“Can this sailboat go any slower sir!?”
"I’m sailing this bastard of a ship as fast as I can, Gallagher! " I laughed, “And don’t call me ‘sir’!”
“Well then, ‘Warrant Officer Class Two Fletcher’, just because you weren’t a part of the Navy, doesn’t mean you can’t sail any faster!”
The sun dipped blow the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow in the skies, with slivers of orange gleaming off the tranquil waters of the sea. The winds sang a soft melody, silence by the loud flapping of our sails. And yet most of the waters were darker than the night skies, it’s serenity merged with a sense of the unknown, and unease.
Our sailboat crashed onto the pier.
“Alright, we’re here. Grab your musket Gallagher, we’re going hunting.”
Gallagher stopped for a moment. He looked lost.
“You know what sir?” The young private, or should I say, marine, began, “this whole thing about people growing fish-like parts, I don’t buy it. It’s just sounds fucking absurd.”
I sighed.
“Have a good look around you kid, have you ever heard a town this silent? I don’t want to believe it as well. It’s dangerous times.”
Suddenly Gallagher lunged at me and grabbed my collar. He looked me in my eyes. I looked back. And there I was met with a face etched with a level of fury that I have never seen before.
“THEN WHY THE HELL DID THE GRAND NAVY ONLY SEND THE TWO OF US THEN!? THEY KNEW IT WAS TOO FUCKING DANGEROUS FOR THEM TO HANDLE, LET ALONE US MAGICLESS SOLDIERS! FUCKING TELL ME A REASON FLETCHER!”
For the first time I didn’t know what to say. There were tears of despair clinging onto the edges of Gallagher’s eyes. I lowered my voice.
“I… I think you answered your own question, Gallagher.”
He let go of my collar in defeat.
“Maybe it’s because we are magicless.” The private muttered to himself, “In the eyes of the Navy, we’re probably just useless trash that should be disposed of. Kenton was fucking right after all…”
I placed my hand on his shoulders.
“Hey, cheer up, after this we can return to our families. And who’s Ken-”
“What fucking family, Fletcher?” Gallagher muttered, “have you forgotten what world we are in right now? Our families won’t even know if we died or not, mine are relaxing in fucking Cairns. They aren’t here to mourn, and if we do die, we’ll just be reduced to nothing but a number on a casualty report.”
The moon rose, bathing it’s light onto a now-dark Palo Town as the sun sank below the surface, like how Gallagher’s heavy works sunk in. I stifled a sigh. It made sense for him to have such a breakdown. He was just a kid. A proud private.
“Come on Gallagher, let’s get to work. It’ll have to be done one way or the other.”
We trudged silently around the abandoned town.
“So this is the mayor’s house?” Gallagher asked.
“I believe it is.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. It’s been a while since we’ve did stuff like this. And with a musket too.”
I laughed. “Yeah, it’s odd not going on a mission without holding an EF88 for once, but it is a decent change. But don’t worry mate, I’ll get us out alive. It’s my duty as a warrant officer.”
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
We hit the rusty door knob repeatedly with the butt of our muskets.
CRASH!
Our voices lowered to barely a whisper.
“First floor is clear.”
“Understood sir.”
“Move onto the second floor.”
“Yes sir.”
We ascended the stairs, our hearts racing as each floor board creaked loudly with every step we took.
“Arms up Gallagher. We don’t know what is in here.”
No response.
I turned around.
I could have sworn he was right behind me.
“Gallagher?”
Still nothing.
“Shit.”
could u tell i just woke up