Reading the Dice: Voyages Edition

Story 1: Shoreline Celebration

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Dice Roll: waves, ladder, sunset, spark, glasses, tent, rice bowl, rain cloud, towers

The sailor straightened her glasses as she stared out across the sea. The light reflecting in sparkles off the tips of the waves was red as the sun dipped below the horizon.

"Ey! Kasey!"

The sailor looked down from the crow's nest.

"See anything?!"

Kasey looked out across the sea again, squinting against the low beams of the sun bouncing into her eyes from the water. Off on the horizon, the sunlight also glinted off another surface. Points and smooth surfaces. The tips of the spires of the port ahead.

"Land ho!" Kasey shouted. She half-climbed, half-slid down the rope ladder to the deck, then ran up to the bridge to the captain.

"Kasey? What ho?" the captain asked, smiling.

"Rawk! What ho!" the garish blue and red parrot on the captain's shoulder echoed.

"Captain Abbie. Land ho." Kasey smiled. "I spied the tips of the towers at the port of Arlesk."

"Maintain sails! Port ahead!" Captain Abbie called. The sailors saluted.

Kasey turned and returned to the crow's nest, eyes gleefully watching the far-off spires slowly fade as the sun disappeared, then return, closer, in a silvery light as the moon rose.

The anchors dropped and the crew loaded into dinghies. Rowing steadily, they arrived at port with a large crate marked with warnings. People stood all along the shore, watching as the sailors arrived; a huge, brightly colored tent lit by a rainbow of lights loomed behind the crowd. A cheer began as someone pointed to the dinghy with the crate, shouting excitedly.

The sailors disembarked, people onshore taking the crate and carrying it to a small patch of land apart from the main crowd. As the sailors mingled with the people, a group of young people in black uniforms pried open the crate, carrying the bright bundles of red and yellow rockets to the tripods and other stands waiting on the shore.

Vendors carrying shallow crates sold steaming skewers of meat and vegetables, bowls of rice and noodles, and mugs of beer.

The people gradually sat on blankets or benches and seats, all facing the sea.

The patch of land near the crate briefly lit by an orange spark, then a hissing whistle sounded as a rocket shot into the sky, exploding in a flurry of bright red sparks that slowly trickled down. Another spark preceded another rocket, the sparks brilliantly white. More rockets lit the sky, colors exploding as brilliant flowers of yellow, red, blue, white, and purple.

The crowd sat, faces alternately lit by the fireworks or cast in shadow, staring up at the sky, watching the show.

Finally, the last rocket exploded with a large boom, the sparks a mix of many colors tinkling softly as they fell and slowly fizzled out.

The people began gathering up their families, blankets, and chairs. They gradually dispersed.

As the final people left the shoreline, the lights on the tent illuminated the growing clouds. The night sky swallowed the stars as the clouds darkened and grew. A rain fell as the lights on the tent flickered and went out.