The Fourth Man

Waiting On Sand

Waiting On Sand

Jonathan was at the harbour. He sat with his legs dangling over the water, staring at his morose reflection. He was trying to come to terms with his father's death, and underlying feeling he had that it was suspiciouse had chosen to go to Fontaine Island, and search for the Fourth Man as the Mayor had mentioned. Would he find answers to the mysteries unravelling around him? What was code eighty-six? What was the importance of the Fourth Man? And how did the suspicious and sudden death of his father fit in?

He planned to sneak onto a supply ship going to Fontaine Island. One ship (The Agressor) was leaving in under an hour, he planned to go aboard for maintenance then hide in the engine room. Jonathan wasn't sure what he would find when he got there, but he wanted answers to the mysterious world he had been thrust into.

Unexpectedly a shadow fell over him, he saw the water darken beneath him.

"I'm sorry about your dad," It was Nerpato "I knew him quite well from work."

"Thanks," Jonathan mumbled feebly

"I know why you're here," Nerpato started

"No Pato, you don't," Jonathan cut him off

"I do," he insisted "You're going to Fontaine Island to try and find the Fourth Man."

"How the hell do you know that?" Jonathan asked incredulously

"When your dad and I heard those noises I recognised them from the stories, and when he panicked and told me to leave I knew it was serious, probably code eighty-six."

"What even is that?"

"I'm not quite sure but it happened hundreds of years ago, some unthinkable evil almost destroyed Farland, back then the First Man saved everyone, so if it happens again we all need the Fourth Man."

"How did you know that was where I was going?"

"When I heard the news and saw you looking at the ship timetables I put two and two together."

"Well done detective," said Jonathan sarcastically "Do you want a medal?"

"No John, I want to come with you."

"Come with me?"

"Yeah, I can help you."

"But your job, your house?"

"Well it's not much of a job, and house is a strong word, even 'shelter' is pushing it." Nerpato grinned "So what do you say?"

"Well maybe, but how do we both sneak unnoticed aboard the ship?"

"I've got us sorted there. I spoke with the Captain and said we had to do maintenance work at Fontaine Docks, he offered us free passage as long as we keep out the way."

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Jonathan, grinning.

The engine room was cramped but Jonathan and Nerpato weren't detected. The journey wasn't too long, and when the supplies had been offloaded the two teenagers climbed onto deck and vaulted onto land. The Fontaine Docks were small, but packed full of people and boats. The air was overpoweringly filled with fish, and it was almost impossible to get your bearings.

"Somewhere quiet?" Nerpato suggested, so they snaked their way through the crowd and out the docks, taking a seat on a small lonely pier that stretched a short way out to sea.

"Where do we start then?" asked Jonathan

"Ask around," offered Nerpato "If it's a legend on Farland it must be well known to everyone here, some people must have an idea where the Fourth Man might be."

"So where could we ask people? The docks?"

"No, you ask who you always ask when you want answers," Nerpato grinned, standing up "Drunk old men."

The Twelve Lions pub sat alone not much more than a mile from the docks. Being underage Nerpato and Jonathan couldn't go in, but there were plenty of men wandering around aimlessly outside, clearly under the influence. Most dismissed the teenagers or were to busy being sick to notice, apart from one shady looking man, sipping from a pint glass he'd slipped outside into the afternoon breeze.

"Hello sir?" Nerpato began

"Yes?" he was drunk, but not too badly

"Could I ask you a question?"

"S'long as I know the answer," he slurred slightly

"Where can we find the Fourth Man?"

"Don't we all want to know?" he giggled

"So you don't know?" Jonathan asked

"No I do know, but why should I tell you?" he asked

"Imagine," said Nerpato "That everyone was in danger, and we needed to find the Fourth Man, what would you say?"

"I'd say they wouldn't send two teenagers, but I'll tell you lads. The Fourth Man comes to those who want him. The Fourth Man comes to those who wait at The Beach." with that he stumbled off.

"The Beach?" Jonathan said to himself

"Let's go," Laughed Nepato, already setting off at a good walk back toward the docks.

The Beach by the docks was a small stretch of dirty sand, and an array of different sized rocks. Nerpato and Jonathan didn't know what they were looking for, so they wandered around aimlessly.

"I'm going to find a map," Nerpato notified Jonathan, and took off toward the docks.

Jonathan sat down on the sand and thought to himself. This seemed like a pointless journey, they were no closer to finding the Fourth Man or unravelling any of the mysteries perplexing them.

Not to long after Nerpato came running back

"The drunk man was right," he panted "He didn't mean any beach, he meant 'The Beach'."

Nerpato pointed on the map to a beach that was actually called 'The'; The Beach.

"That's not far," Jonathan noted the map, "Its the next stretch of sand along."

"Apparently it's foggy around there," said Nerpato

"It might lift," said Jonathan optimistically

"According to the sailors it never lifts, the place gives everyone the creeps."

Apprehensively they made the walk and descended onto The Beach, which was, strangeley enough, very foggy. Visibility was very poor, and they still had no idea what they were looking for.

"This way," Nerpato called, but no sooner had Jonathan heard his voice he lost him in the fog.

"Nerpato?" he cried. No answer. He walked a fair distance, and when he stood still he realised the enormity of the beach, and how far away Nerpato could be. Where on earth had he disappeared to?

Suddenly the fog lifted, everything became a shade darker, and a notch colder. Nerpato was nowhere to be seen, but Jonathan's surroundings had changed. He was positive he was no longer standing on the same beach anymore, somehow everything had changed. He had lost Nerpato, and lost any sense of where he was . An eerie sense of foreboding crept around him, and so he was left; alone and waiting on sand.