Penult (The Liminality, Part Four)

Chapter 56: Rendezvous

Tree crickets wailed and droned in cycles that rose and fell, sometimes meshing, sometimes clashing with the slosh of the waves. Yaqob’s snoring was just as loud but much less predictable. His throat would seize and he would gag as if he were being strangled, before forcing out a raspy rumble like Harley Davidson with a rusted out muffler.

“Are you sure he’s okay? I mean, he’s not gonna stop breathing on us, is he?”

“He’s fine,” assured Olivier. “A little sleep apnea never hurt anybody.”

“Should we … roll him on his side or something?”

“Yeah right.” Olivier chuckled. “That’ll go over real well. Sometimes, kid, you just gotta let sleeping dogs lie.”

Yaqob fell silent. The silence dragged on. He had to be turning blue by this point. And then he erupted, expelling all the stale air in his lungs in one huge gasp, before rattling in a fresh load.

”I’m sorry, but that just does not sound healthy.”

“It’s nothing new. He always snores like this,” said Olivier. “My hooch was across the courtyard from his in New Axum. Coming from the Deeps, where breathing is optional, this is music to my ears.

“Music.”

Out of the darkness, a hand clamped onto my shoulder. I jerked around and lunged for my sword, grasping it blade-first, lucky that Victoria’s transformation had dulled it.

“Stop. It is only me, Ubaldo. I am back from watch.”

My heart was pounding in a panic. He could just as well have been a Cherub coming to slit my throat.

Ubaldo settled down beside us on the sand, his body a dark pool in the sandy glade, lit only by the subtle glint of star light.

“You had no problem finding us,” said Olivier.

“Thanks to Yaqob.”

“See? Isn’t this a problem?” I said. “Shouldn’t we muzzle him or something?”

“Why?” said Ubaldo. “Pennies never roam on foot after dark. Though, a falcon did come down the shore after the sun went down. Returning late from patrol, must be.”

“They spot our camp?” said Olivier.

“I don’t believe so. They did not deviate from their course. Probably in a hurry to return to their beach head.”

“We were lucky they came by late,” said Olivier. “Any light and they for sure would have spotted our bugs.”

“Any sign of our scouts?” I said.

“No,” said Ubaldo.

“Man, they’re way overdue,” said Olivier. “That’s not a good sign.”

“So what do we do? Wait here another day?”

“Nah. We can’t hang around here. Too risky,” said Olivier. “Looks like we cross over blind at first light. We need to run that by Yaqob, of course, but I’m pretty sure he’ll agree.”

“Looks like will be a one way mission,” said Ubaldo. “No?”

No one said anything for the longest moment. We yielded the night to the symphony of waves, crickets and snores.

“You … okay with that?” said Olivier.

“I am at peace,” said Ubaldo. “If I must return to the Deeps. So be it. At least it is a place I know. Some things … I miss.”

“Really? Like what?” said Olivier.

“To exist there requires no care,” said Ubaldo. “No fuss. No pain. Never hungry. Never tired. Never cold.”