Two hearts. One love. Never-ending cycle.
Sequel of some sort to Full Circle.
Warning: This story will be a slow burn. I will try to update every 2 weeks, but I can't promise.
Cover is from 6moons_squad IG.
The water is slamming harshly on my small, patched-up wooden boat. The wind is getting stronger, the sea is getting rougher. If I still value my life, I need to head back to shore soon, but I can't. Not yet. Dawn is breaking and I still have zero catch for the day. Again.
I've been out of luck for the past 3 days. If I don't catch anything today, we'll have nothing to eat, more so to sell. Our food stock has gone dry and the word savings is a luxury us fisher folks can't afford. We live our lives by the day, hand to mouth. It really is a hard life.
My gas lamp is flickering, about to die along with my hope of bringing home food to the table. The waves are getting harsher by the minute, a sign that the rainy season is drawing near. Another problem added to my growing list as I worry about our hut. I haven't had the money to buy materials to repair the damages from the last storm. Guess I'll have to scavenge for wood just to keep us dry this season. After an hour more, I decide to go back and just pray for better luck tomorrow.
I hear the sound of another motor boat. I look around and see that my cousin, Tee, is headed for the shore as well. "Any luck?" he shouts to me.
"Dry," I shout back. "Same!" he answers me.
I shake my head at our luck. Guess we'll see each other again later at Copter's hut. We've been begging that grumpy neighbor of us for 2 days now to lend us some vegetables. Copter doesn't go fishing like most of the islanders. Instead, he plants vegetables at his backyard and sells them.
The three of us grew up together, but I must say I have the worst luck. Tee is an only child and was the sole heir of Uncle's fishing boat. He only needs to think of himself because Auntie is still working as a fish vendor. He goes fishing early in the morning, and hands his catch to Auntie before going to school. Auntie then sells them and they split the day's income. Done.
Copter is the most well off among us. He's an elite in our little island so to speak. His parents' hut is big enough that he has his own room. They even have a small backyard where he helps his mom plant and harvest vegetables to sell, while his dad goes out to fish. We always turn to him if we're in need of food for the day. His parents are kind of stingy so Copter would always sneak a few eggplants or bittermelons for Tee and myself in times like this.
I, on the other hand, am the poorest of them all. I am the only son and the eldest. My 2 sisters are still young and dependent on me. My dad passed away 5 years ago with Tee's dad when a super typhoon hit the island when they were out fishing. Their boats capsized and they were never found again. Luckily for Tee, uncle had two boats so he was left with something to use for a living. While me, my entire family's livelihood sank with dad and his boat.
If that wasn't enough bad luck, mom had a brain attack upon learning dad's demise. Half of her body is paralyzed, rendering her unable to continue working as a fish vendor. I had to take the responsibility of breadwinner at the early age of 19. At first, I went with Tee to fish and split my catch as payment for letting me in his boat. Tee, of course, would refuse to accept, but I insisted. I know that my fate is not his fault so I shouldn't burden him with it. He also needs money to finish his schooling.
When I saved up enough money to buy an old, rusty engine, I scavenged for some wood and built my own small boat. It's small and unimpressive, scary and kind of dangerous to ride even, but I'm proud of it. It helped me and my family manage to get through life.
I don't want my sisters to stop studying and I want mom to get better, so I try my very best to provide for all our needs. The last thing I want is for them to be like me who had to stop school because of poverty. I was on my last year in high school when I stopped. I watched from the sideline in envy as Tee and Copter graduated. We were supposed to graduate together, but I ran out of luck.
I still hold on to my father's words that if we do well in school, our lives can get a little better. We can go and find a job in the nearby town, or if we're really lucky and skillful, maybe even in the city. I didn't have that chance though, maybe it wasn't for me, but I won't let my sisters suffer the same fate like their big brother. They will finish school, get a job and live better. Mom will get well and eventually go to therapy. Everything will be better. If not for me, at least for them.
That is why my life is basically a cycle of work, work and work. I head out to sea to fish while it's still dark, head to the market to sell my catch in the morning, if I get lucky, there will be some part-time carpentry work in the nearby town in the afternoon where I can also scavenge for bottles and other recyclables in the evening to sell to the recycling shop, go back to our tiny island to prepare dinner for my sisters and mom, then self study late in the evening using Tee's and Copter's notes during their graduating year. All that before I can finally sleep. Then repeat. That's pretty much my life. Nothing good about it except for my loving family. Seeing them happy and well makes all the hardship, body pain and stress worth it. They're my only happiness. They're all I have.
As I reach the shore, I get a sight of disappointed and worried fishermen. We all have had zero luck for the past days and it's taking a toll on our starving families. I get off my boat and pull it to the shore, parking it on the sand.
"Ai'Godt! Ai'Tee!" Copter shouts running towards us. What's he so excited about?
"There's part-time work. You in?" he tells us panting. "Is that even a question? Of course!" I answer. Perfect timing. Guess my luck isn't so bad after all.
"When do we start?" Tee asks. "Tomorrow morning," Copter tells us. We don't even have to ask where because there's only 1 town near our island. That town is a wealthy one that their Town Center has a radio. If we're lucky, we'll be able to sneak a few minutes listening to the songs they're playing there.
Our island is so secluded that the nearest town is a 2-hour boat ride away. The most advanced technology our entire island has to offer are our rusty boat engines and the light bulbs in the only school we have and Copter's hut. The nearby town, however, has a radio, some huts have gas stoves and, once a day, there's even an automobile that pass by the Town Center to pick up and drop off wealthy passengers going to and from the city. It's a sight to behold, the automobile.
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When I was younger, I only get to see it from the single textbook in our island's school. But now, I get to see an actual moving land vehicle. I want one. Well, one can always dream, can't he?
"Alright. Uhm, but Copter can I..." I trail off as he cuts my sentence. "I already know. Fine, I have 5 eggplants to spare. Just split it with this jerk," he says, motioning his head to Tee, who just smiles goofily. "Come with me," Copter starts to walk away.
"Thanks, buddy," I happily and gratefully tell him, slinging my arm over his shoulder as we walk towards his mansion of a hut. Tee walks beside us thanking our generous friend, too.
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A/N: Hello! Posted chapter 1 earlier than scheduled. Hope you liked it. Please don't forget to vote and/or comment if you enjoyed the story, or even if you didn't. 😅 Thanks!
