Amelia 4042

Yellow Belly

Adam set his empty glass of acorn cider on the table and exhaled a sigh of releif. The tavern was packed. Beer glasses rattled, plates clapped and clattered. Voices and laughter filled the tavern as voluptuous women, barely covered, circled the room carrying drinks and dancing in thier bare feet. The room reeked of piss and smoke but it'd been such a long time since Adam visited Featherstone. Being tucked away in the corner of the room, he was hardly noticeable amid the noise and fog of barley-weed smoke. It was the perfect spot. Just the way he liked it; a place he could watch and take-in the moment without worrying which smile carried a knife and what kiss plotted thievery. Adam leaned back in his chair, floating in his own drunkenness. He enjoyed the lively atomosphere. there was something about a packed bar room and a full glass of acorn cider that never failed to put him at ease.

Four decades had past since he'd last traveled to Featherstone. Grief swelled in his heart as he felt a bit taken aback. Back then the city was called Featherwood. A suttle difference in its spelling but the city itself had changed so much. Featherstone had always been a busy port but it was no longer just a small bustling town. Now it was a metropolitan center of commerce. Adam remembered not too long ago the only ships that docked its ports traveled by seas and roads. Now they flew in from the darkest part of the skies atop dust clouds the color of tropical oceans and the frozen debree of shattered worlds. These were times when not only Featherstone but the entire world of Amelia expeirienced a change and growth that would forever reshape their understanding of existence itself.

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By early morning the tavern had emptied. Stretching in the same chair he'd spent the entire night drinking, Adam woke to find a visitor curled up in his lap. An Albino Drinking Snake sleeping comfortably in his lap startled Adam but he stayed calm, hardly making a sound or motion so as to not wake it. There was no pigment in its scales except for a yellow streak down its belly and eyes that sparkled like scarlet rubies. Adam couldn't help admiring its beauty. It was a rare occasion for him to witness something he'd never seen before. Through the years he came to savor those rare moments of awe and wonder. He marveled at God's craftsmanship shimmering in the dim light of the room, sculpted into a porcelain sculpture of worship.

Though he'd never seen one till now, Adam heard rumors. They were legend among merchants and thieves, an urban legend among the shipyards. Even royalty whispered its myth amongst themselves. Their uncommon beauty and scarcity made them almost priceless. These uncommon reptiles possessd a unique ability to escape any container that held them, shedding traps and containers like they shed thier skin. But if one happened to drink from your cup while you weren't looking and enjoyed your company, just the opposite was true. They became harder to get rid of than a bad habit. Most people claimed they were good luck and worth a small fortune, so why try to get rid of it? But Adam knew better, if some fellows with questionable character caught him with this snake he was probably as good as dead. They were worth far too much to let go without spilling blood.

Great, this trips getting better alll the time. Adam grumbled to himself. "Alright fella, wake up. Time to go." he whispered with aggitation while trying to brush the snake from his lap. "Get!"

The snake ducked and slid from each swipe of Adam's hand, finally landing on the floor in front of him. Adam looked around the empty bar hall to see if anyone was watching. The room was dark. The curtains were drawn and the only light besides the warm fire could barely esape the edges of the blanketed windows. The snake stood erect three feet tall and tilted its head in curiosity. It smiled at Adam as its eyes glinted.

Aw Hell, Adam thought as he bolted for the tavern door.