Fish Tails

Chapter One

K

The seagulls cried and the wind blew, making the palm trees rustle and the shadows move so now the warm sun shined on my face. I dug my fingers into the hot sand and closed my eyes again. Somewhere in the distance, reggae music was playing from a bar that had no customers since it was a Tuesday during the off-season. I paid close attention to the waves crashing and swirling and suddenly disappearing as they flowed up the beach. My legs tensed when I felt the cold sea water gently touch my calves before receding, somehow knowing their touch was unwelcome. My breathing slowed and my sweat dried up. My muscles relaxed and so did my mind. Soon, I couldn't feel the sun on my body. I felt cold and alone- the loss of the sun's ray's on me made me open my eyes.

"What?" The old man standing behind me asked. "Do you want to turn into me?"

"No-"

"Then wear sunblock my son or you will turn fifty before you turn twenty-five." He said in his islander accent. Chester Le Roux was a man darkened and wrinkled by the sun, old-looking and drunk most of the time but he made sure to look after me.

"Are you going to follow me around all day with a banana leaf, Chester?" I asked politely and sit up.

"No, get out of your head!" He exclaimed and tossed the leaf to the side so it no longer protected me from the sun's harmful rays.

"I'm not in my head, I'm on the beach," I say. Immediately, he bends down and ruffles my hair. "Stop, I'm not eight!"

"You're right! You look twenty!" He hollers and laughs. It's a scratchy, throaty laugh, the kind a smoker obtains after years of abuse.

"Are you trying to tell me I'm getting old, Chester?"

"Ah haha, yes. One day you're eight, now you're eighteen! Right?" He laughs again, this time with a wheeze and a bit of alcohol.

"That's not exactly how time works,"

"Shut up, you smartass!" I grin at him and he returns a broken smile. "Now run home, get outta the sun or you turn into a prune like me! I used to be a grape once, you know, I follow all the ladies to the beach though. Twenty years ago, we didn't have sunblock! You took the sun by the hand and said 'give it to me, you little bitch!'" Chester said as he puffed out his chest and yelled at the sun. I chuckled and rubbed my face which was sweaty and greasy from lotion.

"I'll see you at home, Chester?"

"Hehe, yea, tell that fine momma of yours I'll be expecting dinner!" He yelled and stumbled away.

Chester was the town drunk. He drank in the morning, at noon and at night. He knew where the best bars were, where the best liquor was and who had the cheapest beer. Which was ironic since no tourist ever asked him, the most knowledgeable person about parties and clubs here, where to go. Probably because he hung out with Scary, the town maniac.

Both are decent gentlemen with bad reps.

I got up and started to walk home in flip-flops. I popped in my earbuds and let reggae music flow through my ears. Home wasn't far from the beach, it was an apartment above a bar and grill. It was stuffed in between another restaurant and a convenience store. Which was convenient.

"Looks like you had a good haul today, Martin," I commented to the chef and our landlord.

"Yes sir, the boys had fun catching this-" he pointed to the lobsters grilling on the large smoker sitting in front of the restaurant. "You know, we could really use a strong guy like you to help haul some fish."

"Ah, you know me and water, Martin. Not a good mix." I told him as I took out the keys that opened up the gate on the stairwell.

"I thought you had gotten over that," I said nothing and opened up the gate. "Well, we caught a lot today so I'll be sure to leave some for your mom."