The clouds began to roam the profile of the world, as daylight eked through the grey drawn morning. Rain fell intermittently across the land as the air hung heavy on those confined in its bounds.
Life began to move as the inhabitants of the houses, departed from their wooden forts. The world began a murmur as conversations mingled into each other. Under the eves the two locked gazes as strangers walking by eyed them both but continued on without a word.
Leaning against the building Hakk balanced on the top of the fence that divided the two. The prime of the day went as a welcomed breeze swept across the soaked scene.
Eyes dipping Hakk's head began to bob lightly. Long moments past as the other man trained their eyes on the sleeping one.
Slowly he placed his hands on the ground as he rose to one knee, with one foot planted over the back of a shigs he stepped up. As he leaned forward to release the foot behind his first leg gave way as he tumbled over the animal and landed in the wet waterlogged ground. A wordless hiss escaped his lips as the shigs justled about the unexpected assault.
Behind him echoed the clearing of a throat, he looked up to see the other yawing and stretching with one eye trained on him. Grasping at the ground he raised a knee and tried to push off with, his footing slipped as he twisted awkwardly to the ground again.
Again the two locked eyes as Hakk's expression persisted void.
The man glared at Hakk as small forms of tears held to the corner of his eyes. Mud mixed manure dripped from his face as his earthen skin began to take on rose hues. He took deep breaths, grasping at the ground he muffled a small scream as he lifted his torso skyward, his muscle shook as they bore the weight, his arms...
SPLAT.
His face landed without resistance in the enriched soil. Unmoved he lay as the shigs roamed around him drifting to the more grass filed pasturages.
Hakk stood up on the inner side of the barrier, with short slow and deliberate steps he approached the form, slipping but regaining ground a few times. Kneeling down he grabbing at the shoulder of the other spinning him over.
"Carrot."
The contorted face of the other, with a furrowed brow, shifted slightly but persisted senseless.
Hakk drew in a deep breath and withdrew for a few moments, returning with a bucket in one hand. In a movement, he tossed the water upon the other.
The man struggled with the air as the water struck him. His arms flailed heavily as his eyes opened and closed, coughing he came to the present world. His pupils increased as his mind took in the world about him.
Hakk squatted at his side as the two freshly locked eyes. Folding one arm across his lap he rested his head on the other.
The man's blue eyes flared to the other. Pulling his arms under himself he lifted his torso from the soggy ground. The muscles shook and backward he descended as his body sunk into the ground again splashing fresh mud everywhere.
"Again, where are you going?" Hakk's voice was without tone drifting along with the air, gone as soon as they exited his lips, carried away on the currents of the wind. Wiping some mud from his face his gaze remained unbroken, his narrow slitted pupils formed a razor's width.
The man's lips quivered, his eyes cast side to side and up and down, his feet helplessly pushed at the dirt, brushing past and striking Hakk right ankle.
Hakk shifted forward as his footing slipped, his knee dug into the soft ground. His left arm cast itself to the ground catching himself. Turning his head he confronted the other man, his lips raised slightly as his eyes wrinkled at the corners.
"Excuse me, sirs?" The voice broke the consequence.
A man about Hakks height stood opposite side of the pen looking in at them. His face hung with a slight bit of pudge and rough stubble. Dressed in a long tunic that reached to his knees and a pair of narrow slacks beneath both died in colors of grey. In one hand he held an umbrella over his head and the other a blanket. His spirit cast between the two figures now eyeing him.
"Are either of you a Hokkai?"
Hakk raised his free arm as his vision trailed back to the carrot top.
"Mr. Althea asked me to find you, sir." The other looked to the man lying in the dirt and back to Hakk. "Um...Can I assist you?"
Hakk stood up, turning, he crossed the distance between them, in one motion he was on the other side of the fence face to face with the newcomer.
"Where do you keep the boats?" Hakk worked his hand through his beard as he tugged at it, his vision trailing off to the carrot behind him and back to the other.
"Um..." The others vision drifted to Hakk as he looked up at the man, a cold shiver ran down his spine as he took a step back from the already good distance between them. "Th-the beach, but they are all put in 'cause of the storm." The man pointed the direction he'd come from.
Hakk looked up and then back to the other, taking the umbrella from the one he walked past.
"I'll be back in a few days."
The other stood for a moment before turning to face Hakk's retreating frame.
"What about that man, sir?"
"Althea can manage." Hakk raised a hand and with two fingers split in a V waved to the two.
"But." the man cast his eyes back to the one on the other side of the fence now on his hands and knees was beginning to crawl.
"Sir-but wait!"
His words distantly echoed in Hakk's ears as he continued up the slopped steps and beyond. Into the town, down to the main gate and out he walked to the path that winded through the path of the night before, it's sparse plant life now visible in the light of day, set atop a rocky face.
Before him, the beach came into view, littered, remains of the night's chaos strewn in layers about it. Splintered wood, cloth, boxes of broken cargo, and, bodies all awash in the white sands. A few living people walked the beach, dragging the bodies one by one beyond the waters reach, and placing them under hulls of grass reeds. Their faces were distant and no words were spoken among the living or dead. Their eyes followed Hakk in stillness as he wandered by them.
Diggin the umbrella into the sand he approached the ships
A small distance down the way a few boats lined the way. Hakk approached them, digging the umbrella in the sands just out of reach of the waves. His vision trailed over each one, some wore damage, some had taken on water, others were too great, one of them resembled decent order. Hakk peered within, a small sail lay along its inside, the hull mostly dry had some at its bottom. Up the shore, he grabbed a well-sized rock and placed it inside the vessel. Pushing it out to water he waded in the still tide as it splashed against the hull playfully. Distantly the rock reef danced just along the boundary in the more troublesome waters.
Moments passed into minutes as the afternoon haze filled the sky. The waters began to rise just above Hakk's ankles; back and forth the tides lulled as he held the boat that sloshed in their motion. His vision cast out over the horizon line as he looked to each side and the shorelines, looking at the inside of the craft it remained unfilled. Hakk grabbed the umbrella, folding it up he placed it in the boat and began walking the water, following the shoreline, boat in tow as he dragged it.
Past the rock reefs, he went until they were but small figures in his sight. Jumping into the boat he settled himself, tossing out the rock, pulled out oars and began to row out to sea. Some distance from shore he stopped, put the oars aside, hoisted sail, turning, angling, he caught the wind as he let the skies bear him henceforth.
The dinghy soared with its fish inscribed sails, he held the canvas steady as the breeze rustled his curly hair, the sun heated the afternoon air as a defused glow alighted the world. Hakk grabbed and unfolded the umbrella at his feet, pitching it above his head.
Distantly flora and fauna filled beaches glowed in the scene surrounding him, the ocean about reflected the hidden sun dancing the light across its surface. Some reach before him rose a wall of grey and white, the sail began to fill, tugging at its post, as the umbrella struggled to free itself of his grasp. Hakk rose to a more straightforward position, folding away promptly both piece.
The sky rumbled in white noise as the waters turned a sea of green, grey and white about him.
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