"Puhahahah...You two really thought I was dying?"
"You really fooled me, man."
Naren and Vera sat at a wooden table in one of the houses. It was fully furnished as if the family had just gone out for a moment. Two rooms. A dining room with a kiln fire and a table seperated the sleeping den via curtains.
Naren pulled the man out of the waters, but the first thing he did was laugh.
———————————
"Puhahaha...What a nice swim."
"Swim? Did you go senile old man"
The old man helped the two onto his fishing boat, drying off his coat. His body filled with bandages at every exposed point but his head.
"Yeah. It was a perfect day for a swim...Nice weather, pretty skies."
"Your a choo man."
As the boat swayed through the waves, it eventually hit something. Naren ran out from beneath deck, his stomach praying that it was land.
But it wasn't.
Before them, was a collection of several platforms lashed together with thick braided rope. Each varying in size, from one that could fit only one house to one that easily spanned a kilometer. Each swaying rhythmically along the waves.
Houses and community structures built for survival instead of comfort. Low hanging structures, reinforced with steel to combat the dangers of the black sea. Jars of quite wisps of flames hanging from poles, casting an amber glow along the floating city.
Fishing nets were draped along at every crevice, always cast and always manned.
The most bizarre part was how it stayed afloat. Massive blowfish were tied to each ends of the platforms, creating a congregation of natural floaties.
Easily three meters tall, their rough bloated bodies were covered in a greyish yellow hued molted layer of skin. Their almost leathery texture was covered in small bumps scattered about with no particular pattern.
As captivating as the entire site was. It was just as strange. With the exception of the fisherman, there was absolutely no other person present.
The sky above flickering, interrupted only by the deep gruntle of thunder.
———————————
The man placed three plates of grilled fish along with tea.
"What's yall's name?"
Naren spoke through a full mouth.
"M Naren... Thish ish shrimpy."
"My name is Vera, sir. Thank you for the meal."
Vera shot Naren a dirty glance, while cutting up the fish.
"Shrimpy rolls off better."
"Haha, are you two siblings?"
"Nah."
"No!"
"You could've fooled me."
Naren leaned in closer.
"So what's your name and where's all the people here?"
The man sipped on his cup. Without his oversized coat on, the bandages were more apparent. Vera and Naren both frequently sneaking glancing at them.
"I...forgot it..."
Naren's eyes glimmered as he titled his head.
"...Just kidding!"
They both stared with no reaction.
"Jan...That's it. No surname."
"Uhm, Jan. Can I ask why this place is empty?"
"I killed them all...just kidding again."
Once again, both stared with no reaction. Naren leaning back on his arms and Vera drinking her cup of tea. Well that's what it seemed like. Vera was trying her hardest to keep a deadpan expression whilst freaking out internally.
'This guys insane. Just when I thought I was saved.'
Naren on the other hand was yawning, letting out a little giggle.
"Haha, you're funny."
"Yall are no fun."
Jan took the cup from Vera's mouth.
"Excuse me—"
"And you shouldn't take drinks from anyone Vera. Anyone would be trying to kill a witch."
Vera put he hands on his lap, looking down.
'He's right. I'm being stupid.'
"You are right, Jan...I apologize."
"How come?"
Just then, the sun set outside. The candles and lanterns hung out around the floating village lighting up all their own. In an instant, the dimly lit night had become as bright as day.
"Because of this."
Suddenly the howling wind intensified, as the ocean grew more rough. The beading of rain drops fell, silent at first, picking up to a thunderous stomping within a change of minutes. The sky rumbled in the distant, flashes of light flickering.
Jan got up, heading towards the door.
"Yall should get up."
A green ghostly figure formed where Jan had sat. A man in his late fourties with a scruffy beard and a leather tunic sat at the table.
Vera and Naren jumped back. As they did a woman in her thirties and a toddler took their place.
Their bodies flickered in the candle light, transparent but still there. Vera was astonished, they were spirits. She loved playing with them as a kids. She turned towards Naren with a slight smile on her face.
"HELP!"
Naren jumped on Vera in a frenzied yelp.
"Do something Vera! Kill them! Anything!"
Vera fell back from the weight of Naren, as all the spirits turned to stare at him. He crawled back, his arms trembling.
"They're gonna take my memories! Stop them Vera!"
The hollow eyes of the spirits fixed on Naren. Just, then Jan opened the door to a flood of spirits crashing in who were leaning against it.
A damp silence was covered by the pelting of rain drops. Then the room exploded into laughter.
Vera threw Naren's tea at him.
'That was painful, Naren.'
"Ow! That hurt you freak!"
Noticing her thoughts and words mixed up Vera quickly covered her mouth. Jan helped a couple spirits up from the floor, as he himself tried to stop his laugh.
"Naren, they're just spirits, unless you let them they can't even touch you, let alone take your memories."
Naren, drenched, was pressed up against the wall. A toddler spirit crawled up to him putting their arm out. Naren flinched closing his eyes.
Though when they opened, the spirits arm went right through his foot.
"B-but Maren told me..."
"Puhaha...Maren musta liked pulling pranks on you."
The mother spirit approached Naren, picking up her baby. Naren still flinched a little, this time accepting the reality a little. She extended her baby.
At first both mother and child went right through Naren's body. But then, the baby was suddenly cradled in Naren's arms, laughing.
Naren's breathing heaved as he held on.
"I-I guess so."
Vera wagged her finger above the baby, playing with it. She gave Naren a mischievous look.
"You are the most pitiful, Naren."
"Though you should worry about what spirits attract. As well as witches."
The floating houses began to rumble once more. This time the weight of something latching onto the foundation was clearly evident.
The spirits flickered, the mother took her baby and ran to the father. All the spirits huddled up at the center.
A slimy pink blur shot right through the open door, aimed straight at the spirits. It was too fast for Naren to realize. And too quiet for him to hear through the overlapping raindrops.
However, before it could reach the baby, it stopped. Jan held the tongue in his arm, it limping from his grip onward. With one pull a toad-like creature came flying at the door.
It's warts were spikes, oozing green liquids that coursed through channels in its skin. The liquids gushed through the cannels, gathering in it's mouth, ready to shoot through it's tongue. But instead, the clear imprints of a fist drilled itself into the toads face, exploding into bits.
The man shook his hand as he let go of the tongue, throwing the beast into the dark waters below. The room erupted into applause and chants for the man.
"...They attract beasts, no matter where they go."
Jan turned his gaze towards Vera, the crowd dying down.
"How many have you killed Vera."
A beat of silence was followed by Vera stumbling over her words.
"I-I didn't—"
"Not with your hands...with your presence."
"...It just happened."
Memories filled Vera's head. Her mothering falling into the void. The various men and women swallowed up by beasts anytime they took her in. It seemed like wherever she walked, people who fall. Even the Sergeant's son who was so kind to her.
Within a flicker of candle light, Jan was gone.
"Unhand me!"
Whipping his head Naren found the tall man, holding onto Vera now.
"The spirits are bound here. But witches can tread whatever land they please...So why should I let you live?"
Naren stood up assuming a boxers pose. A side of his face raised slightly higher than the other.
"Damnit, I liked you."
"Does she mean that much to you?"
Naren dropped his guard, not even attempting to think.
"No...She's kind of a pain in the ass...But I need her to become a shaman."
Jan let out a chuckle. As he did, the foundation rumbled once more, deeper and more guttural this time. The spirits all flickered outside.
The floor collapsed and ripped open as a amalgamation of slimy flesh pulled itself out.
A hard shell lined its hunched figure, as it towered before Naren, the back of the creature almost reaching the ceiling. Two maws of claws rattled at each side, the torn heads of fish and guts falling through. It's six legs perched on the floor, some still submerged, holding the hole in the floor for support.
It wasn't used to walking. The carapace tail wailed around, digging into the wooden foundation. Spikes lining its back cut into the ceiling as it struggled to walk towards Naren.
The weakened roof was finally blown away by the storm along with panels of the walls.
Naren adjusted his stance, his bare legs gripping the wet floor as the wind and rain blew like pellets at his face.
Jan stood atop a stripped pillar from what remained of the house. Vera struggling to move from his grip.
"Naren! How many lives is she worth!"
A piece of seaweed blew by Naren's face, dragging itself along his mouth. Naren shook it off, letting a disgusted look take over.
"She's not worth any of this trouble...That damn sister."