Shooting Stars | Lo'ak¹

Chapter 15: Killer Tulkun

Italicize - someone's thoughts or a story from the past

Bold - sign language 

"So, what do you think?" Lo'ak asked, and Ja'lia looked back and forth between him and the tulkun with a missing fin.

"I don't know. I mean, I thought the tulkun hadn't returned yet," The girl shrugged, and Lo'ak nodded in understanding.

He didn't understand why the tulkun was by Three Brothers Rocks, nor did he understand why the animal was alone, but he didn't want to pry any information out of the animal. One because he felt he didn't have the right to ask, and two because the boy was scared that he might miss translate what the tulkun was saying to him.

Lo'ak had asked Tsireya to give him private lessons in the Tulkuns language, and she happily obliged his request, thinking that he was continuing to grow his interest in her home. The boy was pulled away from his thoughts when his friend started to talk.

"Wait, did you say that he saved your life?" Ja'lia questioned, wanting to confirm one of his previous statements. "Yeah, when Ao'nung left me beyond the reef, I was attacked by an Akula, and he saved me," Lo'ak motioned toward his newfound friend.

"And you've been coming here to hang out with him everyday?" Ja'lia once again asked a question because she was trying to make sure she had her facts straight before she completely lost her shit on him for not telling her sooner.

"Yeah," Lo'ak said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Why didn't you introduce him to me sooner?"

"Because I thought you would be mad when you found out that I almost died a couple of weeks ago, especially when I took the blame for what Ao'nung did," He explained.

Ja'lia blankly stared at the boy as she tried to process his words. Lo'ak had almost died, and he still took the blame for Ao'nung. How could he be so stupid? Why, after the hell, Ao'nung put him through, would he take the blame and get himself into trouble?

Of course, the issue had been resolved, at a later time, but that was only because Ja'lia knew he was lying and told his parents the truth.

If Ja'lia hadn't spoken up, he would still be in serious trouble with his parents.

But he wasn't, and that was because of his best friend.

Then when Ja'lia fully processed his words, it was like time was at a standstill. He could've died if it hadn't been for the tulkun she was currently in front of. She could have lost one of the last people she truly cared about had he not come when he did.

So, Ja'lia swam closer to the animal and tried to embrace him as best as she could because he was like one hundred times bigger than her. "Thank you," Ja'lia signed, and the tulkun blew air out of his blow hole.

"His name's Payakan," Lo'ak informed, and Ja'lia looked at him with furrowed brows.

"How do you know his name?" She questioned.

"Tsireya has been giving me lessons on how the tulkun communicate with them," He said, and Ja'lia hummed in response as she used the animal's good fin to push herself up out of the water. Lo'ak soon followed after her, and the two sat in silence as they heard small waves crash against Payakan.

Both of them wanted to talk about something, anything, but their usually hyperactive minds had gone completely radio silent when they sat beside each other, and for the first time in their entire lives, the silence felt awkward.