Chapter 2 The Stranger with the Evergreen eyes488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvj7mMA8b17
A soft gleam creeps slowly along the hazy morning. The sun finally revealing its bright yellow smile. The ocean bleeds a salty familiar fresh scent, a crisp awaking to a summer's day. Everett stands awkwardly outside, leaning against the plain white office building and facing the ocean. The warm sun kissing his golden cheeks and stinging his flickering eyes. Thomas directed him to wait while the boats docked. There were two boats, both around the same size. Big enough to house around a handful of crewmates, but still small enough to nestled Into the docks of the little bay.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphK4h6R5Wa
Everett stood motionless for a while, watching as a group of people piled out of one of the boats and fastened it to the docks. There were a few moments of banter, fooling around and laughing. A few inside jokes exchanged, a few crude ones to rebuttal. For the people who worked and lived here, it was just a regular productive day. However, it didn't take long for their wandering eyes to focus on Everett. Hushed chatter buzzed within the group. Speculation proved correct by Thomas. Everett heard his name slide out of his mouth, then be passed along, emphasizing Porter. Emphasis on his father, but Everett was far from shocked. His father did work here for a little bit. His father, a stubborn man, hiding behind determination. A natural speaker Who articulated his words to benefit himself. A man who cared less about others emotions. A father who was willing to do anything for the people he loved. A good man, but a selfish one.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqt2iH1v98
Thomas casually swayed back to where Everett was, blissfully unaware at the glaring eyes that peered right behind him. Everett let out a smile to greet him, amazed at how a few people could feel like a stadium. All eagerly anticipating him being torn and devoured by a starved lion.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExhu9ph8hU
"Here's the plan," Thomas calmly explained to Everett. "I don't have too much for you to do today, but you can help out cleaning the supply shack." Thomas pointed past the office, further along, the docks. There stood a few little beat-up multi-coloured buildings all snuggly sat. He pointed to the navy blue one; it was tiny, decrepit, and overall sad. He reassured Everett that it shouldn't take long since someone was working on it in there, and he would come to grab him in an hour or so once he finished what he needed to do. Which just affirmed to Everett that he wants him to not be in the way.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWBj0R5DJ8
Everett parted ways, gently pacing himself towards the shack, careful not to slip on the slick wooden surface. It wasn't too far, so it took him no time to reach. It must have been no bigger than a common living room. A navy-blue box of chipped paint and rusted windows, and with a large gulp of air, he squeaked his way in, ducking through the low door frame. A dim tungsten light lit the entire space. Unaware of the low shelf hanging above the door, he stood up straight, slamming his head in the process. That, paired with the slick ground, made him tumble down to his knees, spilling a bucket of fish hooks and lures along with a clutter of other stuff.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePwQXfNUCO
"Shit! Are you okay?" a strange voice called out. A young man popped his head out from the corner previously hidden by a large cabinet door. He came rushing over.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vCjRGivA7
He let out a huff, slouching down to meet Everett's gaze. He had such pale skin. A fair, cool complexion contrasted with his dark, thick straight hair, a jet-black colour that softly shifted and ashy blue. He had it tucked behind his ears, and it fell just past his jaw in jagged tuffs. Puffed on the top like he had constantly been pushing it up and out of his face. He had a longer face; structured, young, and rather handsome. A strong long nose and defined lips. A shadow of stubble dusted his upper lip and jaw.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjr3DPCkKfx
There was a laid-back swagger that ironically didn't verge on cockiness. His emotionless face gave out a simple clue at his mood, a slight curl to his parched lips, A slight squint to his already drowsy fox-like eyes, examining but casual. His cool complexion was ruined by those eyes of his. He had such comforting eyes. A rich Evergreen colour, warm and inviting, he could soothe an aching soul with one stare.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoS9i3cJGl0
His upper lip flickered as he extended his arms, inviting Everett up. Everett gripped tight, allowing the stranger to pull him to his feet. Stumbling slightly as he anchored himself. The stranger was far from Everett's stature but not short. His baggy overalls were pushed down to his hips, a fitted gray shirt underneath, revealing his slightly triangular figure. He was thin with a narrow waist and hips but solid with a broader chest, wider back, and a strong stance.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVInjMYbyf
The two young teens shared a lack of muscles, both at that awkward stage of manhood. The stranger examined a wobbly Everett, his arm still out as preparation if he fell again. A flush of red fluttered onto Everett's cheeks, embarrassed at the whole ordeal. The stranger let out a slight chuckle, rather engaged with this tall teetering teen.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRENrBZ7xf
"We should really put a sign on that door," the stranger jokingly grinned, showing a row of straight white teeth. After assuring Everett's balance, he slid his hands to his side, resting one in his pocket and leaning his weight on his left leg. Everett was ecstatic to see another person, besides Thomas, treat him with an ounce of decency; he bobbed his head slightly as he reciprocated the friendliness.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4noBhJV4L
"Can I help you with anything?" The stranger asked while breaking his eye contact. He shifted his focus on the mess Everett had made. Picking up the assortment of big-eyed wobbly lures and different sized hooks. Chucking them back in the bucket with a plop. Everett bent down, slowly, cautious to not lose this already unpredictable balance.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0l4MrttuB
"Don't bother," the stranger barked, seeming more concerned than annoyed. Everett's hands flung up as if he had been caught with sticky fingers.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkwhb8Jp8F
"I'm sorry, but I'm supposed to help." Everett winced. The stranger squinted his eyes and cocked his head. Everett gave another forced smile, lowering his hands. the stranger's face went back to that blank expression, pushing the bucket, so it was between each other.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWnYAj1oOd
"Ash," the stranger said while carefully piling the mess in the bucket.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCtvGsj9Hc
"Everett-"488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZvEDuVSPP
Both teens explained the situation at hand. Everett on what Thomas told him to do, and Ash on the beat-up shack's current state. Everett scanned all around, muggy and dim, with a faint soggy odor. It was crammed with shelves, all piled high with fishing equipment. It looked like Ash had been working on the supply shack for a while now. Cabinet doors open and cleared out, all their contents spilled and sorted into neat piles, heaped in the middle of the tiny room. Ash directed Everett to the left side while working on the right. Facing away from each other, they began to organize. Zoning out as they went, Ash humming a soft tone.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi281nCpgNO
Everett smiled at the atmosphere, calm, collective, and free. Focusing on work instead of his own internal dialogue allowed him a sense of freedom not previously explored before. Such a hectic day finally slowed to a beating pulse. After a while, the dim light grows brighter, the musty smell, breaths fresh, and the company of a stranger feels familiar.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheMTutOqmP
Ash had a way of communicating without speaking much, only saying one-word responses. He had a monotone voice; it had a dull drawl to it that felt calming. The same feeling that carried out to his whole demeanor. An underlining coolness that was infectious. Drawing in a person to learn more. His voice was contagious, a higher pitch while still sounding masculine. It mimicked that swagger that was found in his posture. It contrasted to Everett, who couldn't help but chatter. Bubbly and warm, with a slight hiccup to it, yet still deep and brass in some spots. He spoke quick and somewhat choppy, often tripping on his own syllables. Cautiously thinking aloud before rephrasing the sentence again. Ash couldn't help but laugh at Everett's attempts at casual conversation. A mass wave of information that felt lost in translation. An in-depth instructional on how to shear a sheep.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNj7ATV3rHh
Before they both knew it, over an hour had passed, and the cluttered room was starting to feel less claustrophobic. Everett peered over to Ash, who seemed content at the process, a gentle smirk on his parted lips. He stood up and brushed the dirt and grime that had collected in his lap, creating a puff of dust that left Everett coughing. With a big stretch and yawn, his focus went to a small towel he had previously been leaning on. He reached his hand out towards it without bending in any way and concentrated. A faint blue's spark hissed from his fingertips, and a soft wave of blue smoke trailed up his arm—the towel flinging towards his hand for him to catch. The aura disappeared as he began to use the cloth like any other regular towel. Wiping his hands and arms with it. He then noticed a stunned Everett. A moment of silence rang throughout the room as Ash's eyes flickered from the other teen to the towel.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5GxckslMi
"It's a hallucination," he lied, peering at Everett with threatening eyes. Everett jumped slightly, shaking his hands back and forth in front of himself, attempting to spit out anything to explain the mystical spectacle that just occurred. His lips fumbled over each other as Ash's piercing eyes glared down at him.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkmR5dcdQa
"I know," He panicked, not wanting Ash to feel bad for revealing something normal to him. Everett quickly snapped, a gentle flame of vibrant blue radiating from both his index fingers. Shining a cool glow that illuminated the teen's bright flustered face. He quickly closed his hands after he knew the stranger had received the message, extinguishing the flame. Ash let out a slight chuckle, his shoulders relaxing.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHc5k0QKj7p
"Nice party trick."488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7drvwRMTy
There was a sigh of relief from both teens. A mutual understanding that they both knew and had magic. Magic wasn't common, but it was around. People who possess it often try to stay in groups together as a unit or family of sorts. Some choose to outright use magic all the time, while others try to hide it. Although it should be known that it's not knowledge to the common population despite It always lurking around. There is a high population of magic users in this little bay town, with the majority either knowing about it and a high amount having it. The humble people of Logwood rather not focus on the complex systems in place when it comes to magic and how it's regulated. To live their simple lives without the impending pressure of the supernatural.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMA9zZ9wBc
"You shocked me; I was worried," Ash explained, pushing his dark hair out of his eyes.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwvIeFURxu
"I'm sorry, I just don't often see people use magic so freely," Everett apologized, stumbling to his feet. Ash nodded, apologizing as well for the startle. Everett was trying his best to read this new stranger. A person who felt like a friend yet someone so foreign. He felt attached to his presents. He wants to understand this new person. Although Everett did know that his kindness could be nothing more than politeness. Everett was extremely uncomfortable being around people, especially people he didn't know. It was something he wasn't too familiar with; he spent most of his life at home growing, learning, playing, and living in a small house in the middle of nowhere. He only ever really knew his parents and his father's good friend and his family. A kind person with such an open heart, willing to give and support a penniless man who built a family 6 feet under. It wasn't that Everett didn't enjoy the life he lived there; he remembers it well. A little ways out past Logwood Bay, when suddenly all the trees seem to disappear, and a flat sea of grass blankets the earth. A Successful farming area, yes, but not a lot of people. He remembers the good times, the smell of the cut grass, the warm breezy air filling his lungs, and kissing his peach blushed cheeks and nose. Being young and free, full of no worries. Right beside a little farm filled with cotton candy sheep and lazy marble cows. Running Around with his neighbor. The good friend's daughter, Ava. She was the same age, a clever girl, outgoing, bouncy, and joyful. She had a round face, deep eyes, and frizzy, curly hair.Robust like her father, but beautiful like her mother, and now so distant. How incidents can leave people scrabbling to scrape up shards, so tiny it might as well be considered sand.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtW7wp130xS
Ash opened the door wide to the sunny morning. The brightness fulling the tiny shack, blinding their weeping dust-filled eyes. They ducked past the shelf and through the door frame. The realization of how freeing the wide-open abyss was. The day had finally begun. The jolly canter rang all around. The busy beeps of cars could be heard just up above, along with the fragments of multiple conversations echoing throughout.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeehHzuyHEX
"Everett, I'll see you tomorrow then?"488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLrBDmoVEA
He turned around to see Ash heading the opposite way. Everett was just going to stumble back to his car to wait for Thomas, who was taking longer than advertised.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNc7sTZhxk
"Maybe?" he nervously chuckled.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtUyKSHLY9
"If not, Find me, I'll be right here." Ash smiled with a wave. Everett couldn't stop but be captivated by his eyes. Such caring eyes. Deep yet light. A constant swirl of green gripped him by his soul, pulling him into their endless void. Ash turned, bobbing along the docks away, leaving Everett alone with such a strange feeling.488Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR28rMfdxS
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