Chapter 10: Breeze

“Why did we leave it in there?” Shards asked, a little agitated.

“We left it in there because I don’t want to end up like the Before!” Teebs said.

“The Before?” Shards asked.

“Before the end of the Old World, there was the Before. It was somewhat peaceful, there was still conflict, but not as much. The people who lived in the Before died in the war that ended Old World. If we let that tech get back into this time, we’ll just repeat history,” he explained.

Shards sat in silence, wondering what would have happened if they had taken that weapon. Would they ever need to use magic again? Would it really lead to the end of the New World? It couldn’t really be that dangerous. It was so small and light.

“Where are we heading?” Shards asked, looking over to the map.

“Should we pay Simon a visit?” Teebs asked.

“Nah, let’s give him a break,” she said, leaning back in her chair.

“Alright… anywhere else you would like to visit?” he asked, grabbing a book.

“Hm… maybe Harma?” she suggested, “I hear it’s nice this time of year.”

“Okay,” he said, sitting in front of the sail.

He pointed a finger at the sail, the wind filling it and causing the boat to move forward. Within a few minutes, they were at sea. Teebs started to think about that weapon in the Old World chasm. Then about his childhood. Was it wise that he became a pirate at a young age? Perhaps not, but he somewhat benefitted from it. Had he wasted some talent by just sailing the sea? Maybe he did, but he learned so much more. He shifted in his seat a little, feeling a little uncomfortable with these thoughts. Then his mind drifted towards his family back in Apra.

Mom…, he thought.

He shook the thought from his mind, fighting back a tear. He focused on the sound of the wind. Then his mind drifted to his sister.

Alice…, he thought.

Again, shaking the thought from his mind, fighting back more tears. He tried to think of something else, anything else, but his mind always drifted back to his family. Each memory they had, each and every moment they were together flooded his mind, like the tears in his eyes.

Shh…. null it out Teebs. They’re gone, he thought, trying to convince himself that they didn’t matter.

It wasn’t long before the tears started to roll down his cheeks. Each one burning like a match.

“Teebs?” Shards said, shaking him.

He snapped out of it and realized they were at Harma.

“Are you okay?” she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah. I’m fine,” he said, wiping his face on a sleeve.

“You sure? You look kind of red,” she said, kneeling next to him.

“Yes, I’m fine,” he said, standing.

He climbed a ladder down to the dock and tied the ship to it. Shards followed him, wondering what had happened.

“What?” he asked, noticing her concerned stare.

“You seem a little off,” she said.

“Off as in how?” he asked, wiping his eye.

“Well, I’ve never really seen you cry before,” she said.

“I was just thinking of something,” he said, stretching, “I’m fine, I promise.”

She just gave him a nod, still feeling as if something was troubling him. They got to a beach and sat. The sun was setting over the horizon, causing the sky to turn into a red and blue shade and little dots appear in it.

“Aren’t you just sick of the sea?” Shards said, looking at the stars.

“No, not really,” Teebs said, looking towards the horizon.

“How so? You spend all of your time on it. Heck, you even sleep on it,” she said.

“I guess it’s an escape from reality. You know, this reality,” he said, gesturing to the town behind them.

“But how long is an escape?” she said, sitting up.

Teebs just smiled and shrugged.

“I guess as long as it takes,” he said.

“Do you stay on the ocean because of your dad?” she asked.

“... Yeah… and everyone else too,” he said, looking down a little, his smile fading.

“Everyone else?” she asked.

He went silent, as if he wasn’t there. His skin went pale, as if he was terrified of what she said.

“Teebs?” she asked.

He stood up and walked off, not saying a word. Shards got up and followed him, not noticing the wind getting stronger.

“Teebs, what’s the matter?” she asked.

The sand started to move with the wind. Then the ocean’s waves started to get bigger.

“Teebs!” she yelled, covering her face from the high speed winds.

Everything seemed to get worse with every step he took. Soon, it seemed as if a storm was overhead. He had stopped walking, watching the sky as it turned darker.

“TB2000! Stop!” she yelled.

He looked at her and everything went back to normal. The sea calmed down, the wind died down, and the sand fell back to it’s original state. Shards was about to yell at him, but she now noticed he had tears rolling down his face.

“What’s wrong,” she asked, walking over to him.

“It’s nothing…,” he said, wiping his face.

She gave him a look and wiped his face with a sleeve.

“No it isn’t. Now spill it,” she said, playfully.

“.... I don’t want to talk about it…,” he said, looking down.

She gave him another look. This one demanding to know.

“... When I said everyone else, I meant the rest of my family. I am the last 2000,” he said, “My mom, dad, and sister are all dead.”

She continued to wipe his tears as they kept falling.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” she said.

“I don’t know…,” he said, wiping his nose on a sleeve.

“That’s gross,” she said, smiling.

He laughed and stopped crying.

“Now come on you big baby. We have somethings to take care of,” she said, looking him straight in the eyes.

“Okay,” he said with a smile