David woke up in his hammock from a drop of cold water hitting him in the forehead. It was still night time.

David decided he would get up anyway. His feet hit the cold metal floor and he Climbed down the Ladder to go to the kitchen. David stepped down the stairs stopping on the way opening a sea chest in the main room crouching David grabbed a small chemical metal barrel of acid. David walked with the barrel in his arms towards the furnace room. David placed the barrel of acid beside the furnace.

Took off his shorts and took a dump in the toilet beside him. He flushed after wiping with some old hemp cloth. David threw the cloth in the furnace and poured the acid in the furnace. Where its chemical reaction conducted heat throughout the copper tubes in the cylindrical homestead.

"Well that should keep the floor warm at least." David walked out to the kitchen, opened his cupboards, grabbed his last clean pot and filled it with the fresh water from one of his water catching barrels. David put the filled pot on to the stove top which was already glowing red from the acid being poured earlier in the furnace.

It didn't take long to bring it to a boil. David tossed some dried seaweeds to make a nice tea. David took a seat in his living room which was a table afew chairs, some wall harpoons and a place for all his diving gear. Looking at blood on his diving suit. David sipped his tea which gave David a warm sensation, David contemplated to himself. Staring off into the stormy waters.

Then in the distance he noticed a few boats approaching but then they stop just outside fishing Zone C. David takes out the handgun from one of the drawers in the table. placing the magazine into the bottom of the handgun. Then another two boats pull up all three of them talking amongst each other then one of the men on the boats picks up a water explosive. Carrying the explosive to the port of the boat.

BOOM!

A massive explosion sending debris an body parts into the vicinity

Then the sound of the rifle!

Firing at the remaining boat and people.

David runs out to get a better look at the boats a blaze. The red flames light up the area David notices two silhouettes swimming in his direction. David pulls up the hand gun to shoot them he takes two shots at one of the guys hitting him in the back stopping him from swimming any closer, David pulls the trigger and releases the last of the bullets into the other guys shoulder and side body killing him instantly; a rifle round sends a spout of blood out of the floating man's chest who was in a back float still trying to swim away.

A flare shoots up into the sky emitting a green light all around. David could see everything, the floating dead bodies, the broken ship bits Including the sharks swimming up to the smell of blood. David waves his hand into the air.

"I think that's all of them! Nice shooting Von!" David thumbs up! And Von does a Salute.

"David what's going on?"

David turns around to see Kenny at the door on his way out confused.

"Kenny we were getting attacked during the night, but this time we got all the bastards, we should have a safe trip into town now."

David sees that von kept up a good watch on the area while Sergal went scavenging the wrecks so David decides to head back in to finish his tea sitting on the table.

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David grabs a seat.

" David, is it alright if I have some tea as well?"

" Go for it kid, you live here too."

Kenny grabs a small metal cup from the cupboard and pours himself a full cup of the hot seaweed tea.

David takes a sip. Thinking about what just happened. And it clued in that those people that they just killed might have been the people who shot Saki. If it was, David felt a bit better about the situation.

" You know what tomorrow we will go into town and sell the fish and when we're done I will take you to a place where I was diving for supplies."

Kenny takes a drink. "Woah! Sounds like an adventure to me!"

"It is, well kind of, you will be watching the boat while I dive under to check a place out." David notices a slight let down coming from Kenny.

David sips the last of his tea, puts the cup in the dish sink and walks up the metal steps.

" Good night Kenny, see you in the next couple hours we got a big day ahead of us."

"Goodnight David."

The morning was a quiet sunny one. Orange and beautiful blue.

David sat up in his hammock to meet the day. David got out of his hammock to get dressed,putting on his octopus ink black colored swim trunks and net shirt. David did some stretches. today they had lots of boxes of fish to sell.

Which put a smile on his face David walked down the steps and into the kitchen to find a clean pan and some fish oil. David started to fry up some fish fillets.

The smell was enough to wake Kenny out of his bed. Kenny walked down the steps.

" I kept watching for a while before I went to sleep, nothing to report." Kenny watched David fry the fish fillets in fish oil.

"Wow those look good!" Kenny complementing David's cooking skill.

David smiled. "I learned from the best.

Sometimes just the smell bring back the memories."

David plates the fried fish and grabs a seat at the table with Kenny.

David closes his hands in prayer.

Kenny places his hands together aswell.

" Thankyou Great Whale being of the Universe thank-you for this food we are gifted from you this life, please keep us safe from The evil who tries to stop us from this journey you have made for us,

Whale Being of the universe please have pity and forgiveness for I had to take the lives of people who were trying to take mine and my family's. Please forgive me and my family."

David takes his fork and starts to eat.

" And thank-you whale God for helping me find a friend like David who is watching over me and taking care of me with your guidance."

Then Kenny starts to eat.

David smiles "thanks Kenny."

"Mmmmm this fish is really good David."

"Yeah it's a recipe I learned way back."

David takes another bite of his fish.

The crunch was satisfactory and the flavor was delicious. The meal was very filling.

Kenny got up and put dishes away while David started moving boxes out of the cold unit storage. Kenny opens the door and puts the door stop in for David's easy passage. "There's one down, now to move the rest, let's go!" Kenny and David start moving boxes of the black two head trout from in the cylindrical homestead to the moving platform. Sergal and Von wave and shout at David and Kenny saying "Good morning! We will wait for you to travel with us!"

Kenny rides the platform. As David climbs down the ladder.

On the dock the boat was still there all in one piece. David loaded the boat as quickly as he could, excited to pay back the ones he owed and tie up loose strings.

Kenny hopped in the boat.

David stepped in and unchained the boat. David started it up. The boat moved along the waters making their way towards von & Sergal who were waiting for Henry to climb down the ladder and enter the boat.

David steering along side of them.

"You catch some of that action last night Henry!" David and Kenny wait looking at the others.

"Hardly was fast asleep but I heard you guys made quite the noise too. The wife was quite concerned until she saw Sergal ride up and confirm everything was clear."

Henry entered his boat and together they boated towards the stilted city with boxes of cleaned fish.

They passed numerous cylindrical buildings and through and around other fishing zones.

Till finally in the distance was the Stilted city in all its rust and glory billows of smoke coming from the workers and kitchens there were many boats at the docks with plenty of Trade goods being brought into the stilted city.

David pulls his boat up to one of the docks and chains it securely. Kenny climbs unto the dock and helps with David unpacking the boxes into a cart. David helped himself into the dock and lifted the cart handles to move it along towards the elevator.

"Hey Kenny what do you say let's get some lobster dinner my treat."

"Really that sounds amazing!" Kenny smiles, "I'm gonna get mine with a garden lemon." David smiled "Me too Kenny." As they enter the elevator with the fish boxes, Sergal, Von and Henry.

The elevator door closes and begins to ascend towards the top level.

End of Chapter 004 Stilted Waters Edge written by Travis Willier copyright 2021