Storm and Silence (FANFIC)

17. Africa: Land of the Hot.

"I did sir." I said, returning back to the lack of the 'proper respect' I had denied to use before. "I just... Never mind. It's not important. Nothing much I say is important." I finished under my breath.

"Very well. Come. I have need to see how the boss is holding up." He turned to his right and started walking

"Aren't you the boss sir?"

"Yes, I am."

That was it. It was all he said.

"Why can't you talk more? Like I do!"

"If I did, I would end up saying something that is under my intelligence level."

"Are you calling me stupid?!" I asked, angry all of a sudden.

"I never said that."

"You probably did, but I didn't catch it." I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. I looked down at the workers. A few of them were looking up at me and to me they all seemed curious, startled, or careless. I lifted my hand and waved at some of them looking directly at me. None of them waved back. Well. You tried. A little voice said in my head. I rolled my eyes at the voice and turned away from the labourers and continued following Mr. Ambrose to wherever it was he was leading me to.

The noise of canal being built was fading away. Soon we lapsed into silence as we continued walking farther away from the sea. The land here was mostly flat, with an occasional bump here or there. And all of it was covered in a dry sort of dirt that was a light golden colour.

"Where is the 'boss' even located?"

"About a kilometre away from the canal."

"Oh joy. Did you know that it is very fun to walk in Africa where it is crazy hot and stuffy?"

No answer. I sighed and then felt something enter my shoes. Something rough and hard. "Ow, what in the world?" I muttered, taking off the shoe it was in. I turned it over and shook it and out came a light golden colour rock. I put the shoe back on and looked up to see Mr. Ambrose very far away from me. "Hey! Wait up!" I called out an dashed after him.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Ambrose and I found ourselves in a little straw hut. It, compared to the outside world, was cooler and less stuffy. Admittedly, there was no breeze here, but it was better than having a sun beat down on you while you're walking from a canal to a hut.

"Ah, Mr. Ambrose. So nice to see you again." A man who had been looking at some papers, turned and shook both our hands. Mr. Ambrose looked at the man's hand with contempt but said nothing.

The man was slightly plump and his face bore a slightly bushy moustache. He wore the uniform of a man a part of the army, but an army I didn't know of, for the uniform colour was a mix of beige and green.

"How has the work been holding up?" he asked, straight to the point. I shook my head a little. He was still a concise, and rude man as he had been two years ago.

"Excellently, sir. I am sure you have already seen the place as of now. Though, some of the workers, rather most of them, have been collapsing often an-"

"See to that they don't collapse anymore. I don't want anymore time wasted with it. Keep an eye out for any more labourers collapsing, and leave order to your own men to make sure that they get up immediately."

"Yes of course sir. I'll tell my men right away sir." And he left the hut and went to relay the message. I heard a strange tapping and looked round to see that Mr. Ambrose had pulled out his cane and was making the tapping noise. After thirty seconds, he pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time.