Zek

It was my first time since joining this little band of brothers that I'd stepped foot on solid land. So naturally, the first place we went was the local tavern. It was a small wooden building suspended by wooden beams off of the mountain cliff, hugging the wall of the communications tower.

We sat in the tavern with Boss and some of the men from the FNS Phoenix, the ship that had saved us. I wasn't sparing myself from their conversation, nor their drinks. I was happy to finally be involved in something sociable again. What do I mean again? No. I'd never done anything like this before. Never in my life had I been with people like this, drinking, having fun. The last time I had friends had been back in my hometown. Then they volunteered for the war, while my father held me back. I never heard from my only friends again.

I downed another shot to blunt the thoughts of my hometown. It was a subject I didn't like to catch myself pondering. It only brought back pain and suffering to think about it. I called for another cup to come, raising my hand with an extended finger, no, two fingers for the barmaid to see.

She was walking over to the counter to grab my drinks when one of the soldiers pulled her onto his lap, digging his face into her exposed cleavage before receiving a backhanded slap across the face, to which his compatriots, myself included, laughed as the red mark on his face faded into his now pink cheeks, flushed from embarrassment, likely having been put up to it by one of his comrades across the table, who promptly slid a silver piece his way.

The drinks came, and I downed them. It felt good. Nice. Warm. A fuzzy feeling. One many people looked for in the acclaimed 'vices' of the world. Drinks, drugs, women, for some, killing. Like Luke. He liked killing. I could see that in him. Wherever he went, the room grew instantly cooler. He had the atmosphere of a murderer around him. I once tried asking what his story was. When I got no answers from him, I asked the others. All I learned, is that something happened in Ba Sing Se. What, I didn't know. And part of me didn't want to know. I didn't want to think about it. I called two more drinks over, and down they went. So warm. And the company here. Not like Luke. Not cold. Warm. Hot. I was talking the whole while, but the conversation I spoke was blending in with the world around. I couldn't hear their words, and they couldn't hear mine. It was fine. We weren't talking to have conversation. We were talking to talk. I raised my hand again, three fingers this time, but another hand brought them down. I turned around to see who the hand belonged to.

"B-Boss?" I remember myself saying.

"You've had enough. I paid for a room. It's up the stairs, first one to right."

"It-It's gets mightly lon-lonly. Can I bring, me for company?"

"No. Get up and go to sleep. We leave tomorrow."

"But, a weeke. W-we have week here."

"We leave tomorrow. Go."

"But-But whyyy'I leave? Howbu Leuke and Zak?"

"They're not here. Only you, and your time here's up. Get to sleep."

Luke and Zek aren't here? Where are they? I wanted to say hi. "Whey r' they?"

"Luke's in the city, walking. Zek's on the ship, with Gordez."

"Your captain means he's with the girl!" said one of the soldiers from across the table. They laughed. I laughed. I wish I had a girl. Lucky Zek. It should've been me who saved her. Not him. I deserve some love too.

I turned to Boss again. I wanted someone to keep me company the night. "Plees, Buss. I'll peigh with mie monee. Just won gurl. Fer tonide?"

Boss looked down on me. He was smiling. Yes. It worked.

"Stand up straight. And I'll pay for whoever you want. 1. 2. Hell. Every woman in here you can find." Yes! This'll show Zek not only he can have the ladies.

I pushed the bench aside, stood up on my own two feet, and the next think I saw was the wooden floor as it rushed up to greet me.