DOGS. Legacy Saga II

41

Pierre noticed Morris' questioning frown when he brought dinner before Marina joined them, and shook his head slightly. Morris stood up, excused himself and left the cabin.

Marina wasn't in sight on deck. Castillano was, arms folded on the starboard gunwale, head down.

He saw Morris come marching on and nodded up, to the foretop.

"I can't wait to leave you in Santiago!" Morris snarled, climbing to the gunwale to grab the shrouds. He stopped before stepping on the first ratline and leaned toward Castillano, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You have two minutes to get out of my sight."

Castillano stiffened, taken aback by his open hostility. When he didn't move, Morris put a hand on his hip and raised an eyebrow, like inviting Castillano to stay there and see how it went. Castillano could only step back, turn around and start to the fore hatch in no hurry.

Morris climbed up the rigging, grunting under his breath.

He found Marina at the foretop. The girl was sitting like she used to, face to the wind and her feet hanging in the air. But he spotted the bottle she held against her thigh.

"What're you doing, drinking?"

"I don't know. This is disgusting."

Marina took a long sip and threw the bottle.

It didn't fall far. It crashed where Castillano was about to set his foot, one step before the hatch. He looked up, wondering whether it'd been an accident or it was time to start fearing for his life. But he couldn't see the top from where he was.

Morris grabbed Marina's arms to make her face him. She pushed him away roughly. It was the first time she drank, and she'd had half a bottle of strong wine with an empty belly. She felt her mouth gooey and her head cloudy. The bitter aftertaste in her throat only matched her heart's. Her faced crashed against Morris' chest, when he held her and kissed her short raven mane.

"Hush, my pearl. Just one more day," he whispered. "Tomorrow night everything will be fine. This isn't you."

"I know this is not me," she grunted, pushing him to have room to breathe. "But sometimes I get sick and tired of being me. Why can't I be you? Things are always simple and clear for you, even if they're not yes or no, but maybe."

Morris sat down by her side, smiling. "If you were me, you wouldn't have my affection. And you'd be lost."

She giggled. "But I'd have mine."

"And lice."

He scratched her hair and she shrank, giggling again.

"You're a shame. I'm delousing you first thing tomorrow, else Dolores won't look at you again."

"See? If you were me, you'd be ashamed."

"You're impossible. I can't even try to get drunk like all of you do, to see if it's so great as you say, and you're all over. You and your lice."

"Come. You can't live without me."

"Of course I can't. What's new."

They lingered up there until Marina's head was clear enough to climb down without tripping, and they headed for the cabin together. By then, Alonso had gone to sleep, Pierre had cleaned the table, and Dolores and Alma set the hammocks to sleep. Morris stopped outside the door.

"Go to bed. You didn't sleep last night," he said to Marina, poking the tip of her nose.

"You too because you neither," she replied, smiling. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Night, my dear brother."