Beauty Of The Deep

Unwanted Guests : 10

As soon as the citizens lit out their candles and furnaces, they drift theirselves to sleep. And that's when It is safe for them to wonder around the island like normal citizens.

"Ugh." Arlo woke up with an intense migraine pounding like a loan shark on the door ready to collect their money. Seems like the headache decided to stay with the boy until he woke up.

With his hand tightly clasping the back of his head, he sits himself up and squints his eyes towards the window. It was still night time, the moon was brightly settled in its place. Arlo then swings his head towards the dark room, it wasn't a surprise for him to see the kids and his buddy Seven sleeping soundlessly in their beds. He could imagine the surprised look on their faces upon seeing him in bed early, which was a rare case scenario that happened earlier thanks to a harsh headache.

Arlo stands and collects his balance before walking towards the table to pick up the piece of journal he initially abandoned. He picks it up with his hands and stares at it while his other hand was vigorously rubbing his sleepy eye.

He goes back to his bed to resume his activity in skimming through the pages and unfolding truths he never knew of but before he does that, he wanted a peaceful area. And a walk outside in the middle of the night didn't sound so bad, the quality of light might hurt his eyes but it wasn't something that bothered him.

Arlo slips the book under his arm and walks out the door. Another rare case scenario of him not making his way out the window. Reading out might be difficult from the darkness so he passes by the kitchen to pick up that gas lamp he traded at the monthly merchant who auctions his unique valuables from an unknown kingdom in the other side of the world.

"Does this thing still work?" He murmurs as he tries to let it on, he rarely used since after trading it, it was owned by Mother and she would use it at night to the barn where she would feed her cows.

After several attempts on trying to lit it, Arlo sets the book onto the table and rests his hands between the lamp while glaring at it in frustration. He snatches the handle and closely examines any hidden buttons but from the close distance of the lamp to his face, the smell of gas was to obvious.

"Do I need gas?" Questioning himself, he places it down and rummages through the kitchen to find that bottle of gas that mother keeps. Succeeding to quietly find the bottle Arlo approaches the lamp and twists the filler open and fills it. He turns the switch open and fire lit up inside the lamp. Satisfied with himself he smiles and returns the bottle back and he proceeds himself out the door along with the book in his hold.

Arlo wanders away from the house and into the port which he assume would be quiet and peaceful. A perfect spot to take in whatever extraordinary page is waiting for him to uncover the secrets.

With slow and soundless steps, he finally reached the empty port.

His hands carefully place the lamp on wood, followed by him slowly plopping himself down. He takes in the calm scenario ahead of him before diving in into his Mom's world. Stopping at the certain page he left from.

"Am I losing my sanity? Or am I just deprived of my son's presence?" Exhaling deeply, he reads the words followed.

"I went back to the island where I saw that mermaid. And she was cuddling her beautiful baby in her hands."

Arlo's mouth went agape at that particular sentence. Now understanding why his Mom was feeling that way.

"The mermaid didn't see me, so it didn't try to run away. I'm glad I came all the way here on my own because if not--once I blow my cover she would be caught by my vicious crew mate but I'm happy that won't happen since she can't run away just after giving birth."

"Wait what." Caught by the sudden surprise, he didn't see that coming.

"She must've heard my footsteps since she flinched in her place. I didn't want her to think of me as a threat so I revealed myself. "

"Her eyes were immediately filled with fright and surprise and the fact that she was so vulnerable right now made her more frightened, but I threw my sword away along with the heavy belts hugging my waist..." Arlo read aloud before being interrupted by a sudden voice which nearly threw him of the deck from the intense paragraph he was reading.

"Hey man, what you doing there!" An unknown voice called from behind and Arlo turn to face his back. A group of unfamiliar people were standing by the end of the port.

Strange everyone should be asleep by now.

"Nothing man, just reading an old book." Arlo yelled back lifting the book in his hand with a finger placed as a bookmark for the page.

"C'mon, that's boring. Its been years since we last had this opportunity. That can wait." The guy yells before he and his group walk away. Arlo was trying to process what just happened.

Years? Opportunity? What does that even mean?

"Wait who are they?" Arlo squinted his eyes at their distant figures, it was too dark and too far to be able to distinguish them but he was sure for one thing. They were not from this village.

His eyes remained on them until they reached the market which was bathed in light at a very late hour. From what he recalls, they had no such traditions or celebration that is required to be celebrated at night.

Curiosity of the unusual event got the best of him. He leaves the port along with his lamp and the book.

"Heyy, heading to the fest?" Another voice popped up and it increased the poor boy's fright when they placed their hand in his shoulder. He nearly dropped the lamp.

Turning to the stranger who was a girl, Arlo nodded and she smiled before heading to the market. "Fest? What on earth was happening?" He mumbled.

"And where did she even come from?" He twirled around to see the still ocean, very confused.

He proceeds to march up the hill to the market, suddenly forgetting about the intensity of the book he was reading since the event at the market was much more mysterious.

A few minutes later, he reached the exposition. His eyes expanded at the crowd inside.

It was like a yearly festival, the vendors were filled with remarkable stuffs, no fish in sight. None of these people were familiar to him, he wasn't even sure if they are from the island.

"Excuse me sir. May I know what is the occasion?" Arlo decided to stop a guy to be enlightened about event.

The guy chuckled at the young boy's silly question, "Young man, you must be living under a coral. Everyone knows that its been years since we've had this opportunity to get out." The man gestured the area along his words but Arlo still showed lack of understanding.

"The humans are asleep. Every single one of them, that means our deep slumber effect can work on them while we celebrate." The old man chortled before leaving to party.

"Deep slumber effect?" The baffled boy rephrased, taking in every word.