The Diamond Smuggler.

Prologue

There was a gusting wind, carrying sand everywhere, and the air filled with whispers while everyone continued with their daily activities as usual. The harbour was bustling with people and the bar was filled with life. I could hear their murmurs as I sat in my car overlooking the ocean. My thoughts running wild I can’t help but think where did my life go wrong? I once had a promising future, and a heart full of dreams, I was the whizz kid, “You’re destined for great things” my grandma would say while cupping my tearful face with her hand, this was the norm whenever I failed, may it be falling off my bicycle at the tender age of 6, or getting a question wrong on a quiz, she was always there for me. Offering something sweet to comfort me. Now I sit, stuck in my old white Polo Volkswagen, a gift I received after graduating high school.
I’m parked at the harbour’s parking lot. Across is a diner where I am supposed to be attending an interview, but I couldn’t think of anything worse.” Don’t you worry yourself, child, sister Nadine can give you a job at her diner, just come home, Jessica” the words ringing in my ears, this was after the incident. She was the first person I dialled, I could barely breathe, I packed a suitcase in a haze and took off on the long road down to the West Coast back to my grandparents.
I step outside of my car and take in a breath of air, which happens to be stained by the odour of fish, that’s the West Coast for you. I pull my sunglasses down from my hair and start walking making my way down to the shore, the last time I was here, I had to be around the age of 12.
I casually look around watching the fishermen jump in and off the ships, with some shouting and gruffs in the distance. My gaze is met by a strange-looking fellow, he’s busy scrubbing off barnacles at the bottom of the boat, our eyes lock and hold for a moment, his eyes follow me as I slowly make my way to the shore, and I get the sensation of familiarity as if I knew him in a past life. “Get back to work” scowled the gruff fisherman, in a husky voice to the stranger that held my gaze, instantaneously we both snapped back to reality. I get a strange feeling from him, that feeling that you left your keys on the table only to return and it's not there, but I brush this off quickly.
I take the cobblestone stairwell down to the shore of the beach, after frustratingly trying to untie my shoelaces, I gracefully strut over to the water, the sand going from dry to wet, I take great delight in seeing the little ripples coming close to my toes. I pull my pants, right up to my knees and proceed closer to the water. Cold as ice, the Atlantic Ocean, my feet go numb, but I take an odd satisfaction to it, maybe it’s the first thing I’m feeling after a long time. “I can’t believe he did that to me” After everything I gave up for him, I would’ve done anything for him, anything he was my everything. But I guess anything and everything can mean nothing.
I watch the waves, each fulfilling its destiny rolling in one after the other. The sun dances against the ocean, shimmering, what I’d do right now for a smoke.
“I love the ocean” Softly these words escape beneath my breath, and the words echo through the wind. The ocean has always been a place of reflection for me, and as I sit idly thinking of my life and the journey, I’ve been on I realize, there has never been a time in my life that I can say I was truly happy, gun to my head I don’t know what happiness should feel like. I run around like crazy trying to imitate the emotion, hiding behind sarcasm and tequila, but I can’t say what happiness is. Now I am a 28-year-old washed up, has been with a degree and minor drug issue, right back in my smelly small fishermen's hometown where this wretched journey began 16 years ago, wondering what’s next.
The sky is now bright orange, slowing swivelling to a darker red, it’s time for the sun to rest. I shake the sand off my jeans and turn around to head back up to my car. My toes welcome the toasty warmth of the sand and I wiggle them.
I hit my sneakers together, shaking out the sand. As I start the engine, the sun is about to set. I smile because even though things are totally fucked right now, all I can do is laugh about it. I ran my hand across my dashboard, “One day at a time baby girl”, I put the car in gears and rode off.
********************************************

The fog lays heavy and the wind cold, like sharp needles piercing through his bones. He stands tall wearing a navy-blue coat and leather gloves. With the smell of fish stuck in his nostril hair, he decides to light a cigarette and after two puffs, he’s interrupted “We ready” he steps on the cigarette and proceeds over to the docks. There’s a dim light burning in the warehouse, and he is met by a shorter man whose beard is way too long, the man greets him and gestures to the right, and he follows the man. “I heard a lot about you, are the stories true?” the short man says. His facial expression doesn’t change, they continue down the passage in silence. “Donnie finish up” Another man appears and introduces himself as “Ash”. After mangling the keys for a few minutes Donnie finally gets the door opened.
His eyes browse through the room before stepping inside, Donnie hurriedly goes over to the steel crates and starts opening it. He walks over with a cold demeanour, and asks “Is it all here?”, “Every one of them” Donnie replies with a stupid grin. The tall man’s sneer goes to a light smile, he clears his throat and looks over to Ash, who is standing in the doorway. In a split second, Ash knew the fate that waited for him, he heard the stories the tall man pulled out a gun from his coat and shot Ash right in his face. He turned to find Donnie wide-eyed and shaking, urine running down his pant leg, “Wait for a call, you’ll receive half of the payment and the other half once we're done” he’s tone calm and casual. Still frozen Donnie just slowly nodded his head.
The man walks over Ash’s body, annoyed that he stepped in blood. “Why?” Donnie asked, “he did everything you asked for and did everything according to plan”. Without turning around the tall man replied: “No one interrupts me while smoking”. And slowly he proceeds down the passage into the dark of the night.