To Breathe

Chapter Two: Sweet Stranger

“Just where the f**k am I supposed to live? I can’t just keep living in the ocean, water, water, big body of water, where?” Crescendo was walking by the road, it was night. According to his new phone (what the hell?) it was 11:37 pm, he had a little bit of trouble getting the damn to work but he managed, “God! I’ve never had to walk this much, well, at least I had fish to play with, I’m bored.” It went on like that for a while until he saw houses. 

The town was a beach town but they had moved away from the coast, not too far, over the years. It was a way of making them feel safer, Crescendo wasn’t sure it worked but at least some people were idiots enough to ignore obvious clues pointing at the ocean being a bad place. Light shown through thin curtains, the area wasn’t known for its violent crimes, a few cases of stealing but nothing major, of course, other than the disappearing but there really was nothing the people could do about that. 

When he and his mother had first arrived at the waters of the town, the people still fished and depended a lot on the sea for a living. People still fish but they don’t depend on it as much so in recent years it had been difficult for Crescendo’s mothers to feed. Hence why he pretended to be in need of help and drag people into the sea so that his mothers have enough food to live off. 

He was in a neighborhood now, the last time he was on land it was… 1980 something, it was when his mothers showed him how they would get food if the going ever got too tough. It wasn’t pretty work but neither was his way. Now though, the hair smelled more of smog that ocean breeze and the yards had more brow patches than green grass. There was the distant sound of a dog barking and a few people walking under the street lamps. 

Occasionally women would walk by him, shoulders hunched and eyes looking nervous, he remembers his mothers telling him about the atrocities men would do to women. He would avert his eyes and kept walking, ignoring the feeling of weary eyes on him once they had walked far away enough. It went on like that until he hit the actual town, the street lamps a little brighter and scarce cars going by here and now. The phrase, “Welcome to Tempesta!”, written in a few shops. 

“I can’t just show up in a motel and ask for a roomー not when I smell like a wet dog,” his hair was dry, the color the same as Melodia’s, dark blonde. It was dry and tangled. “But I need to find a place withー what did mother write it down as? Oh yeah, internet? She said... that I could find it for free at a café? So, to find one?” They had left a small book with instructions and things he would need to know. So, Crescendo knew for a fact that he was in the main street of the town, some things like that never changed. All he had to do was look for a café open atー 12:26 am. Not too hard! 

It took him half an hour, “finally,” opening the shop he wasn't expecting to see a great number of people in the shop. A table of men and a couple were already in the shop, the barista flashed him a small smile, they were getting ready to take his order. 

From what his mom wrote down for him, he should order something, “hello,” his voice was monotone, “can I have an iced coffee?” He liked the cold. 

“What that be all,” the barista was looking at their notepad, the lettering, “Cocoa Bean” engraved on their cap. 

Crescendo nodded, “yes,” he pulled out ten dollars from the wallet his mothers had given him. Waiting to be told the total. 

“And… your total will be three fifty-five,” Taking the bill that cashed it in and gave him the change, “and can I get a name, please?” They handed him his receipt. 

Taking the money Crescendo looked at the person, “Crescendo,” they nodded at turned around with a soft ‘okay’ taking that has his sign to look for a table he made his way over to the table at the furthest corner, setting his backpack down and pulled out a laptop he had with him. 

He knew these were expensive, where his mothers got this and everything else, he will never know but he was thankful for everything, just as he opened the laptop his name was called. Walking up to get he felt eyes on him, not aggressive but calculating, it was the men. Deciding to ignore them Crescendo got to understanding the new pieces of technology he ended with. Sometimes he’d take a sip from what he understood was a bitter and cold drink. He had a bank account apparently. Looking between his laptop, phone and book, it took him at least an hour to set up everything. 

“Excuse me,” looking up Crescendo came face to face with one of the men from the table, “I’m very sorry to bother you butー I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around.” The man was tall and dark, voice soft. He seemed nice. 

Crescendo put his phone down, “oh yeah? How sure are you about that?” His own voice was dead and bored sounding. 

The man smiled, “I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve never seen you aroundー it’s not a very big place y’know,” his smile was nice, handsome if you will. Crescendo nodded, taking another sip from his coffee, watery now. 

“It’s not that I’m new here, more likeー like I don’t leave my house much or at all,” He wasn’t lying, he rarely left his cave. “I got kicked out.” Now thatー that wasn't a lie. 

The man’s smile fell, biting his bottom lip, “oh sorry, didn’t mean to bring up a sore topic,” he was very nice for someone who looked like he could break Crescendo into three pieces. 

Crescendo didn’t try smiling knowing that his face was too stiff for that, he didn't try to bring emotion to his voice. “It's alright. My mom's ー mom, yeah, mom said it was for the best.” He’s been told that one can have two moms but never three. “I sort of agree.” He took another sip of his coffee. 

“Oh! Where are my manners, sorry! My name’s Achak.” He bowed his head and pulled at his hair, reaching his hand out. 

Putting his coffee on the table, Crescendo reached to shake his hand, “Crescendo, nice to meet you.” Achak, it sounded nice. 

Achak tilted his head, “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone named that, I would’ve totally remembered it.” He pulled his hand away, it was then did Crescendo remembered how cold his skin was. Seeing how Achak shoved his hand into his pocket he just took another sip of his coffee. “Um, do you have a place to stay at?” 

The man’s voice sounded awkward, he was pulling at his hair again, it looked nice. He didn’t, he was hoping to find a lake nearby and just live there, leave occasionally and interact with people every so often, go back to his mothers in three, maybe four years. Crescendo shook his head, taking another sip of his coffee. 

Achak nodded, pressing his lips together and pulling at his hair more. “Would you like a place to stay at?” Crescendo nodded, straw still in his mouth. “Wellー you can always stay with us.” He looked nervous, anxious. 

Crescendo put his drink on the table, “not to be rude but, why should I?” He sat up a little straighter, “we’re strangers to each other. All you know is my name and vice versa.” Achak shrugged. 

“You don’t seem like a bad person, I’m not getting any serial killer vibes from you,” he put his hands and waved them in circles around in Crescendo’s general direction. 

That’s debatable, very debatable, “isn’t the whole point of being a serial killer killing people and not giving off a serial killer vibe? Plus, how can I be sure you aren’t a serial killer?” Achak laughed a little. 

He scratched the back of his head, “damn I guess you’re right. Look, I just wanted to offer a place where you can stay until y’knowー find your own place?” He sounded sincere, a perk of being partially raised by sirens. He’s learned how to read the true intentions of people through words. Not a lick of malice. 

Crescendo put his laptop on rest mode before closing it, the time was 2:16 am, living people should be sleeping at this hour, “why are you out here?” He was walking as he shoved the laptop in his backpack. “It’s late,” he closed his book and too, shoved that into his backpack. A snort came from above him. 

“I could be asking you the same question, no butー my older sister owns the shop, I get free drinks when I come after after hours.” Free food, he read that some living people will just about anything for free food. Standing up, Crescendo pulled the backpack on and now that he was standing he could see that Achak was taller than him. 

Sitting down he could tell the man was big but he who knew that he’d be this much taller than him, at least a head taller. Bigger as he seemed to pack a lot of muscle, again, the man could snap Crescendo’s skinny ass into three in .5 seconds flat. 

“Where are you taking me?” Crescendo shook the cup of ice before taking a sip, it was fun. 

Achak looked down at him, “are you actually going with me?” He sounded a little bit dazed, dark sharp eyes wide, mouth hanging open the slightest bit. 

Crescendo looked up at him, “yeah, unless you were joking earlier.” He’s never had to look up at someone, that’s not true but it is the first time he’s had to look up at a man. “Which would be very rude of you.” 

Achak shook his head, “no, no, no, no! That’s not it, I just… thought it would take a little bit more convincingー you’re pretty easy.” Before Crescendo could say anything back Achak had already started walking to where the rest of the men he came with were sitting with. 

“I can’t believe you actually convinced him,” A man with shoulder-length hair spoke, skin bronze and smile a little wicked, “you can really do anything as long as you put your mind to it huh?” He spoke as if Crescendo wasn’t there. 

From what he remembered that would be considered rude, “if my mom were here she would’ve clawed your eyes out.” He ignored the men and spoke to Achak who laughed a little. 

He shook his head as he grabbed his jacket off the chair he was sitting at, “I didn’t mean it like that,” there you traces of a laugh in his words. “Come on guys, say hi, his name’s Crescendo.” He pointed his head down towards him. 

The man from earlier turned to him, bowing his head, “sorry ‘bout that, names Ahiga, pleasure,” Crescendo nodded, trying to seem as alive as they come. 

Roll call started, the two other men's names were Luis and Alvaro, good friends of Achak, they seemed to be at least by the way they didn’t question the crazy idea. Even acting as if it were the norm for Achak. 

“So, you say you’ve been living here for a long time but where exactly?” They had left the café and now were walking in the still slightly dark streets of the town, the sun wasn’t out but there was a dull light making the sky look muted blue. Achak had a jacket on, puffs of air forming dispersing clouds in front of his face as he spoke.

Crescendo looked at him, catching his eyes for a second. “on the beach.” No one lived on the beach anymore, at least not close enough, usually saying “by the beach.” 

No pause, not even a flick of hesitation, “I thought no one lived on the beach anymore, cleared the area years ago.” Achak shoved his hands into his pant pokes. “Why’d you stay?” 

“My mother, she loves the ocean,” it wasn’t a lie, not like he wouldn’t lie but he was raised to always tell the truth. “Can’t say I hate it because I love it too.” He doesn’t know that but he does know that he lived there. 

A hum came from one of the men in front. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they love that ocean.”