

"Gasp, negro please"

Kaaleb sucked his teeth.

"Grow some abs," Kaaleb said, "Then you can talk to me."

That's it! I tackled him. We started wrestling in the sand and giggling like little kids. I tried to take his back, then lock his neck into a rear naked choke but it didn't work. What amazed me is this, even with his sickness, no matter what I tried, he would always throw me off his back. I crashed on the sand.

"Broooo!!" I said, "You don't even eat food."

"Yet still, I can always beat you." I stretched his hand out and I took it like I always have. He tried lifting me but something caught in his chest. He wheezed, coughed then brought up some white bubbly mucus. That sight triggered a memory.

I could not explain what had happened earlier. Kaaleb dying, the cave flooding. Maybe it was a dream. Maybe I blacked out on the shore. Right now, we needed to rifle through the jungle to get to the pool of dark sayings, before it's too late.

I took off my shirt then wrung the water from it. I put my shirt back on while walking the entrance to the forest canopy. Coral sand divided the forest from the shore. Kaaleb positioned himself at my side.

"Any dangers I should know about?" He asked

"A few" I responded.

"Sweet," He drew his sword the flipped it. "Leh we go."