Following Sky

Ocean: Preparation

3

Once we arrive on the shore of Ocean we go back to his catch of fish. It’s pouring rain. Ace pulls out a squared bag and starts putting fish in it.

"Won't it rotten by evening?" I holler out, closing up to him. The rain is heavy and loud. He hands me the squared bag. Inside the bag is white, but shiny like aluminum. 

"It's made so that fish won't rotten," he grabs a handful and puts it in the bag "Think of it as a little refrigerator for sea food." I nod, watching droplets from my hood fall. Each division creates things that it’s specialized in. 

"Come on." He says starting to walk off. I look back at the rest of fish and see his knife. I run and grab it, struggle with the weight and run back to him.

"Wait! Your knife." I said putting the knife out still catching my breath. He turns around. And smirks with the rain falling off his chin.

"It's a machete." Ace grabs the handle with ease and puts it on his belt dangling with his other weapons. Why does he need so many? I walk aside him silently watching his weapons. He looks at me from the corner of his eyes. I look away and he does too. It's like that for half of the day. "What!" He finally says, I take a step back. 

"Nothing. It's just-" 

"Chenoa!" I hear. I turn around but the rain won’t let me see very far. “Chenoa!” The person calls again. It's familiar voice. That I hate. The silhouette becomes clearer until I see who it is. It's Hare.

"A Forest...You know him?" Ace asks while grabbing the handle of his machete. What was that for? Was he planning on killing him? Is he serious?

"Ye-yeah." I say putting my hand in front of him "There's no need for that, Ace." I look at him and he loosens his grip, but still keeps it on. My eyebrows furrowed. Hare stops walking.

"What do you want? You came this far just to mock me? Haven't you had enough?" I shout out to him. Hare takes a step back looking surprised. He's never seen me angry or even heard me shout for that matter. He suddenly drops down on one knee. Mud splashing everywhere.

 "I'm so sorry, Chenoa." He says almost in a whisper with the heavy rain. My eyes water as he apologizes, my jaws clench at him saying my name. It's always been custard cap, banana head or rotten lemon. Never my name.

“Are you crazy? You think I'll fall for that!" My hands ball into a fist. I stop feeling the blood flowing through it. "Why are you really here? What do you want from me?" I say barely audible, holding my tears back.

"No, I'm serious, please Chenoa. I'm so sorry. I understand if you don't forgive me but just know I'm sorry for everything I have said, and for making your life a living hell." 

"Why are you here?!" I demanded again ignoring his apology. The last thing I'll feel is pity for Hare. He stood up and walked towards me.

“I know you ran away because of how you were living in Forest. I'm the main reason behind it. Your mother is worried, she contacted the council and I knew that I HAD to find you. It's the least I can do to help your mother."

"I'm not going back to Forest." I ignored the fact that he said he was the main reason I left. He still puts himself on a high chair. Thinking he’s that important. I left because of my father, Hare. Not you.

"Where else can you go?" He asked. His voice getting caught in the rain. 

"Chenoa..." Ace's voice swayed with caution. 

"I know, Ace. I'm going to Sky." I say full of confidence. 

"Sky...?" Hare repeated.

"Yes and I'm not planning on turning around." I tell him.

"Then I'm coming with you. Wherever you go. I'm going." I choke on the salty rain that is now hitting my face, making my hood useless. Hare standing by me? I stare at him, his curly brown hair sticking to his neck and face. The rain batting against his skin. I notice his body raising and falling. He’s panting. Hard. And for him to pant like that it’s because he ran for a while. I glance at Ace. He's standing there looking at Hare, apathetic. I look back at Hare, "I can help you do anything. I promise." He pleads. I stare at him for a while and turn around back to the path we were walking. 

"Do what you want. Don't expect me to forgive you easily." I continue walking and see Hare jog to catch up to me.

"I don't expect you to." He says silently, almost as a whisper. I look back at Ace and he's staring out at the forest next to our path. His hair prickling wet. Unbothered by the salty Ocean rain.

"Ace," I call out, "You coming?" He looks at me, looks back at the forest and walks silently towards our destination. More silent than usual. 

We continued walking until our feet were sore, and the cold rain on our backs doesn’t help. So Ace directs us into the forest until we find a cave.

"The ocean gets too windy at night. If we walk in the rain and wind then we’ll for sure get sick." He said as he started a fire with twigs and dry leafs. His fingers trembling.

I sat near Ace, while Hare sat on the opposite of the fire. I take the cooked fish out of the fire and start eating. I ignore the fact that Hare doesn't have any food or water. I peer over and see him close to the fire, knees to his chest. He didn't even bring warm clothing. I could see his jaw shaking. I glance at Ace, his blue eyes dazed, somewhere else. He put on a sweater and pants. Hare gets up and goes out into the forest. I look at the fire and wait until he disappears to talk. 

"Ace?" I whisper. He looks at me.

"Yeah?"

"Do you wonder...? Well, if your father might not be in Sky?" I ask cautiously. He grabs a stick and pokes the fire. 

"All the time." He whispers back.

"How old where you when he left?" I put my knees to my chest and wrap my arms around them.

"I was 12." He says quietly "It was 4 years ago."

"What is he like?" I ask as I watch him poke the fire. 

"I don't know. I mean, he was strict, but I only stood with my mom. He was always busy, so he says. I know he was always running away. The Ocean would send people to get rid of him. So he would leave to keep us safe from danger." He sighed "I was really stupid, naive and believed anything my mom told me." I look at him, the light of the fire shows me how much he's clenching his jaw. 

"I’m really sorry, Ace." I said silently as I put my hand on his arm. "But we're going to find your father, I promise." He looked down at my hand and looked at me, one side of his face shaded while the other was luminous. Out of nowhere Hare comes out from the forest and sits where he was before. I pull my hand away and look at the fire. I felt Ace staring at me but I couldn't look back. My cheeks were burning. And not from the fire. I get up, "I'll be right back." Hare stands up too.

"I'll go with you." He says. I avoid turning my head towards the light of the fire. 

"No." I stammer "I-I need to use the leaf." I say and rush out into the forest. I start running and don't stop. When the light of the fire disappears I lean my back against a tree and breathe deeply. The cold rain stabbing me as it falls on my skin. Why did I pull away when Hare came back? I was the one that put my hand there in the first place. I did that to comfort him. Because he lost his mother. Nothing else. But that stare was beyond comfort. My stomach feels awful, as if someone is pressing it tight. Then I remember I just ate and ran. I hurl over and let it out. Let out what I felt when I found out about Sky. About my Father. About me. I put a hand on a tree and I clench my other hand on the cape I wore. I'm scared. I stand up and wipe my mouth. I kept asking Ace questions I can't even answer myself. Why did he answer? I hurl over again. Tears falling from my eyes, mixing with the rain. I stand up and stretch my back, wiping my mouth again. I take a deep breath in and wipe the tears. 

I follow the faint smoke and arrive at where we camped. Ace sat against the wall of the cave. Sharpening a branch he got when we were walking. I see Hare almost falling in the fire. I throw him my cape and give him a raw fish and water. I lay my head on my knapsack and hold my necklace. Passing my finger over it I fall asleep.