Wandering Spark - Part 14

crosswell (-2)(1)in #fiction • 7 years ago

Father's tavern was far behind. This is an appreciable place... In the street, there are many people, and after all, you cannot escape. There is no patrol nearby, and if there would be Varan didn’t have the time to explain everything. Such a turd lad is not worthy disturb the guests...

"What do you need?"

"We'll tell you there about it," the light-browed man said irritably. "Well, are you going to go with us or we have to put you in the bag?"

Far away, on the mainland, about which rafters told Varan, people can escape and get lost. And at Round Fang it is nowhere to hide.

Varan was led into a bay, full of pools. In the swimming pools - simple, and spinning, and with fountains frolicked, not paying attention to anything, sleek overseas guests. They swam almost naked, fearlessly substituted the skin for the sun, dived from the towers and rolled along wooden trenches on slippery rugs. They ate and drank at once, in floating taverns; Varan felt terribly sorry for himself. People live and love life and he, Varan, maybe sees the sky for the last time. For what?!

"Get in the boat," the bandit said, still with the corner of his mouth. It was not necessary to doubt that it was a bandit.

There was another one sitting in the boat, broad-shouldered and completely bald man. And next to him, crouching and hugging his stomach, Varan’s friend, a young fisherman named Galk, who in the season was selling roasted snails.

The swarthy young man pushed the boat away from the pier and stayed on the beach. Then he quickly walked away.

"You, both," the bald bandit and nodded to Varan and Galk. "Get the oars, and do not be lazy!"

They rowed in silence. The bald man ruled the wheel, and the light-browed man was sitting on the nose. Varan, wrapped with his face to the stern, watched as the shore goes back, like a bald twisted a tube of expensive overseas tobacco, how it snuggles with pleasure... Someone passed the ark, ugly, and crooked near the real sea ships. Passed the team of fishers, pulling one net by three large pedal boats. No one looked at the boat rushing into the sea - two men and two lads are probably going out for an evening fishing...

The one that was sitting on the nose began to whistle.

"Shut up," said the bald man. "This is a bad sign."

"Go to the Shuu with your signs."

"Go yourself. I warned…"

Again, there was silence.

When the shore, ships and arks, fishermen, and bathhouses were left far behind, the bald man ordered to dry the oars. Varan wanted to turn around.

"Do not turn your head ..." said the bald man. "Who among you fools likes to swim at night?"

Varan and Galka were silent.

"I have work to do at night," Varan said quietly at last. "I watch over serpanters."

"And you?"

Galk's teeth chattered.

"All right," said the bald man. "You." He jabbed his finger at Galk. "Go ahead and shout with all your strength: "Guard! Murder! Robbers! Here!"

Varan looked around. Cry for help at least to someone, and even more so to the guard was not possible.

"Do not turn your head!" The bald man ordered again. "You'll cut your ear off!"

"Why I need to shout?" Asked Galk, jerking.

The bald man pulled a long knife from behind the shaft.

"Shout or you’ll become food for the fish."

"A-a!" Galk screamed very naturally. "They are killing! Guard! Robbers! Here! Ravish!"

The white-browed man laughed abruptly at his nose:

"Ravish, you say? Dreamer…"

"He?" Asked the bald man doubtfully.

"Not me! " Galka pleaded.

"Now you scream," the bald man pointed on Varan in the chest with a knife. "Only loudly. As much as you can."

"Gua-ard!" Varan roared with a long bass. "They are killing! Robbers!"

"It's not him," muttered the bald rather to himself. "That's all."

"And in my opinion, he tries to fool us."

"Which one?"

"This one, cute. In my opinion, he yells with someone else's voice. Cut him, then he’ll yell with his real voice."

"Boy," the bald man said kindly. "Will you show your voice or you want to lose something?"

"Guards!" Varan shouted with all his strength. "Robbers!"

And he hoarsed at once.

"Not him," the bald man said with regret.

"Not this one, and not that one, and not yesterday's one, so it’s someone else..."

The sun was coming down. The boat swayed among the clear sea. Round Fang seemed distant, hopeless, and unreal, like a trace on the water. Varan has already jumped forward many times and disarmed the bald man and knocked overboard the light-brow guy - he did a lot of useful and necessary actions in his thoughts and plans.

"Guardians..." Galk wheezed.

"Shut up," the bald man said. Galk pointed to the sky with his finger.

"Guard... Patrol..."

Bald man turned around.

Above the sea, an airy imperial patrol on white wings was coming down like a white trigonal stone.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13