Depthless(NaNoWrimo2014)

Chapter 6

    Gabriel looked at his surroundings in wonder. This was how he thought Jamaica could look like if it wasn't so industrialized or how it probably was before it became such a modern place. There was beautiful lush green foliage everywhere and there were vibrant colored flowers and fruit everywhere he looked. He could always hear the roar of the sea far away, something he could hardly hear at home because of the sounds of cars honking and the city life in general.
    When they arrived at the town square, Gabriel took in his surroundings. The buildings were made out of clay and brick and people milled about in traditional clothes similar to the ones Marjani and he were wearing. Even though he looked like he belonged there with them, people could still tell he didn't belong. People gave him curious glances and some were not even discreet about it. He tried to appear warm and open to them anyway, even though they didn't give off the same vibes.
        Marjanin tuned out the looks of the people around her and tried to focus on showing Gabriel the kindness he deserved. She knew there would be talk about her as well because no doubt the word would get back her father, even though he already knew that she was out with this man at the moment.
  "This place looks magical during the festival." She told him. 
"I can't wait to see it.” He responded with a smile.
    Marjani was so caught off guard by it, she didn’t notice when a bicycle came barreling towards her. Gabriel grabbed her arm and moved her out of the way before she was ran over. Her back brushed against his chest and his hands grasped her arms.
“Careful,” he told her.
Marjani’s face flushed as she realized how close she was to him yet again. She stepped out of his grasp and tried to regain her composure.
“T-thanks.”
“He may have been aiming for me.” Gabriel muttered. Then he realized something. “I just realized how there’’s no cars around here.”
“Everyone gets around on foot, bike or boat and of course it would be a lot of work getting cars here.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Heads up!” Someone yelled. Gabriel looked up to see a soccer ball barreling towards him from above. Without thinking, he head-butted it and a boy caught it in his arms.
“Quincy!” Marjani said, waving to the boy with the ball. The boy ran over to them, grinning up at Marjani. The look on his face full of admiration told Gabriel that the boy was infatuated with her. He looked about ten years old.
“I haven’t seen you at our house in a while.” he pouted.
“I’m sorry. Everything is so hectic in my life right now.”
I was mad at Cleo for coming to visit you without me. How are we going to get married if you never spend time with me?”
Marjani laughed as she ruffled the boy’s head. “As much as I would like for Cleo to become my real sister, I think you’ve got a while to wait before we can court officially.”
She glanced at Gabriel who was waiting to be introduced. “This is Quincy. He’s my best friend’s little brother.””
“I’m her fiancé.” Quincy corrected. He looked at Gabriel with curiosity. “So you’re the guy that came on the island in the middle of the night. I have to say that was a nice hit with that soccer ball.”
Gabriel shrugged. “I used to play.”
“So where are you guys headed.”
“The temple. I’m practicing with Isadora for the Water Festival.” Marjani told him.
“I’ll come with you. You know I have to make sure my girl gets there safely.”” He said, holding her hand. He led her towards the docks. It’ll be quicker by boat.”
Marjani froze and dug her heels in the sand. “Uh, that’s okay. I’m taking the land path.”
Quincy glanced at Gabriel again, this time with mistrust before turning to Marjani and whispering low enough for Gabriel not to hear him. “You can’t walk on an empty path with this guy. If I’m in a boat with you I can make sure you’re safe and you’ll get to your destination quicker.”
Marjani sighed, realizing there was no way she was going to get rid of him. “Okay,” Quincy began leading her towards the docks again. “But, we are taking the dirt path.” She told him. “You don’t know how to navigate a boat.””
Quincy turned to look at her. “I can’t, but you can.”
“I-I never sailed.”
“I know how.” Gabriel offered.
“Um, no.” Quincy told him.
     Gabriel frowned. He thought the little guy was friendly with him before. Was it because he was with his “fiancée?” Gabriel turned to Marjani as if to say, it’’s your call.
Marjani tugged on her necklace, not sure to confess her fear of water to someone she wanted to impress. Wait did she want to impress Gabriel? ‘I really should just take the land path.”
“But—“
‘Now, now the lady has spoken so we should adhere to her wishes.” Gabriel intervened.
      Quincy relented, still giving Gabriel the evil eye in the process. Marjani continued toward the path leading into the woods. There was a wooden path that led to the temple and it was quite a long trek, but Marjani never minded that. She enjoyed the peace that came with the walk and the call of the birds in the canopies. Gabriel leaned in to Marjani whispering in her ear.
“Why didn’t you tell me you already had a man? And here I was thinking I had a chance.”
Heat grew in Marjani’s cheeks. “He’s not really…we’re not…he just thinks….”
Gabriel chuckled at how flustered she was. “I’m just kidding with you Marjani. I can see why the kid is so smitten with you.”
Quincy cleared his throat, annoyed that the two may have forgotten his presence. In an indiscreet manner, he pushed his way between them and struck up a conversation with Marjani. “Did you know Taj is marrying my sister?”
And there it was, the reminder hanging over Marjani’s head. She ignored the pain she felt inside at the mention of the island’s second to latest news. “Yeah.”
“He’s such a cool guy and he’s a natural on the soccer field.”
“Uh-huh.” Marjani fiddled with her necklace again and Gabriel can tell she wasn’t happy with the topic of the conversation. He frowned to himself. What was wrong?  He wished they were alone, so he could ask her.
  “So, Quincy how long have you been playing soccer?” Gabriel asked, not caring if the little guy thought he was rude for interrupting their conversation. Marjani’s feelings were all that mattered.  Lucky for him, the boy liked talking about sports and chattered all the way to the temple about games he been in and his favorite professional players.
     Once they got to the temple, Quincy realized his father wanted his help at their family shop, so he went back with reluctance, not without shooting Gabriel a warning glare before he left and telling Marjani to take a boat on her way back.
    The temple was a big beige building with incense wafting out from the inside. Although the outside looked plain, the inside was a burst of color. There were red hardwood floors and embroidered curtains on the walls. In the far center of the room, were three statues sitting high on a mantle.
"Isadora,"   Marjani called out once they entered the temple. "I'm here and I brought a guest." She said, glancing at Gabriel with a smile.
  There was the squeaking sound of wheels moving across the floor and a beautiful older woman wearing a white dress came out from the back in a wheelchair.
“So, you’re here to practice your dance,” The woman said, her eyes hooked unto Gabriel and stayed there for a moment.
    She looked at him with curiosity, but she also looked at him in recognition. Gabriel knitted his brow in confusion.  He was certain he never met this woman before, so why was she looking at him like she knew who he was. But then again the look quickly vanished from her face to one that simply friendliness.
Marjani nodded, “That’s right,”
“So who’s your friend?”
“This is Gabriel. He’s the newcomer to the island,”
Isadora raised a manicured brow at Marjani are you sure it’s safe for you to go out in public with him?
Marjani tugged on her necklace once again. “I had a feeling he was probably tired of hanging around the house all the time and thought a change of scenery would do him good.”
Isadora nodded in understanding. “So this is the young man you came to pray for,”
Gabriel looked at Marjani and she refused to meet his gaze. ‘Yes,” She answered.
“Well I told you everything will be fine with him, but…”
:”What is it?”
She glanced at Gabriel for a moment before saying, “It’s nothing,”
    Gabriel wanted to ask her about what she was about to say, but he felt like he was in no place to ask her. Yet again, with the way she looked at him when she said “nothing,” had him thinking that it had something to do with him. But maybe it was best if she didn’’t say anything in his presence after all, since she was being nice.
     Marjani remembered that she wanted to know what the priest aid about Gabriel’s condition when he came to visit the other day, but since Gabriel was in and standing right next to her, then she figured she wouldn’t worry about it. Besides, maybe he wouldn’’t want to know where he stood in his spiritual and mental balance. Maybe when he just cried out the other night it was because of a fever and nothing else. People were said to feel delusional when they had fevers right?
“So about that dance,” Marjani said, looking for the cd player.
Isadora turned to help her, when she turned back and looked back at Gabriel. “You can wait here, Marjani won’t be long,”
“So I’m not allowed to see her perform at all?”
     Gabriel was surprised at how disappointed he actually was, that he wouldn’t be allowed to see her dance. It was a perverted reason why he wanted to see her perform, but he was interested in her people’s way of dance. He never seen a tribal dance before, but he also knew that there was chance that he would make her nervous, so he had to comply.
“Sorry,” She told him. “That’s the way these things go, everyone sees the performance the night of and even then it’s not just for entertainment. When the dancer moves, it’s a very spiritual and devotional thing.”
“Right, then I’ll just wait here then”
Isadora nodded. “Oh, and I would still stay inside until Marjani comes out if I were you,”
She peered over his shoulder at Gabriel looked to, though he didn’t see anything.
But not wanting to be one to question her he just responded with, “Will do,”
     When she left Gabriel found an oriented pillow and knelt on it in front of the statues that were on the mantle. He wasn’t going to pray to these gods, but he wanted to know more about them So he just knelt there and studied the little figurines, waiting for Marjani to return.
***
     Marjani took a deep breath as she stepped one bare foot in front of the other, taking her dancer’s pose with her head bow. Isadora started the music on the tape player. The pounding of the bass started, matching the beat of her heart and she started moving her feet to the rhythm. She knew the actual sound would be louder when the live drum players started playing behind her. This would be her first time, dancing in the the festival.
     She usually helped her elders prepare the food for the festival and sometimes the offering, but the girl who usually did the dance, had backed out and Marjani, being a person who always wanted to help when she can, decided to volunteer. She wasn’t the best dancer as the next girl, but she wanted to do her best and practiced with Isadora when she could. There wasn’t much that Isadora could teach her given her condition, but she was great moral support.
Marjani collapsed on the floor once her dance session was over. Her feet throbbed and sweat stung her eyes. She wanted to ask Isadora about her progress, but she was to short-winded to do so. Isadora wheeled over to her and handed her a towel.
“You moves have definitely  gotten more graceful. I am certain you will be ready by tomorrow night,” Isadora encouraged her,
“H-how long was our practice today?” Marjani asked.
Isadora looked at the sun outside. She never used a sundial or a clock, but somehow knew what time of day it was when asked. “We’ve been practicing for about three hour.”
“Marjani got to her feet. “I hope he wasn’t too bored waiting for me,”
“Isadora reached for Marjani as she walked by. “Before, you go back out there, there’s something you need to know.”
“Okay,” Marjani said, turning around to hear what one of her role models had to say. She knew by Isadora’s face that whatever this was, it was serious.
“It’s about the boy, Gabriel.”
    Not being able to help herself, Marjani glanced at him sitting in the front of the temple. He caught her gaze and smiled. She smile back and  held up a finger, signaling  she would be out in a moment.
“What about him?” Marjani asked Isadora as she looked away from where Gabriel.
Isadora wheeled up next to her and closed the door as if Gabriel might eavesdrop on their conversation. Marjani knew that whatever she had to say  probably wasn’t good.
“It’s nice that you are hanging with him and being a good hostess, but I want you to be careful  around him.”
Why? Is he dangerous? I didn’t get that vibe from him.”
“This has nothing to do with your good judge of character, but…”
“What is it?” Marjani pressed.
“The boy’s spirit is troubled I fear misfortune will befall him if he is not careful.”
“What do you mean his spirit is troubled?” But then she remembered how he cried out in his sleep the night before.
“I can not explain it “ Isadora said, looking away from her.” But I just have this feeling something is haunting him. Sure he looks well and seems sound for now, but those who suffer don’t always show it on the outside.”
Isadora took in Marjani’s worried expression before giving her a apologetic smile. “I did not mean to worry you child I  maybe  the right thing for me to do is to warn  you to keep your distance, but the young man could use a friend while he is here.”
“Shouldn’t we try to help to ease his suffering?”
“I do not think he is aware of it and if I were to say something to him he will not understand it.But if he mentions anything to you,
It is okay to share with him about our religious system. It might help him feel at ease. Show him kindness, but remember not to get too close.”
Marjani nodded. “I know.”
“It’s important he leaves this island as soon as possible.” Isadora whispered.
When she stepped out of the room, she found Gabriel kneeling in front of the statues of her deity, studying them.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting for too long.” She told him.
He got to his feet and went to greet her. “So how’d it go?”
“It went well…come on I think there’s one more place I want to take you before we go home.””    
     They said their goodbyes to Isadora and headed back out into the sunshine..
      At the last minute, Marjani decided she didn’t want to take Gabriel to her favorite place at all. It wasn’t that she didn’t think he was worthy of being there with her, it was the reminder from Isadora to keep her distance and taking Gabriel there was going into the opposite direction, So, she rerouted and took Gabriel in the direction of home.
“Actually I forgot I had some urgent chores to take care of.” She told him.
       Gabriel didn’t question her about it, but just nodded that he understood. He asked her questions about her deity, which she was happy to share information about and he took all of this in with interest.  His intrigue persuaded her that everyone else was wrong about him.  He wasn’t judgmental at all. She found herself asking him her own questions.  Was college just like the movies? What was it like to live in a city? What other places did he travel to?
     They were close to home when Marjani heard some one call out her name.
“Hey Marjani, long time no see.”
Marjani stopped walking and whirled around at the sound of the voice.
It was Taj.

A/N: I'm not completly satisfied with this revised chapter,but I'm moving on with the revising process and will just have to come back to it. Quincy means well, but he's hard to get away fron isn't  he? Even I had a hard time getting rid of hin while I was writing about him. What do you think Taj wants? I'd love to know what you think in the comments.