The Life I Live

A Sultry Season of Sergio

        "Man, this sucks." Shachi whispered to Penguin, casually glancing around for any guards. Fortunately, only citizens seemed to be around them, going about their business and pretending as if the pirates didn't even exist. It was strange, intentionally and casually being ignored as they were. It wasn't the sort of treatment they were used to.

        "Yeah, I know what you mean. But at least we got the supplies quickly." They glanced at the bag of provisions and medical supplies they managed to find, checking to make sure they hadn't dropped anything.

        "What the hell kinda place is this, anyway?" They walked towards the submarine, swatting at flies that pestered them. His friend shook his head, unsure of how to answer.

        "I don't know, but I have a feeling trouble's gonna find us if we don't leave soon." Shachi said, adjusting his hat over his head as the heat persisted.

        Liam wandered the market, taking in the town's culture with an critical eye.

        "They certainly leave nothing to waste…" He muttered, noticing how plain and bare the market actually was.

        The tents and stall set up around the street used up as little space and resources as possible. The only sides of the tents that had a flap was the one facing the sun, used solely for the purpose of protection from the heat and intense light. Stalls were bare wood without any fancy carvings or designs. They were naturally small, leaving the vendors to utilize as much space as possible in the little they occupied.

        It then struck Liam how very drab it all was. There were no colors. The buildings being made up of the lighter wood just added to the already washed-out landscape and colorless streets. Liam found himself constantly squinting as he surveyed around him in distaste.

        He continued to search the tents, somehow ending up in front of a jewelry merchant's stall. He wasn't even really sure how. An older woman who seemed aged beyond her years gave him a toothy smile, gesturing to the small trinkets in front of her.

        Not wanting to be rude, he courteously looked over the various bracelets and necklaces laid before him. They ranged in style, from seashell to shiny stone, small gems to polished pearls. For a market in a town so...sparse, they did have a rather large selection.

        One in particular caught his eye in the far left corner of the wood counter. A necklace made of polished black stone. It was carved in the shape of a bird, its wings outstretched as if in flight. The edges were lined in silver and it hung on a silver chain. It was quite beautiful.

        He suddenly had the urge to buy it and his eyes widened in shock. Without really thinking, he pointed at the necklace and the vendor wrote on a piece of paper how much it cost. Only 600 beli for a piece that detailed, it was quite a bargain.

        His body seemed to move on its own as he pulled out the money from his pocket. The older woman bowed in thanks and handed over the necklace. Walking off, he looked at it more closely.

        He hadn't noticed before, but the bird had two tiny, dark purple gems set where the eyes were supposed to be. He looked at it in confusion. What had urged him to buy it in the first place?

        'Summer...'

        He shook his head to try to dispel his thoughts, denying that he had even thought about it in the first place. Why did he even think of her, anyway? He had only met her a few weeks ago. Besides, why would she go for a guy like him? There were much better looking guys on the sub, and maybe she wasn't even interested in…